Gentlemen,

If a chapter is not kept active, and not just through posting, the life and longevity of this chapter may not be much longer.

I have tried to organize ... and failed, evidently. No one appears to have an interest in forming individual state organizers and leaders for their state chapter of the High Plains Drifters. Chapters require participation and meets. This is not happening.

There are several alternatives.
1. Disband the Drifters and form individual state chapters. ( They still require participation.)
2. Start talking to your fellow FTE'ers from your state and see if there is enough interest to keep this chapter going. If there is an interest, I suggest that some volunteers step forward for state coordinator, secretary, treasurer, etc.
3. Elect another Chapter Leader. Maybe someone else can do more than I have to get people to participate...and be more successful. If this occurs, I will continue to maintain the Drifters store, not that many have shown any interest in it anyway. The calendar has been the big seller...and most of them aren't even from the Drifters.

These are the only choices that I can see....short of just kicking back and letting another chapter get a big padlock on the outside. It's up to you guys to do something now.

 

Reading the guidelines: As we usually find here in the west, the guidelines are biased toward the eastern seaboard where a 2 hour drive takes you into 3 states. Here a 2 hour drive gets you to the next town - and not necessarily a larger town. Thus the meet requirement is arbitrarily difficult without an exception that recognizes the geographical realities. Guys back east just don't get it - I know, that's where I'm from.

Also I think we'd do better with state chapters. I've enjoyed getting to know the guys from the other states, but it would be easier to promote Montana FTE than what we have. I suspect the same is true for the other states as well. There are enough guys in all of them to go it alone. Soooo, as I've rambled thru this, I guess that's my vote - separate state chapters - or at least kick Montana loose.

#3 isn't an option

 

Thank you mtflat! Just going to bump this to the top to keep it highlighted so others might see it.

 

Bumpety ...bump.

 

If it's broke into states, ND will be pretty much nothing. There's only a few of us in ND that actually show up here. If we would be closer together (say within a few hours) then chapter meets could probably be done from time to time, but it's what, 6+ hours from Bismarck to Billings? Mtflat got it right with the "eastern" view-point. We're just too spread out.

Maybe this: Get the states to meet up individually in early spring. Find out how many would actually be interested in a chapter meet. Then, if attendence is on the plus-side, have a follow-up meet of the Chapter in a somewhat centralized location and go from there.

I really want to head out to Montana this coming spring/summer, but I can't be sure if I can make it until later on. The money has to be there for a trip like that.

Does anyone know what the population spread of the members is? The most members are in the Billings and Kalispell areas, right?
------------------------
Justin

 

Not entirely sure at this moment of who is where and what the numbers per state are. I can figure it out shortly, but am busy catching up with some moderation that I fell asleep before I go to last nite.

All four states don't need to meet as ONE. Other multi-state chapters have state coordinators, secretaries, treasurers, etc. There isn't any reason we can't do the same. In earlier threads I asked for volunteers and got zip for replies.

Eventually, as this chapter grows, yes ... we may be able to branch off to individual state chapters, if that is what members from each state wish to do.

Yes .... we are a huge numbers of miles apart and it is totally unrealistic that we, from all states try to get together all the time. But! Once a year, we could try having a multi state meet someplace ... but with the miles apart we are it would be spendy and yes .. we'd definitely live up to the name Drifters if we made it even once a year.

There isn't anything or anyone stopping each of the states here from coordinating their own meets, even if you start out slowly. Take the time to contact some of your state buddies. Do a search of the members and do an email campaign to see if you can generate interest.

I am still more than willing to accept volunteers for each state. I'll also do what I can to help out, advise or whatever.

I don't care to see the Drifters fail, but as suggested above, perhaps individual states, especially out here in the west half of the continent, where we are hours and many miles apart...separate state chapters may be the ideal way. Even in just the state of Montana... I tried to get a meet going this last summer in Kalispell and all two of us showed up. It's a long drive from Bilings. Heck..it's 127 miles from here to Missoula ... but that's at least doable and inexpensive.

