Anyone see SUWA on Fox News this morning?

[scoutabout]

You have to face the fact that extreme 4-wheelers do not have a good public image.

SUWA plays on this public image and tells the public that they must close roads to stop the evil off-roaders. We play their game and try to defend ourselves.

Why? Why play their game. If they want to make off-roaders look like evil people, so be it.

Let them call us names, while we focus on the real issues: protecting access to the land for everyone.

It's a simple reason why public perception is so important. The goal of SUWA and gang-green is to remove all motorized recreation from public lands. To reach that goal, they will need support from legislation. To get support from legislation, you need support from politicians. To get support from politicians, you need support from their constituents (the public). Ergo, we need to win the battle of public perception.

Focusing on the environment for the last 20 years hasn't gotten us very far. We're taking pages from gang-green's playbook, but they have something we don't: an involved member base and money.

You're here telling us what we should be doing. If every 4x4 user in Utah would send $10 to U4WDA, $30 to USA-ALL, and $30 to BRC, we wouldn't be here. We'd be out enjoying all of our access which would be protected thanks to the funds available to the groups who do the protecting.

There's no secret formula or lack of strategy. We need money and manpower. Please help if you can.

http://www.u4wda.org/join

 

[waynehartwig]

Ineffective recruitment technique


I let my membership expire because I was very busy with school, and I got sick of the myriad of emails.
Yes, I am being lazy, and yes I could scrounge up $10, but it is not a priority for me. Money really is tight, especially when you consider a mortgage payment and school loans which equal said mortgage payment.

Don't blame me... I'm not a soldier for U4WDA and honestly don't care if you are member or not (though I think we all should be)... You complain about your public access being limited but yet dont' do anything about it (this is why the lands are taken away, complaining doesn't = results). I'm not the one at fault here.

 

[Skylinerider]

......

All of that being said it boils down to dollars. To push marketing it takes money. And currently we have limited funds. We could use help with fund raising, Advertising sales, grant research etc... U4 is stretched t h i n.

I like what you are saying but we lack the manpower and funds. This is why we are constantly harping about help. A few hours a month would go a long way.

So what do you need? Someone to write a grant proposal? Find various grant sources? Or I assume all of the above. I can definately search out possible sources for grants, but I am not so good with the proposal part.

 

[Tacoma]

Everyone's got problems. Not to be too crass about it, but you spend more than that on coffee every week, or snacks, or any number of bullsh*t items.

I'm jobless right now, but if it's that big a deal to you, I'll buy you a membership. Lazy bastard!

 

[Seth]

Has anyone ever considered joining forces with other groups who want to protect access that are not associated with off-roading?

The short answer is yes. I have talked with other groups and something may come of it yet. Only time will tell.

Don't let our surly attitudes deter you. You need to understand to U4WDA is carried by very few hard working dedicated individuals. I think every person on the board has had the same experience. Like Kurt said you come in all guns a blazing and get a somewhat cold reception. The reason is not because your not 100% correct in your thoughts. It is because we all hear these great ideas and lament the fact that we have nobody to act on them.

Maybe we are too quick to jump. Don't take it personal. Redirect that feeling in to determination to help and prove everyone wrong.

U4WDA is what we as a community make of it. I really do love what you are saying. And I really do want to push marketing in that direction. The problem is this:

I spend about 75 hours a quarter building the Compass magazine. That translates into about a hour a day. Now combine that with all of the other tasks that the average person has to do and I don't have any additional time to donate.

This is the case with several of the board members. There simply is not any additional time. That is why I say the association is what WE make of it. It really takes someone to step out of their shell and take the bull by the horns. If you can do this I am happy to try to assist in any way I can. But you will need to take this on. As history shows nobody will do it for you.

 

[Seth]

So what do you need? Someone to write a grant proposal? Find various grant sources? Or I assume all of the above. I can definately search out possible sources for grants, but I am not so good with the proposal part.

Yes. I will PM you.

 

[scoutabout]

So what do you need? Someone to write a grant proposal? Find various grant sources? Or I assume all of the above. I can definately search out possible sources for grants, but I am not so good with the proposal part.

http://www.u4wda.org/volunteer.aspx

 

[Tacoma]

So what do you need? Someone to write a grant proposal? Find various grant sources? Or I assume all of the above. I can definately search out possible sources for grants, but I am not so good with the proposal part.

You and I need to talk. I've been working on a few things in this regard.

 

[StrobeNGH]

Everyone's got problems. Not to be too crass about it, but you spend more than that on coffee every week, or snacks, or any number of bullsh*t items.

I'm jobless right now, but if it's that big a deal to you, I'll buy you a membership. Lazy bastard!

you ---> <---me

 

[Tacoma]

hahah

Just join up, I'll stop e-smacking you.

 

[Skylinerider]

Yes. I will PM you.

Thanks