Benefits to becoming an IFFF Charter Club.
I realize that change is sometimes difficult to accept. However, allow me to explain why I want everyone to embrace this important change. I've thought about it for a long time.
Personally, I have been a member of the IFFF for over six years as a casting instructor. I wouldn't have honed my fly fishing skills without their support. As a member I have been able to take advantage of folks and resources that have helped me develop not only my fly casting skills, but what I believe is more important...my teaching skills. I have been able to travel and connect with others that have similar minds, but superior skills. I have been able to bring those skills back to others.
But, what happens when we're gone. To keep the legacy long after we leave this earth, a club has to eventually develop its own character. That character will be developed through us and an foundation for the future through a club.
Through personal experience, I have put together some great programs and once I have left they fizzled out. Human capital is what keeps good things going, but policy and the structure it brings keeps them going way into the future. There are great members like you that could do so, but we don't have anywhere written the direction that we want to take this club when the leadership is gone. This "loose organization" needs stability and a sense of the future.
The structure and how the club would operate will not change, so what we had agreed to, continues to be the mode of operation. I don't want to lose this at all and together we will make certain that it does not. In fact, the IFFF has more qualities of what I was envisioning and includes that in an account of it's history. Lee Wulff, in a letter to Bob Wethern of the Flyfishers Club of Oregon written on May 27, 1964, said "it occurs to me that a loose federation of fly fishing groups could be of considerable value." Lee was from New York. Both of these members are gone, but the IFFF has continued to fluorish and grow for over 50 years.
Becoming a charter club offers us a number of benefits that we weren't able to access as we are currently. Here are some.
for some time we weren't able to purchase better vices. The IFFF fly tier's organization will be able to help us make this a reality.
we can strengthen fly tying, by having the funds to bring down premier fly tiers.
we can connect with other clubs that have fly tying events that we can attend as visitors or participants
we can bring down premier fly tiers at the state, regional, and national level
we can participate in activities with other charter clubs (LMFFA is working toward a charter status also)
we can take advantage of the credibility and national reputation of the IFFF to provide discounts and support our projects
we can protect the organizers from liability when conducting events (One Fly, Kayaking Outings, etc.)
we can protect the members in the event of an accident with a discounted insurance policy for everyone of our members
we can join an organization with similar values of conserving, restoring, and educating
Regarding the idea of joining a national organization, I believe it's the way to go. As a professional I have always sought national stature. It has served me well. I've been a member of the National Archery Association, National Field Archers Association, National Environmental Education Association, National Education Association, National Science Teachers Association, Children in Nature Network, and many regional organizations. I am also on the board for the Texas Council which is a new organization expected to revive fly fishing in Texas.
My parents combined, didn't have an eighth grade education, yet all of there three children received degrees. I learned from them that setting high expectations has to occur. I've embraced this way of thinking from them.
Hopefully, there will be many more generations of fly tiers after us. I think where we both agree that real change occurs in grass root activities. That's why we embraced our "loose structure", but our work will die without establishing a group with a clear direction.
I believe in giving members a voice and I hope that my brief explanation provides the foundation for my way of approaching this new direction.
