I see this plea for new members, but I think it's important to get the right people in the club - not just anyone.

I have tried signing up some friends in the past - three of them. They thought the idea of chips were neat so I signed them up and paid for their membership trying to get them hooked. It didn't work, and I knew in my heart it wasn't going to work.

They lost interest and never participated - not even reading the magazine sent to them. For these guys, the club gained nothing (probably lost money on printing and postage for a magazine that went straight into the garbage). Signing up short timers to the club is not helping anything.

I personally don't care if the club grows, as long as the HOBBY grows. I know it's a catch-22 that the death of the unifying organization would hurt the hobby. That isn't lost on me. If the only way to save the club is to beef up the numbers of members, then the club is living above its means and something needs to change.

The CCTN is an incredible magazine, but it just doesn't seem sustainable. If we are so protective of it that it hurts progress, then something needs to change. Any time there is mention of changing it (like going electronic, or cutting back on printing and binding, etc) there is an uproar from the general membership.

"Membership will drop!!!"
"The magazine is the only reason I joined!!!"
"I DON'T WANT TO CHANGE!!!"

I would rather get 10 new people energized about the HOBBY than 1,000 new members of the club that don't give a darn about it.