We’re opening this article up to allow reader comments, with the hope of getting a discussion going on how we might save the club. We need volunteers for the 2012 board, and if no one comes forward the club will come to an end. If you’ve got any thoughts to contribute, please leave a reply below. To prevent spam, all response posts will be moderated, but it shouldn’t take long for your comments to be published.
And just to get things started, I want to share some thoughts I have.
Door Duty
I think door duty may be one of the things people may dread most about volunteering for the board. It is not always a lot of fun, having to miss some of the dances (at least in the early part of the evening), because you’re taking admissions money at the door. It hasn’t been all that burdensome in the past, because we’ve usually had about 12 board members and so each of us has had to do it only about once every three months. But if we only get about 6 volunteers for the board next year, then each board member will have to do it more often.
I think there are several possible ways to deal with the problem. In years past the club has paid someone to do door duty. It didn’t cost all that much, and the person doing it might also perform other, related tasks like managing the beverages and organizing the 50/50. The club certainly has enough money to do this again. An alternative might be to have volunteers from the club take turns doing it, so it wouldn’t be just board members who are stuck with the job.
Non-Essential Activities
In prior years the board has spent a large part of its time on activities that were fun and certainly worthwhile, but not absolutely essential to running the club. For example, we organized a book sale, a bake sale and several silent auctions. In the coming year, if volunteers for the board were less able to devote a lot of time to the club, these kinds of activities could be reduced, or they might be done using volunteers from the club who are recruited for each event or task.
Board Meetings
During the past year or two, we’ve had board meetings once each month. They started an hour before the dance and usually lasted about an hour. In the future, if we wanted, we could hold shorter meetings. There is no requirement they be held once each month. The incoming board can schedule meetings wherever and whenever it wants.
Showing Up for Every Dance
Some club members say they don’t want to join the board because they think that they’ll have to show up for every Friday night dance. That simply isn’t true. There is nothing in the bylaws that says that. All we really need is one person, a ‘responsible party’ to be at every dance, just to handle any difficulties or questions that might arise, and to make sure the venue is cleaned up before everyone leaves. This ‘responsible party’ doesn’t even have to be a board member; it could be someone from the club membership who volunteers to do it on a particular night.
Dances Every Two Weeks, Rather Than Every Week
It has been suggested that we might find it easier to recruit board members if we hold dances once every two weeks rather than once each week. This may or may not be true. I personally don’t think it matters, because there is no requirement that board members show up for every dance.
What are your thoughts?
Please don’t hesitate to leave a comment below.
Update, December 10, 2011
At the dance last night a number of club members volunteered for the 2012 board. We’re out of the woods. Thanks to everyone for sharing their thoughts, and special thanks to the volunteers who stepped forward.
BnB question: 1/2 full or 1/2 empty?
This has been an interesting year. 2012 may be an even more interesting year.
It’s interesting that most people say they don’t have the time to help out with the board duties. Well, when the club closes everyone will have lots of extra Fridays to be on the board. Too bad there won’t be a club to fill those empty Fridays with. (Well, at least the couch and TV can fill some of those gaps.)
Ask yourself:
- Am I afraid of joining the board because I don’t know what I will get into?
- Is it that I would rather pay someone else to manage the board functions and just have a good time?
- Will I miss all those Friday dance opportunities once they are gone?
- Is this issue just another one of those things that just don’t make a difference (at least until you realize what you have lost)?
- Can I just pick some of the items from Tom’s task list to be part of keeping the club alive without being on the board? (yes)
So, are you ready to start 2012 with your cup:
- full
- empty
- 1/2 full or 1/2 empty
?
Yes, 2012 will be an interesting year.
[Note: Bill sent me the following by email, and then gave me permission to post it. Bill was Treasurer of the club last year. John]
Dear John,
Maybe, just maybe, a few might volunteer if Board Members were admitted to all the dances free. It was done that way some years ago. If it means the difference between a profit and a loss……….we can stand the loss for quite some time.
Thank you for all your hard work. I am sure it has been a drag for you and Elane.
Your friend Bill
I agree with John: paying someone to do door duty would help ease the duties of the board. Also, paying someone to set up and take down chairs may help.
Getting in free as a board member is a nice incentive.
Another suggestion might be to go to once a month at Swiss Park for awhile and maybe as people realize how much the Friday night dances are missed they will decided it is worth putting in a few hours a month to keep the dances going.
Door duty was misery to me: paying dance admission and bridge toll only to sit alone, guarding and worrying about the cash box the entire night. Members are there to dance, not to pay to sit. If we really prefer and only trust members to do the job, offer free dance admission and bridge toll money if necessary. Otherwise, hiring someone to do door duty would be a logical solution. That person goes in with the expectation of doing dull work and getting paid for it.
Most dancers arrive by 8:40pm, so door duty technically should be able to conclude soon after that. However, then you have to wait around for 50/50 and DJ monies to be collected, counted, and distributed. One possibility would be to be run 50/50 and pay the DJ earlier in the night, say by 9:15pm. In addition, paying the DJ is a fixed cost, so why not have that money or check ready before the dance?
Another possibility is to have each dancer pay for a prepaid dance card. No dance card, no admission. That removes the responsibilities of handling money and guarding the cash box. You could have dancers mail in checks to pay for the dance card, and we mail them back their dance cards. Or if we sell dance cards at the dance, accept checks only, so they can all easily be transferred into the treasurer’s wallet or purse. We could allow dancers to share a dance card too. This would make bookkeeping easier. The dancer’s receipt is the dance card. Treasurer can deal with the checks after the dance.
