Items to bring to the Board in July

[KickBass]

People on the forum seem to have a bunch of great ideas to help our organization. Not all of those people can make it to the World Championship. I will be there, and I will be at the annual meeting. Until the end of March, I encourage anybody with valid ideas to help this organization to respond to this thread, and I will take them to the Board. If it is an item that has already been posted, please cut and paste it here. I will gladly compile those suggestions and bring them to the Board at that time. Keep in mind, there is no single one idea that will radically change IHMSA, so any small thing that might bring in a few members or a suggestion to make the organization more fiscally efficient is valuable. Here are the two guidelines--(A) you must provide your name (at least first name), because anonymous responses means you have no guts, and thus have no value, and (B) you can't start any response with "Well, back in the 1980's…" because, hey, that was 30 years ago… and unfortunately, Ronald Reagan isn't President anymore and he isn't coming back.

I would love to present to the Board in July a list of valuable ideas to turn the tide on this thing, and I think we can do it. But it has to happen now. The time of hand-wringing is over, action has to happen if you want to see IHMSA continue.

Joe Frey
Loveland, CO

[260 Striker]

Here are some that have been discussed in the forum.
1. Electronic IHMSA News on the website. Members who can't/won't/don't use the website can still get paper copies but others who opt for the electronic version can download from the website. PDF format would probably be best.
2. Make electronic scorecards available on website so MDs could download and print their own and not have them printed/mailed from HQ. Again, some MDs may not use website so printed cards would still be available from HQ. I'm sure there is at least one club member at each club that visits the IHMSA site and could do this for their matches.
3. Have feedback from all committees and President in IHMSA News (both versions) so all members will know what is being considered/discussed by Executive Committees. Will promote more flow of information to ALL members.
Anthony "Lynn" Shultz IHMSA# 15692

[35isit]

Work closer with all the people who make products we use. I know they are willing to help us get the word out about our sport. I did not ask for door prizes last year for the East Coast Championship. I only asked for banners to display, well I only recieved about 7 or 8 banners. I got enough door prizes that all the shooters plus helpers got one. They are willing to help they only have to be asked.

Greg Rhineheimer
Match Director ECC
Ky State Director

[Robert Becherer]

unfortunately, I cannot come up with anything more than what has already been stated before. And the things that Lynn has stated I agree with also. . I have been trying to promote IHMSA in every way I can to get an interest back.
Robert Becherer
#33098

[35isit]

Will get flamed for this; allow winners at Internationals to be used in advertising for manufacturers. They would have to be unpaid, but would maybe put a nice face forward for us.

[ole95]

Casual shooter
I know most range will let someone try Silhouette one or two time without being a member of IHMSA
This not NOT what I’m referring to
What I’m purposing is someone could shoot without being a “member” by paying a say $5 added on to the normal per gun fee that the range charges example if the range charges $8 per gun fired this person would pay $8+$5=$13 per gun fired.
The $5 would go to IHMSA which would be free revenue.
Because:
Being a “casual Shooter” this person would not have the member benefits
NO news letter
NO classification card
NO keeping up with their scores or classifications
This person would NOT be allowed to shoot in State, regional, INT. matches
It would benefit the local range
Because:
It increases their number count, revenue for very little work
The “local” scores, classification could be handles @ that the local level by the match Director how are if this is done would be left up to the
local match director
From what I’ve seen your classification @ a local match has very little to do with anything @ that match
with no prizes being awarded for winning “AA standing” etc.
It’s obvious if a “casual shooter” shot more than 10 “guns” entry’s per year they would be better off joining IHMSA.
Example: I have to travel a long way to shoot any IHMSA match my Son, Son-in-law and nephew
Have all gone once with me with my Nephew being the only one that has fired a entry
None of which at this point in their life has the time/money to get heavy into this or other sport that does not include Wife’s/small kids. But any and all could shoot 2 or 3 local entry’s per year (with my stuff) Without caring about the membership “benefits” or feeling obligated to go every match because of the $50 membership. I also think this could help "lure" new shooters and that most "casual shooter" would be come regular members at sometime
And in return the local /int. generates money and numbers

Richard Slaton
IHMSA # 57528

[braud357]

I may get in trouble for this, but at our matches we have had several people throughout the years shoot entries without becoming a member. Certainly, we tried to get them to join, but they were really not interested. I will describe one such shooter - he was a fairly "well to do" individual; very successful in business, and had a couple of Freedom Arms revolvers he wanted to get familiar with before a overseas hunt. He came for several months, then was gone. We accepted his money just the same, and sent IHMSA their "buck" each time he shot. Was any harm done to the organization - not at all. Was he ever going to join IHMSA - NO ! Our stance is that we can ill afford to turn away ANY shooters, and if we continue to send in sanction fees for such entries, we are benefitting IHMSA. We have tried to enlist every such shooter, but some are simply not interested. We will continue to allow these people to shoot at our matches - they receive no prizes or recognition. We are doing the same thing now with the NRA Cowboy Rifle shooters that share our match - IHMSA sets $1 from each of those also.

[IHMSA80x80]

We let interested people shoot for free all the time, no matter how many times they come back to the matches. With this, none have joined, and few have returned on even a semi-regular basis. Charging them $5 will certainly not encourage these folks to join IHMSA. We can't even get our regular club members to come out. Our match is in Kentucky, and besides us 4 regulars, all our other shooters come from out of state. And we have a very nice range that you all see every time you open this website. It's right at the top.

I have discussed the lack of new shooters with our regular club members and match directors on many occasions. We've tried everything we could think of. I am convinced, as they are, that even if we picked them up at their houses, let them use all our guns and ammo for free, paid them cash and gave them a steak dinner and a beer, they would still not come out.

[ole95]

Joe go ahead and $hi+ can my I deal
I got the answer to my question ;)

[260 Striker]

My club, Logan Handgun Association, let non-members shoot for a reduced price then if we had 5 nom-members shoot at one match we gave the high score non-member a free one year membership to IHMSA. I think over our 35 years we only had 5 or so of those shooters continue on their own with IHMSA. Not a good return on our investment but at least we got a few new shooters that way.

I like the idea of taking pictures of winners at the Ints and for that matter at other special matches. If the MDs can get banners from manufacturers, have the class winners stand in front of the manufacturers banners and take their pictures. Submit the pictures to the appropriate manufacturer and we may get some free publicity. For example. Say first class Revolver used a FA, Starline brass, Federal primers, Hodgdon powder and Sierra bullets, there could be five different pictures taken in front of the five different banners and maybe five manufacturers would use in magazine ads. Might just get more IHMSA exposure to the general shooting public. Many of the new people who stop by our matches say they have never even heard of silhouette shooting so we must be one of the best kept secrets around. Too bad we can't get Jim Scouten of Shooting USA to cover our next Internationals in OK. I would enjoy seeing that on TV.
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