Just my imageination
 

Is it just me or is the Home Page photo beginning it's third month? It is a nice picture though.

It is a good picture. I think it is the second month

maybe post one of a super Fox

or maybe a pump gun for April 1st

A pump should be a M12. Mills this is the beginning of the 3rd month. Maybe John needs some more pictures.

I won't have a nice Fox until after the Southern...hopefully:)

i like this picture…what say we give it another 30 days…. :)

I know its in a case but would make a nice homepage photo, A grade 6 and a grade 5 consecutively serial numbered, gary

Send in a nice picture with your membership dues.

Why would I want to be a non committed insignificant annual member......again:eek:

I cant hit the like button enough for those guns Gary C posted the picture of.
Wow!!!!!!!!

I believe he has the best hammer gun collection in the country. Very, very nice Mr. C:bowdown:

I am not aware that we have any of those , except in the minds of those who consider themselves uncommitted and insignificant.

YOU made the comment that the annual member wasn't committed when the question of allowing long term annual members the ability to vote.

Rich, that is not not accurate , intentionally or misstatement.

Being a life member is a demonstration of long term financial commitment to an organization. It is that way with the PGCA, RGS, PF or Rotary. In the PGCA it provides two privileges ; 1) dues are paid up and 2) voting and running for the board. Those matters are in the by laws and can be changed only by procedures for change provided therein.

There are two paths to life membership; 1) most people pay their way, for some it is easy, for others, they have to save for some months. 2) a few people have provided extraordinary service to the PGCA or to Parker collecting such that their service is rewarded by the board by life membership.

If a person has difficulty coming up with the money, I am aware that there are informal payment plans to life membership. Rich, if that is the case, may I suggest you contact a board member about the situation.

For myself, although I am a life member, I owe the PGCA much more than I have ever paid in. When I didn't know much about the guns I received the patience and helpfulness of strangers. I learned much and continue to gain knowledge. I have made good friends from coast to coast, people whom I would have otherwise never met. I have enjoyed comradeship based in mutual interest and appreciation. I have made life long hunting buddies, friends who have shown me areas and techniques. I am indebted to them and the organization that brought us together. For me, there is only one reasonable response and that is to invest my money and time in our PGCA organization that needs my and our help.

I beg to differ, it is accurate. I was an annual member for well over 12 years so if you want to look at the monetary aspect I had paid in more than many of the older life members.

When the board was asked to allow long term members the privilege to vote the only reply was NO. There was no explanation of the reasoning behind it. The board does whatever it wants to and answers to no one.

I'm done with this I just don't care anymore.

Never thought about it. I am also a annual member in the Remington Society and can vote. Also when I was a annual member [ now life ] in the NRA, NMLRA, and my local sportsmens club I could vote. Interesting thoughts both ways.

I am a member of numerous other organizations both annual and life. This is the only organization that prohibits me as an annual member from voting.

The annual member has no benefits here other than the for sale section of the forum and Parker Pages BUT for only $500 you can be a life member and vote for people you probably don't know who do what they want to.

I know more about what was going on with my credit union than I did with the PGCA when I was a member.

Rich, it is a good question. Maybe the board would like to respond why annual members can't vote. I'd like to know.

There reply was a flat No. No explanation of why just because they said so. The PGCA is no longer a small organization. I couldn't get an exact number of life Members but lets say its 250 and IF 80% of them vote (and I bet that's high) you have 200 members voting for what 6 BOD members who control all 1300 or so members. Not all of the life members want to contribute time and energy to the PGCA some have served their time and don't want to continue so the pool of available candidates will continue to dwindle.

I think because life members show a strong and long term commitment to PGCA by writing a big check for life membership. Also, these are the members who generally know the players involved and will make a wise voting decision.

Come on Rich. If you don't like PGCA that much, why do you hang around here? Jump back in, the water's fine

Mills it's not that I don't like the PGCA because I do. I just think that long term annual members should have the ability to vote and possibly run for board positions. In 12+ years of membership I have contributed more financially than the life member who made a one time payment of $300.

