[Harp-L] Re: SPAH (was Harp-L Digest, Vol 86, Issue 9)

[Richard Hunter <turtlehill@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

"Tom Stryker" wrote:
<You know Richard, here is where the balloon pops.  Ideas and criticism, but
<no participation.  I suggest that anyone who wants to make a better SPAH,
<step up to the table and run for office or volunteer.  I have not seen many
<who have volunteered anything but comments & criticism during my term as
<president.  
<
<All the criticism apparently has blocked the view of what has been done in
<the past 10 years.  Here are a few things, all voluntary done with no
<compensations:
...

Tom, this is an impressive list of improvements to the internal administration of the organizations, for which all involved deserve credit.  However, most of these improvements are invisible to attendees at the conventions.  

<In conclusion, I challenge you all to join SPAH, bring your ideas and
<expertise to further improve it.  My term ends in 2012.  We need to hit the
<ground running because our 50th anniversary is in 2013.  We need dedicated
<volunteers for:
<1. President
<2. Vice President
<3. Treasurer
<4. Membership Director
<5. Convention Director
<6. Convention layout and vendor relation
<
<Yes, all of that is needed an no one volunteers.  I have asked repeatedly
<for volunteers at our annual meeting during the convention, where only a
<handful of the same people show up, and in my President's letter in Hh.
<Come on people, if you can't join or help, at least take a look at what you
<are saying.  You can bet I listen to all the chatter bad and good, from
<members and non members, and react where needed.  Remember, SPAH belongs to
<the members.... make it what you like.
<
<I am proud of what has been accomplished in the last 10 years. I certainly
<do not shirk my "responsibility for leadership" and that statement in itself
<is irresponsible.

Well said, and I apologize. Nevertheless, the issue remains: the festival is not changing much.  The attendees are not changing much.  Continued another decade into the future, those trends equal decline.  None of us wants to see SPAH decline.  

I don't have time at this point in my career(s) to volunteer for something as time intensive as an executive role in SPAH, or I would.  However, like many others on this list, I might be able to contribute to specific initiatives in some way--for example, writing a press release (not to take Warren's job away), writing a blurb for a program note, etc.  Perhaps a way can be found to organize the work to allow such participation.  

Efforts like the Open Source movement and Wikipedia provide examples of collaborative approaches to work that produce major league results on a volunteer basis.  A first step might be to define SPAH's projects as such, and to post the project plans publicly, both of which are SOP for the Open Source Movement. SPAH's website currently does not list any ongoing projects, at least not so far as I can see.  

Contributions can then be sought for specific pieces of each project. SPAH will quickly find out which projects have traction and which don't--the former will get volunteers, the latter won't. 

This isn't the only approach to solving the resource problem you describe, but it's an approach that's worked elsewhere.  

Let me know if you want to discuss further.

Regards, Richard Hunter 




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