Call Board
Volume 41 Issue 6 February 2002


Super Saying

by Ray Persing



We had a number of people step forward and volunteer to help with the upcoming convention at January's meeting. Steve Hood is coordinating the Operating Layout Tours, Don Kriegbaum and J Hedge are working the Open Houses, and Rich Davoust and Jim Foster volunteered to help out with the Raffle. Additionally, Jim and Rich, as well as John Reck said they would help out with the Auction, as well as a number of others who said they would serve as runners. Thanks to all of you for helping out the Division!

Other help showed up in January in the area of the Non-Rail Program. Phyllis Smith, although a model railroader, also recognized the importance of the Non-Rail program and found time in her busy schedule to organize this critical part of the convention. Thanks, Phyllis!

Also, Steve Hood volunteered to be our new Webmaster, taking over from Norm Courtney. Thanks, Steve!

Just as important, we had a couple of people talk to me about being on the ballot for the April elections. That was extremely encouraging, because at least one of them has never held a division office before. I am really looking forward to the new ideas these people will bring to the division!

One of the other Divisions in the Mid-Central Region puts on its newsletter the slogan, "Don't just belong - participate!" It's a good slogan, because it provides the key to getting the most out of your NMRA membership. That's what all the people I've mentioned above are doing.

It is easy to belong to the NMRA. You send in your dues, and *poof* you're a member! You get the Bulletin, Callboard, and Kingpin in the mail. You don't have to do anything else, until next year when your membership is up for renewal.

Participating, however, is a much different story. It requires action on your part, beyond sending in a check once a year. It is not a passive activity.

It can be as simple as going to the division meetings. From there, you may decide to bring in a model or photo for the monthly contest. You might have an open house for the November train show. You may volunteer to share your knowledge on a particular subject by making a presentation to the division. You may offer your services as an officer or a committee chair.

If you really want to learn some new skills, and learn them well, you may decide to try your hand at one or more of the Achievement Program certificates. Or take a long weekend vacation and spend it with 200 or so other modelers at a Regional Convention. You may even decide you want to see what a National Convention is like, and spend a week with a couple thousand or so other modelers.

I got into the NMRA because of Merv Hardman (so, if you want to know who to blame, there you go.) Merv asked me to help out with transportation to Crossroads at the 1993 regional convention. I went ahead and registered for the convention out of curiositiy - I hadn't been to an NMRA event since a one-day visit to the Dearborn National (in 1979?) I only went to a few clinics, and the contest room.

In looking at the contest room, I recall thinking to myself, "I think I can do this." A few months later, I found myself driving to Valley Forge to the NMRA National. I had in-laws in the area, so I stayed with them and went to the convention for six days. I had a blast! I got to go up to Newton, NJ and visit the Allegheny Midland, Harold Werthwein's Erie Railroad and Carsten Publishing. I even entered a model I had been working on in the model contest, and got into some wonderful conversations with clinicians and convention workers on modeling techniques and prototype history.

After that, I 'belonged' to the division for a couple of years. I went to the regional convention in Berea in 1994, the National in Atlanta in 1995 (road trip with John Edminson - stayed at a real fleabag hotel out of town and took the train in each day), and the regional in Dayton in 1995. I didn't really do anything for the Division, though. I did absolutely nothing to support the 1995 convention, except help with a Crossroads tree-making clinic.

In February 1996, George Mueller talked me into becoming program chair, taking over from Eric Saunders. George assured me that it wasn't a lot of work, and that everything was already set up for the next several months so I would have time to get my feet under me.

Little did I know that when I took that position was that *now* I was crossing that bridge from belonging to participating. Through the BOG meetings, I really got to know Division members like J Hedge, Brian Petroziello, Steve Hood, Dave Holl, Kirk Perkins, Mark Stiver, and Fred Schneider, not to mention George himself. By working as program chair, I came to know Bob Fink, Allen McClelland, John Reck, Bill Feairhiller, Larry Zeller and many many others.

Now that I was program chair, I started paying even more attention to the clinics at the regional conventions. I met Bob Prehoda, Ken Meisse, and Marty Vaughn, among others. I tried to bring some of them in to share their techniques with the rest of the division.

After becoming Superintendent two years ago, I came to know more people outside the division. The other region officers - Dick Flock, Dick Briggs, Darrel and Judy Logan, Gary Sole, Bob Frankerone, Fred Plymate, John Burchnall, and John Roberts to name a few - are a terrific group of people.

As I've become more active in the NMRA, I've made friends throughout the country. Sam Swanson is the first to come to mind, but so do Randy Lee, Ron Gough, Jim Sacco, Tony Koester, Larry Smith, and Ralph Oxhandler.

The point of the last several paragraphs is that by *participating* in the NMRA at the various levels, I've made many, many friends that I simply would not have met otherwise. The cost of the conventions at this point, although a concern, is inconsequential next to the chance to catch up with my now far-flung modeling friends.