I'd even suggest for a Montana chapter, that we have the state divided into four areas and have a coordinator for each of them...and then plan one yearly get together, on a rotational basis.

OK on edit, members are as follows. Montana 17 members, N.Dakota 7, SDakota 7, Wyoming 6, Iowa(has own chapter now) 15, OTHER States 5

 

Perhaps a little something to help put your mind at ease, the Missouri chapter as long as I have been a member, hasn't seemed to have a meeting yet, and I joined up back in February, and the activity is low. It seems to be bad enough that Mil1on asked who our leader was in a thread... I have no clue about other than the leader, and it isn't even under the button beside the join chapter button, so i don't know what's going on down here, but it hasn't been closed out yet. Kansas sprang from the Missouri chapter, so it's amazing how different the 2 are...

 

I dont know if cutting our neighbors from N.D. and Wyo out of our group is the right thing to do. After all I am as close to Bismarck as I am to Kalispell and actually closer time wise if ya think about it. And considering its further from Kal to Bil than it is from Boston to Pittsburg we might outa want to send the boys back east a road map if they cant understand the western way. Just my $.02.

 

I'm not totally worried about losing the chapter yet .... but, I think people who have joined, in each state, should start volunteering to be their state coordinator, secretary, etc. OR .. if there is no interest in participating it would sure be wonderful for people to let us know why or what we can do to generate more interest. We CAN be a successful chapter if we work at it, even covering as many square miles as we do.

 

absolutely, let me know if you find a way to get them motivated to do something, I haven't quite found it yet... If I figure something out, I'll surely let you know. Even though Iowa is a single state chapter, we have the same problem you're facing. Our highest turnout to date is 4 members to a get together, other than the original meeting, at 6.

 

Would you quit overreacting?

please

 

Please stop telling me to stop over reacting. Every now and then I like to draw some attention to this forum and try to get some of the members in here, reading and posting. Yes ... sometimes I use drastic wording to ATTEMPT to get some attention and participation down here.

I'll be the first one to let you know when I'm over reacting. Deal?

 

NO! I won't do it! ......OK I have calmed down now. "I'm not totally worried about losing the chapter yet .... but, I think people who have joined, in each state, should start volunteering to be their state coordinator, secretary, etc. OR .. if there is no interest in participating it would sure be wonderful for people to let us know why or what we can do to generate more interest."
I just finished being training officer for our Search and Rescue squad for 4 years, volunteer fire dept. 2 years, and a year as president. I have learned to say NO. Nothing personal, but being a truck driver, I really do have less free time than most people who don't have the time. I also agree that the distances involved here are more than most people back east would understand. All part of what makes this part of the world so great to live in.
I have inlaws in Kalispell, and Billings, so my wife would be in for a (another) road trip. Our other family is at least 5 1/2 hours away one way, and we seem to do a couple trips a month, just a relaxing weekend of driving, after driving all week. That is in the small state of South Dakota!
I just looked it up, SD is 6,417 sq. miles bigger than ND, so we aren't the little guys here!
Not much else to say, just wanted to add a little activity to the thread to make FordLover a little happier!

 

I'm happy now. You do make some good points. We'll see how things go for a while and maybe farther down the road someone may wish to attempt individual state chapters, since we are so many miles distant from each other. But in the mean time, each state could still have some mini-get-togethers and document activities here. Heck .. it's a long drive from here to Billings .. these western states are huge ... and yes ... a wonderful place to be.

 

I know what you mean about getting the smaller get togethers going, can't seem to get any going here in Iowa, and there really isn't an excuse, as there are many that are in the same towns, let alone the same areas. I'll probably have to go around and do it myself to get it going, don't really want to, but may be the only way to break the ice and get these guys together. Not saying that's what you yourself need to do, but perhaps you can get one person from each state to do it, especially due to the distance.If I were still in South Dakota, I would try to help, but with the schedule I had up till my back surgery, I never would have found this site, let alone be of much help, working 1 1/2 jobs,1 full 40 plus, and one part, pushed 20 a week too) had very little time for anything.