District V

District V

Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Mississippi, Puerto
Rico, South Carolina, Tennessee, US Virgin Islands

Welcome back everyone! Two bits of business this month, and as you will likely be able to tell, the first one has me a little annoyed. Clubs take work, and if you’re not willing to do the work, how about a kind word for the folks that are willing. It’s hard enough to find people who willingly give of their time, sweat, and talent, so we can’t afford to aggravate the few who do. If the field is shut down for an hour because the person who usually cuts the grass can’t do it at 6 a.m. and you’re a little inconvenienced, how about buying him or her a cold drink or lunch rather than griping that you can’t fly because he couldn’t mow until 10 a.m. Better yet, grab a weed whacker and help trim so that you both can fly sooner!

It seems the same people who have the attitude of “I pay my dues so I can fly, not mow grass or flip burgers” are the same people who complain when those dues have to go up. Also, if you’re in a club, try thinking of creative ways to recognize your active volunteers. Year-end banquet awards, dues rebates, hobby shop gift certificates—it really doesn’t take much to make someone feel as though their contributions are appreciated.

The second is more business. AMA cards expire on the anniversary that you paid last year. Older members, such as I, expire December 31 because I’ve been a member since 1980, but newer memberships expire on your anniversary. Why is this an issue? Because a 2024 card might expire at the end of December or the end of January 2024. Forgetful members could potentially have cards that appear valid but are, in fact, expired, which could lead to insurance issues if something were to happen.

Fortunately, AMA has a tool for club officers on its website for roster management. If you add current club members to your club’s online roster, you can see expiration dates and get a list of expired members. These issues can be mitigated by ensuring that you have the correct and current address and email information on file at AMA Headquarters to get your renewal notice on time. It takes a little work to get the roster set up, but managing it takes only a few minutes each month and maybe an hour once a year to keep it current. Autopay renewal is also available by calling the Membership department at AMA Headquarters and setting up a card.