MARK MY WORDS:

If it comes to me I WILL CLOSE THIS CHAPTER DOWN FOR LACK OF PARTICIPATION.

I started this, and will finish it.

I have better things to do

GREYWOLF

(HIDE AND WATCH - the words I speak are true. I started this chapter. If it must be culled, it is mine properly to do it.)

 

Well Dutch you can have it. We can't get enough active members around the Memphis area to come to a G2G to make me interested in planning another one. I also have better things to do. If I go to my gun club I'll find active members. If I go fishing I never have any problem finding someone to go with me. I joined FTE to get to know other Ford truck owners & see their trucks & the mods they have put on their trucks. FTE is just like the other Ford truck sites. Its great for info about Ford trucks & I enjoy the forums. I plan to enjoy FTE for these things & give up having a active chapter.

 

Howdy Howard(is it?) is there something I may help you with in getting the TN chapter going again?

FYI, your chapter situation is not unique. When is the last time you visited the CL Discussion forum? Lack of participation in some chapters has been a topic of discussion.

Maybe your members would rather meet at a car/truck/bike show or something on that order.

Let me know if I can help you.

 

I heard that. I have tried myself to get people around this area(mid tn.) and I would get a few that show interest but then it slacks off and of course the day job starts to take over and then even I can't seem to devote as much free time as I would otherwise. It's a vicious cycle it is.

 

glruff I've tried car,truck & bike shows. I've tried cookouts. Greywolf has also tried & has been lots of help to me but we can't get a G2G to happen. I'm not mad at anyone here & have no hard feelings causing me to decide to resign. Its just because I have other interest I plan to spend my free time doing.
IMHO getting the Tn chapter active isn't possible. Its not just on FTE. I belong to a couple of other Ford truck sites & they have the same luck with the Tn chapters. The members spend time on their computers at FTE but they don't spend time getting out & meeting the people they talk to on the site.

 

I understand completely, but my philosophy has been if more than one show up its a meet. Posting pics of the meet, the trucks, etc. draws some interest. Simple things like getting your members to put their first name in their signatures so they can get familar with the person and not the username.

Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't, we just keep looking for that one special thing to draw more people together.

The car/truck shows, especially the ones that benefit a charity don't cost you anything but time and benefit the community. I can only hope that Dutch's post does not become reality.

I'm here for you, I know you guys don't care for a Yankee voicing our opinions, but hey I'm from "Southern" Delaware. lol

 

George - we've even scouted out fishing grounds. Zero cost places to have picnics, the Memphis International Auto Show, and so on. It just doesn't seem to work out.

Post levels in the chapter forum are few and far between.

I thought after a while maybe it was because of me - that I wasn't brought up around here. That's the main reason I finally backed out and handed the wheel to someone else.

Howard, Buddy, Eric and the gang have been successful with several other Ford Truck sites, but even the other sites are in trouble now. I think the high cost of fuel is killing a lot of things, much less truck G2G's. This isn't the richest state of the union either, and it's spread out a long way...

If anyone has an idea to salvage things, now's the time. But I'm not going to be a caretaker for an empty forum.

Dutch

 

I'd hate to think my stepping down would cause the chapter to close. It may be for the best though. This chapter goes days sometimes without a single post. This isn't my reason for stepping down though. I'm self employed again & I just don't have the time to spend as CL. I'm spending most of my time on the computer now emailing customers & making bids on jobs. We need to nominate a couple of members & get a new CL elected. I will do anything I can to help the next CL get started on the job. BTW I'm not leaving FTE I'm just quiting the CL job.

 

Howard I don't think that you stepping down will cause the chapter threads to close. It would probably be put on "auto approve" until a suitable replacement can be found.

I can appreciate your reasons that work, and family are taking more of your time. Give it a couple of weeks, and if no one takes the challenge to become chapter leader, I will check with the admins about removing you as CL and putting the membership approval on automatic.

Maybe we can meet at the F100 Super Nats next year. We had a group for DE go down this year and won a couple of Fiffy awards and a club participation award for FTE.

If you are up this way in August, maybe you can plan on attending the All Truck Nationals in Carlisle, PA.

 

Howard, George, everyone...

Let it be so. In my heart I'd hate to see the chapter just fade away. But I honestly would much rather be persuing the projects I do have going on here, that DO appear to be successful so far. I can't see the future, but the past is kind of painful. I don't get just halfway involved in things I believe in. I hate seeing the chapter like this when so many others are up and going like wildfire. But it just is what it is.

~Greywolf

 

I don't think my stepping down will cause the chapter to close. I was saying that because of Greywolf saying he would close the chapter if it didn't have enough activity. I'll keep checking the new member section & approving members till a new leader is found. The chapter needs a new CL & has for awhile. I lost interest about 3 months ago & don't see my interest coming back. I've lost my interest in modding trucks. It cost too much for my income. I want to spend more time on my other hobbies like sporting clays, trap shooting & fishing. FTE will get along just fine with or without me as CL.

 

Howard, just so you know I'm have the only "stock" truck in my chapter, lol. If fact the members gave me a trophy that states "Stock Sucks".

How about this, either you or myself contact IB Adrian and ask that you be removed as CL, and for now to put the new members on "auto approve"?

Drop in when you can. Don't be a stranger. J/K

Dutch I am sure the TN members would thank you for you gracious offer to take over the CL duties, but it really is not necessary at this time. As you know there are several FTE chapters without a CL and they are doing OK, not great, but OK. Maybe after your projects are completed in the future, you will revisit the CL position.

In the mean time, continue your positive support for the TN chapter, and who knows that special person may come forward and volunteer to take over the CL position.

 

George - if all goes well those projects will be an ongoing thing with FTE that makes it better than ever. It just bugs me that in a world of digital magic, and promotional innovations, I'm just slap out of "SILVER BULLETS" and don't know what to do.

I guess it just ain't mine to make that thing right there go like a scalded dog...

 

Dutch, trust me, it has nothing to do with you or Howard. The time is not right. That special person is out there and will come forward, just you wait and see.

 

My truck is almost stock too. I decided to quit modding trucks after my 97. I had more money in mods on it than I got for the truck when I sold it. I don't enjoy turning wrenches anymore so I will just drive a stock truck & enjoy it. I do have the good mods in my truck like a nice stereo , dvd player & a tv for the grandson to watch on long trips. It came with a 3 stage hypertech tuner in it also. I usually run it on the stock setting. It spins the tires too much if I run the hottest setting. Nothing like driving a 7500 lb truck that burns rubber in 3rd gear.
Don't worry about me leaving FTE. I still will check the Tn chapter every morning just like I have since I joined. This is the best Ford truck site on the web IMHO. FTE has more info about our trucks & more helpful members to jump in when you post a problem. I will continue to promote the site & tell everyone I know about it. I'm still addicted to FTE. I just don't want the CL job anymore. You can set the chapter to approve new members if you want. I will be glad to keep doing it till a new leader is elected.