I am immeasurably richer for having agreed to be George's program chair six years ago, and I don't regret it for a second.

It is my hope that each member of Division 3 recognizes the tremendous opportunity that is there for the taking. I encourage you to take the first step, if you haven't already. Become a division officer or committee chair. Go to the regional convention. Participate in the Achievement Program. Put on a clinic.

You have no idea how much you're missing if you only 'belong'.

Happy Modeling!

Ray


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© 2001 Division 3, MCR, NMRA

Just as important, we had a couple of people talk to me about being on the ballot for the April elections. That was extremely encouraging, because at least one of them has never held a division office before. I am really looking forward to the new ideas these people will bring to the division! One of the other Divisions in the Mid-Central Region puts on its newsletter the slogan, "Don't just belong - participate!" It's a good slogan, because it provides the key to getting the most out of your NMRA membership. That's what all the people I've mentioned above are doing. It is easy to belong to the NMRA. You send in your dues, and *poof* you're a member! You get the Bulletin, Callboard, and Kingpin in the mail. You don't have to do anything else, until next year when your membership is up for renewal. Participating, however, is a much different story. It requires action on your part, beyond sending in a check once a year. It is not a passive activity. It can be as simple as going to the division meetings. From there, you may decide to bring in a model or photo for the monthly contest. You might have an open house for the November train show. You may volunteer to share your knowledge on a particular subject by making a presentation to the division. You may offer your services as an officer or a committee chair. If you really want to learn some new skills, and learn them well, you may decide to try your hand at one or more of the Achievement Program certificates. Or take a long weekend vacation and spend it with 200 or so other modelers at a Regional Convention. You may even decide you want to see what a National Convention is like, and spend a week with a couple thousand or so other modelers. I got into the NMRA because of Merv Hardman (so, if you want to know who to blame, there you go.) Merv asked me to help out with transportation to Crossroads at the 1993 regional convention. I went ahead and registered for the convention out of curiositiy - I hadn't been to an NMRA event since a one-day visit to the Dearborn National (in 1979?) I only went to a few clinics, and the contest room. In looking at the contest room, I recall thinking to myself, "I think I can do this." A few months later, I found myself driving to Valley Forge to the NMRA National. I had in-laws in the area, so I stayed with them and went to the convention for six days. I had a blast! I got to go up to Newton, NJ and visit the Allegheny Midland, Harold Werthwein's Erie Railroad and Carsten Publishing. I even entered a model I had been working on in the model contest, and got into some wonderful conversations with clinicians and convention workers on modeling techniques and prototype history. After that, I 'belonged' to the division for a couple of years. I went to the regional convention in Berea in 1994, the National in Atlanta in 1995 (road trip with John Edminson - stayed at a real fleabag hotel out of town and took the train in each day), and the regional in Dayton in 1995. I didn't really do anything for the Division, though. I did absolutely nothing to support the 1995 convention, except help with a Crossroads tree-making clinic. In February 1996, George Mueller talked me into becoming program chair, taking over from Eric Saunders. George assured me that it wasn't a lot of work, and that everything was already set up for the next several months so I would have time to get my feet under me. Little did I know that when I took that position was that *now* I was crossing that bridge from belonging to participating. Through the BOG meetings, I really got to know Division members like J Hedge, Brian Petroziello, Steve Hood, Dave Holl, Kirk Perkins, Mark Stiver, and Fred Schneider, not to mention George himself. By working as program chair, I came to know Bob Fink, Allen McClelland, John Reck, Bill Feairhiller, Larry Zeller and many many others. Now that I was program chair, I started paying even more attention to the clinics at the regional conventions. I met Bob Prehoda, Ken Meisse, and Marty Vaughn, among others. I tried to bring some of them in to share their techniques with the rest of the division. After becoming Superintendent two years ago, I came to know more people outside the division. The other region officers - Dick Flock, Dick Briggs, Darrel and Judy Logan, Gary Sole, Bob Frankerone, Fred Plymate, John Burchnall, and John Roberts to name a few - are a terrific group of people. As I've become more active in the NMRA, I've made friends throughout the country. Sam Swanson is the first to come to mind, but so do Randy Lee, Ron Gough, Jim Sacco, Tony Koester, Larry Smith, and Ralph Oxhandler. The point of the last several paragraphs is that by *participating* in the NMRA at the various levels, I've made many, many friends that I simply would not have met otherwise. The cost of the conventions at this point, although a concern, is inconsequential next to the chance to catch up with my now far-flung modeling friends. I am immeasurably richer for having agreed to be George's program chair six years ago, and I don't regret it for a second. It is my hope that each member of Division 3 recognizes the tremendous opportunity that is there for the taking. I encourage you to take the first step, if you haven't already. Become a division officer or committee chair. Go to the regional convention. Participate in the Achievement Program. Put on a clinic. You have no idea how much you're missing if you only 'belong'. Happy Modeling! Ray