How many of the life members do you actually know? Why can they make better decisions than an annual member who has been around a long time? I have been a member much longer than you have but because your a life member you can make better decisions than I can?

In the long run this line of thinking will result in failure. Every organization needs new blood.

I am going to hop into this once, and that's it...I have brought these same points up to members of the board and they have been dismissed. Ok so be it, most clubs allow annual members to vote, as Rich says, maybe after ten years who knows but we do need new blood from the annual members, or is this what I said fifteen years ago, are we aspiring to become an "elitist" club.:eek: Ok know I am out of here, said my peace. Eric

I was annual member before becoming a lifer. I paid $350 back then and I think I maybe at breakeven now. I receive much more in information and the ability to meet some great guys who share an interest/passion. I held all three Invincible's, bought guns from Jack P., held the 6 frame 12 gauge, hung out with the Ivory Bead Boys, went to Ed M's memorial celebration where I was fortunate to spend the afternoon with Market Hunter. Please know that the least of the advantages of being a lifer is voting for the BOD.

Did you have to be a lifer to do those things? Sounds to me like any PGCA member could have enjoyed that stuff

Any member could do all that stuff except have the ability to vote.

I am an annual member of the NRA and I can vote for board members. I have been an annual member of the NRA for 60 years, would that be considered a committed member? But I do agree with the comment regarding knowing who to vote for and what there qualifications and level of commitment is.

I think that if a person wanted to become a life member but could not afford the up front payment, then perhaps they could pay say $100 a year for five years then they would become a life member.

I haven't been around here that long, but my understanding is that when the PGCA was founded and chartered that is the way the initial rules and charter were written. I think the BOD can change it, but that is no small thing and probably not something simple to do. Changes to constitutions, charters for non-profits, other similar governing "rules" for various organizations are supposed to not be simple to make and changes not taken lightly. I am not discounting some of the good points made, but for a change that fundamental it would take a lot more than just a few voices.

There are only 7 board members and they can change this IF they wanted to but the DON'T want to. This organization has grown tremendously but the BOD haven't grown with the times.

If you feel that strongly about it perhaps a petition with signatures of a large number of annual members would be a more effective way of suggesting such a change to the board...

My opinion is that all members should have voting privelages.

No you did not have to be a lifer to enjoy all those things mostly just show up, be nice and polite, enjoy others company and appreciate the artistry of the Parker.

It's amazing what being a PGCA lifer means in some places. At the H+H store in Paris, a notably snobbish place the the atmosphere turned cordial when I told them I was Life member and collected classic American smooth bores I was shown the collectors gun room, Some real neat metal in there.

Now who knows what would have happened if i did not mention the PGCA but the same thing happened at Purdey's. So yes the lifer level does have perks.

How many of us are going to H&H or Purdy's? I have been treated well by all the staff at H&H without being a life member of the PGCA. I think your grasping at straws.

How about we start a petition on this thread ? Sign me up now.

I'll go along with that although I'm no longer a member I believe that the annual member is getting the short straw.

I'm guessing that if you'd left the word "life" out of that sentence you'd have been accorded the same courtesy.

I joined so I could read the restricted forums and receive Parker Pages. As someone who's lost in the Central Time Zone I'll probably never attend any of the functions nor get to know any of you fine folks personally, so to be perfectly frank the privilege of voting is not particularly important to me.

Only the old life member trap shooters have a vote at the Spokane Gun Club!!

Dave, I assume the Spokane Gun Club owns property, a very good reason to give some power to old life members. Our situation is completely different. By the way, don't mistake me for someone who has an opinion about this. I have been blackballed before and didn't like it. I am here to make friends. I am well into my second decade of "blackball" and I am looking forward to coming back into the fold. By the way, I have been a life member for many years.

I had the same experience at Purdeys two years ago when we were in London. They couldn't have been more gracious and allowed me into their most hallowed room.