Be Careful What You Wish For

by Bill Roberge
Be careful what you wish for. I am now the Membership Director of ABATE of Wisconsin.

We are in a time of declining membership. Why is it so important that we work on this problem? This may sound a little over simplified, but no people, means no legislation, no education, no safety, and no freedom.

We are not the only organization going through this problem. If you look at the big picture, you could say we are doing better than many. Some of the organizations I am in, or have been a member of, are in rapid decline. The Masonic Lodge is losing 5,000 members a year. The Elks Lodge has lost 600,000 since 1980. From 2000 to 2017 the VFW and the Legion have had a 40% decrease in membership.

So, why is there hope for us? Because we are fighting for our freedom, our lifestyle – our freedom to be on the road. I don’t think we are willing to let that go. So, what’s the answer? To be honest, I’m not sure. Over the next few months, I’m going to look into some things we can do, but make no mistake, this is not my problem – it is ours. I am willing to look at all ideas you may have. Feel free to contact me with suggestions. We need to “attract” new members, but still respect the people we already have and the traditions that got us here. Everyone must feel welcome at our meetings and events. A good example of that welcoming concept can be found in Cat Huntowski’s letter found on page 19 of this newsletter. Think about what pulled her into this organization and kept her here all these years. Besides welcoming new members, I also think we need to take a good look at why members are leaving the organization. Food for thought.

Bill