I agree w/Bill and Rita, getting in for free is a nice incentive. When I was on the board back when Swiss Park was a weekly afaire, we tried to find someone to PAY to come and do door duty. Unless a non dancin’ spouse has time on their hands who wants to do the club a favor and come babysit the door for a few hours, We couldn’t come up with who you gonna hire? Door Duty is the MAIN issue for board members who really want to dance. Once every 6 weeks door duty would be the pitts. Putting up chairs not an issue but taking down chairs after 3 1/2 hours of dancing is a chore at Centerville. The extra 20 minutes drive to that venue is not a plus for those driving from the South Bay.
Is it time to merge with CQS? Perhaps a Swiss Park committee could be added to the CQS list of volunteer duties in exchange for the 13K that BnB stands ready to give to a charity? I wonder if the board at CQS might be willing to add a Swiss Park Party one Friday a month in addition to their every other Saturday nite venues? 13K is a lot of money people. I would be on the Swiss Park committee to take a turn at door duty, no issue. I am sure OTHERS would be willing to take a turn also when it only means door duty once a year.
If manning the door is a major problem……have people bring the exact change and drop it in a box at the DJ table. You can also put a sign in sheet there. The DJ is there the whole dance so the box would be attended and the DJ’s set up right near the entry door anyway. I don’t think any of the DJ’s would mind. Just a thought.
First, i’m volunteering to be a member of the Board.
Second, I’m pretty sure there will be some others.
I think the Friday night BnB dances should continue every Friday without a doubt, whether they be at Centerville or Swiss Park. I’m glad we have both venues. Folks seems to want to learn dances on an on-going basis, so it’s important to be able to go out and dance them every week. It’s also my opinion that whether or not folks learn new dances every week, they should get a chance to just go out dancing every Friday.
I think the cash box at the door can be closed by 8:30 pm. I doubt if anyone comes after 8:30 pm, but if it does occur then the person in charge of the cash box that night can bring it back out. I’ll bet, though, arrival after 8:30 pm has rarely happens. Paying someone I suppose is an option. Reliability of that person would be an important criteria. But, certainly this could be open for discussion.
I think once a month for a board meeting seems reasonable.
Evelyn
Welcome aboard!
John
Frank said that he can collect the money on days that Diana Dj’s ..that well give you about 10 that year .
It appears we have to energize the position of the door keeper. I suggest we do the following for the door keeper:
1. On the day of duty, the door keeper gets automatic free admission.
2. As reward for the job, the door keeper gets a second free admission plus a dance card.
3. The spot near the admission table is reserved for the door keeper, no one other the door keeper can dance in this spot. This adds prestige to the job.
4. If you are late, you have to wait for the door keeper to finish the current dance. The door keeper is not this lowly person that always waits for you. We want to ensure the door keeper does not miss his or her favorite dance.
5. During break and before we draw any prize, we will draw the biggest prize of the evening: the chance to be the next door keeper, from the bucket that has the names of all the members of the club. If you are lucky you get to be the next door keeper.
6. People whose name is drawn but is not present automatically forfeits the opportunity.
7. Of course we will not force people to take up this responsibility, you can refuse on the spot and the opportunity goes to the next person.
8. The door keeper duty is transferable, if you cannot make it due to emergency, you can call up your line dance friend to sub for you. Of course the reward goes to your friend.
Once we implement the above, I believe there will be a pool of us who are eager and willing to take up this job. Personally, the second free admission will provide adequate enticement. The dance card is the kicker that will send me to line dance nirvana.
As for setting up chairs and putting them away, this special time calls for special measure. I suggest the following rules:
1. Only those 35 or younger are allowed to help setting up and putting away chairs.
2. Those who dance the last dance are required to help put away the chairs and tidy up the place.
These two rules, especially rule #1 will be displayed prominently in the BNB web site. After that I think many who are older than 35, not to mention those that are 35 or younger, which of course include yours truly, will gleefully participate in this endeavor. Need I say more?
Viva BNB!
Kai
First of all, I would like to thank Tom and John explaining the duties as a board member. I believe many dancers more or less have questions about how to perform the duties as a board member and with this uncertainty, dragging them stepping out to help the club including me. But now the doubt’s gone and it is time to reconsider whether or not you want to support the club by just sacrificing a little bit of your effort and time.
A big thank to Evelyn, you are our hero. With your encouragement and as you said there will be some others willing to volunteer to be a member of the board, yes , I am here to say Me and Ricky both want to volunteer for the club.
We want to keep the club going, we want to keep meeting all the wonderful people there, we want to keep dancing on the floor, we want to keep ourselves happier and healthier. It is totally worth to support the club. I feel lucky to have such a platform. I am pretty confident the club will continue with the solid foundation built by the past boards in years and of course the support from each single of you.
Wonderful!
John
I agree with Evelyn. The door should not be a problem – the club should be able to work it out. I’m throwing my hat in to support the club and join the board. Count me in!
I’m looking forward to continuing to be able to dance every Friday night…. we can’t let this wonderful club close it’s doors.
Regards and thank you to the people who have already joined the board.
Marcie
It didn’t make sense to me that members would let the club fold. I am so glad to see members stepping forward to “save the day.” The Club gives us so much enjoyment every Friday night that I feel it’s time to give something in return.
I am also throwing my hat in the ring and volunteering to be on the Board.
Marlene