[Snappydwp1]

I would imagin this has come up in many club chapters. I got a call from this lady who's husband died 4 years ago. They had been members of our Model T Ford chapter for many years. She stated that she has not recived her news letter for the past three months. I looked at our most recent club roster and she is not listed. Our tresurer says he never recived a $12.00 check for dues from her so he took her off the active list. She lives about 40 miles from Bakersfield. I belive that for the past 4 years the club has just kept sending her the news letter out of the kindness of our hearts, God knows that we can afford $12.00 from the club tresurey to send her a news letter. Being the president of the chapter now I don't want to cut this lady off from the club, but I don't want to start something that we are paying other members dues too. I talked to a couple of the club elders and they agreed that "no dues, no news letter." I want to handle this in a delicate manor. Any suggestions?
Thanks, Snappy

[1937hd45]

What does it really cost to send a club newsletter? I was editor of our regions newsletter years ago, and nobody ever complained about missing an issue, you must have a far better newsletter than I put out.

[sixpack2639]

Snappy, I agree it is a delicate matter but have enough respect for this lady to tell her the truth that her newsletter was cut off for non payment of club dues. It is quite possible she was unaware dues were not up to date if her husband handled such matters and unless your chapter sends out reminders she may have thought he paid the dues a couple of years in advance since the newsletters kept coming. Just my opinion. Carl

[BruceW]

Sometimes I get notified by someone that they either did not receive the last month's newsletter or else it was damaged, in which case I send a new one out even though it is apparently the fault of the post office. However, whenever I have people tell me that they have not received a newsletter for several months, it usually turns out that they forgot to renew their membership. This provides a good notification so that the matter can be checked into and resolved. After due renewal time has passed, our treasurer usually sends me a list of members that did not renew and I put a bright red label on the cover of the next issue stating this will be the last newsletter unless they pay their renewal. This is usually enough to get them to pay their dues.

I agree that one issue a month is not a budget breaker but what happens if other members want to have the same freebie? The club should decide on a policy concerning such matters, and if they decide to stand by the "no dues, no newsletter", then there is not much you can do. If thats the case, then you should probably gently inform her that the club policy says no newsletters can be sent to non-paid members. Some people dont think about payment when they are continually receiving something free. Perhaps she is willing to pay the dues to keep receiving the newsletter. If she has fallen on hard times due to the death of her husbamd, perhaps good friends of her in the club will take up a collection to cover the $12.00.

Just a thought.

[imported_Buicks Rule]

Snappy,

Call her. Be polite, be kind. It's very likely that her husband dealt with all the car club renewals and she didn't get the renewal notice. After a death, there are a TON of things to resolve. It is extremely easy for something minor like car club dues to fall through the cracks, especially when the renewal notice is something rather subtle. Maybe the renewal notice got lost in the mail-who knows. Explain the situation to her and she'll probably be very happy to renew.

Some clubs do have honorary membership procedures to recognize members who have made an outstanding contribution to the local club's success. Maybe your club would want to look into something like that for similar situations. However, it is a lot easier to set up the criteria in a vacuum without the spector of a particular situation being involved.

[AKICHU]

Hi Snappy how r u???
did you get my reply e-mail???
We in our club have the same policy, however we do keep in touch by sending emails , our 52 pages Magazine cannot be sent via e-mail but our newsletter certainly is, for thoes who has computer of-course (well most of them does), in addition we send by post mail invitations for mega events and state on the posted invitation in our website and forum that all memebers and former members and their famillies are invited, so i guess if you present to her these possibilites it will be very well accepted.
Truely yours
Irit - Israel Classic Vehicle and Collectors Club

[Snappydwp1]

Thanks everybody for your suggestions. I knew I came to the right place for answers.
Hi Irit, I got your message, always glad to hear from my old car friend from Israel. Your club magazine looks very nice.