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Membership in the Victoria Camera Club has been stable near 250 in recent years, a threshold considerably above those of a decade earlier. What has attracted you to our club and what has held your interest? Fair to say, I believe, that the breadth and depth of our programs and the enthusiasm of our fellow members has been responsible, for many of your reasons for joining and staying. It is my hope that we will be able, collectively, to maintain and to enhance our offerings for the satisfaction of the majority of our members, recognizing that some will seek other opportunities on their personal journeys.
But how do we keep all of this operating in a smooth, fine-honed manner? Well, that is at least our goal. The answer is, of course, through the dedicated efforts of our many volunteers. Our by-laws explicitly forbid that any personal remuneration be paid to members for club-related work. That leaves you and I, as volunteers, to get the job done – which brings me to the present moment in the annual cycle of club activities.
My request is that each of you consider how the VCC is meeting your needs and how you are contributing to our common good. Are you currently among the roster of volunteers who have taken up specific responsibilities? If so, are you willing to continue in 2018-19? Are you interested in assisting or taking on a role as a program coordinator? Are you willing to take up the challenge and stand for nomination for a position on the Board of Directors? Yes, there will be positions available and opportunities to serve at many levels in the year ahead. I invite you to pose your questions and express your interests to current committee chairs, existing directors or directly to this year’s Nominating Committee. Our success in the coming year depends upon it!
To conclude this month’s message, how do you deal with GAS (better known as “gear acquisition syndrome”)? Do you assiduously patrol the web, keeping up with each new camera body and lens in your system, or perhaps in others, where the grass might be even greener? When discussing photography with your colleagues, do you talk about images, as recommended by Tony Bonsall during his recent presentation to the club, or do you drift into discussing gear. Me? I straddle that divide. Hey, look at that great light across the harbour. Grab my camera, but where is my new and now favourite lens? Oh, yes, on my camera, where it almost always is these days.
Garry Schaefer, President