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Call for nominations/volunteers

PlantAKiss

Moderator Schmoderator Fluorescent fluorite, Engl
Ok NASCers--

We need to start getting a little more firmed up here for the event of our becoming officially a not-for-profit org. That means getting officers voted in and committees formed. Below is cut and pasted from a previous post of Casper's.

Please offer nominations, suggestions, discussion... or volunteer yourself. We really need these positions filled; we can't have a "body" (of members) without the support of the "skeleton" (officers and committees).
-----------------------------------------------

We are forming 5 committees and we need nominations for Commissioners for each. The Commissioner will have people working under him for committee specific tasks. He will be responsible for organizing his chairmen and delegating responsibility. Basically, the commissioner will be the "advisor" of the committee. Working at pointing his people in the right direction, review of data collected and working with the other committees.

The commissioner will also have a vote. There are certain things that can not be put to a public vote for various reasons (time being the major) so minor things will be voted upon within the higher-archy (for lack of a better word). All of the commissioners shall have a vote, along with the president, secretary and Treasurer. This brings us to 8 votes. How to handle a tie will be addressed in the by-laws which will be put to a public vote.

The committees and possible nominations are as follows:

I. Inventory committee:
Commissioner: Mike King or Paul Temple (both have/had National Collections)


II. Placement Committee
Commissioner: We need to find someone familiar with Herbarium/Bot. Garden Directors. Carl Mazur possibly?


III> Maintenance Committee
Commissioner: Someone with knowledge of issues regarding potential hybridization and/or and educator capable of drafting a workable model


IV Cost Committee:
Commissioner: You need someone with experience in standard business fairly large scale operations. Paul Luebbert (this recommendation was made by another member)?

V. Public Relations Committee:
Commissioner: We need someone with good PR Skills: Jason Wills?

---------------------------

OK.....if you aren't experienced at this...neither is anybody else! Challenge yourself!
 
I would try for Public Relations.

Joe
 
Bah, you beat me to the punch PAK. I was drawing up a post to the exact same extent.

To re-iterate (sp? sorry no spell check at home, how did people get by without spell check?) what PAK posted:

This is the major hold up with the NASC right now. We need to make policy. We need to make guidelines and we need to form rules.

Two or three people can not do this alone. Trust me, I tried. I was talking to Brooks Garcia, Carl Mazur, Jay, Mr. Millar, you name it trying to figure out all of those questions above. It was completly overwhelming. I don't think one person could do it if it was a full time job. Which, believe me, it kinda turned into.

Now that the e-mails and phone calls have sub-sided, and the auction replies are dying down I am able to tend to what I know. The business charter is coming along at up-river steamboat speed (my attorneys words) which is actually quite fast according to her.
 
This topic remains rather quiet....
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[b said:
Quote[/b] (PlantAKiss @ Aug. 11 2004,10:49)]This topic remains rather quiet....  
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Hi PAK,
Well I didn't have to cut down your quote to respond.  I would be happy to 'vote' for someone if they would identify themselves, post their experience and step up for the positions you named.  I can honestly say that I do not have the experience to be an officer or director for the positions you identified.  I think that everyone is absorbing the impact of what this means for all of us, especially those willing to take ownership as officers/directors.

I can only tell you what I am willing to do, and have been doing.  I have been growing (mostly sarracenia) for about 10 years now.  I have every species, some variants and several hybrids, but very few plants with specific location data.  As I mentioned in another thread, I do school in-services (3-4/year) and donate plants to elementary and high schools with botany programs (in the Philadelphia area).

I am willing to expand my educational outreach and offer plants (and growing advice) to conservatories in PA, NJ and DE. I know that this is 'ahead of the game'.  But I merely want to express my willingness to work, and not come across as a 'variety junky' in need of a fix for the next exciting variant or natural hybrid offered.

My silence has ended.  Everyone knows where I stand.  Will the real experts please weigh in?  We know who you are!  And now we know where you live...  
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JBL
 
Not sure I qualify for much of anything. I've been readily collecting plants that have been rescued from the influence of Bugweed.
 
I am willing to take on the responsibility of building and maintaining the list of people and plants. who they are, what the plants are, and where they are.

(unless someone else already expressed an interest in doing this!
I dont want to take the job away from anyone who already said they wanted to do it..but if the position still needs to be filled, im in!)

Im envisioning a HTML webpage list, I can post it on my PFT webspace.
Person's name and city/state will be enough for the public list..
dont want *too* much info on a public webpage..
maybe an email too, if people want to include it.

personally, im even hesitant use my name with city..because people can look up my address in the phone book!
we wouldnt any collections drawing unwanted attention..
hmmmm..how about this!
instead of a name, we could just list members by city and state!
so for me, on the list I would simply be "Rochester, NY"
then a list of my plants, and an email contact..
then if people email with questions or to exchange pollen or whatever, it will obvious they are "legit" and I can give them my mailing address if I choose..
it might seem like im being paranoid! but im also active on a "garden railroading" forum, and you dont want to advertise your name and address and the fact that you have lots of expensive trains in your back yard!!
(right now I live in a second-story apartment! so I have no "yard" anyway..)
its just good practice to keep things as ananomous as practical..
I could also keep a seperate "member list" off-line, that has everyones real name and the name they are listed under (city) on the "public" list..
(and im open to other ideas too!)

then! the plants..
we ONLY want to list plants that have a definate, absolutely 100% certain location that they came from..
if you arent absolutely sure, dont guess! and if you arent absolutely sure, it doesent belong in this project at all..
people can email me with their plants, and I can put them on the list..
then people can email when they have updates or changes...

thoughts?
Scot

(oh! and just for the record..im leaving for a weeks vacation tomorrow morning!
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in case anyone responds or emails me about this..I wont see anything until the 22nd!)
 
I don't know what I really qualify for... but if there is anything I would be happy to do it.
 
I'm happy to see that Scottychaos, Superimposedhope, Nepenthes  Gracilis and Peter responded about what they can offer, but nobody else seems willing to be a committee chairperson (except Joe--PR).  Scotty's ideas about maintaining anonymity, ensuring verifiable location data, and his willingness to be the keeper of that information sound good to me. Does this mean that your are willing to chair inventory, Scot?
 
PAK and Casper, we thank you for your work to get this moving.  Will we hear directly in this thread from Mike King or Paul Temple (holders of National collections?); will we hear from Carl Mazur or someone else qualified to chair the placement committee?; will we hear?... I think I made my point.  

Maybe it is not right for me to expect that people will respond directly in this thread, and I am certainly not demanding it.  I understand that you are all very busy people, already with full time jobs to put food on the table.  Perhaps Casper will be providing an update of who will chair each position after talking to each of you as he mentioned in an earlier post on this thread.  That is, assuming that any of those people mentioned is willing to chair.

I respectfully await a volunteer for any position before I post anymore, or even think about what I can do for this project.  Please understand that I am not angry, frustrated or trying to be strident.  I just thought that since I am not offering to chair anything, and am turning to others for help/direction, I would implore someone to please help.  I'm certain that PAK has grown weary of posting solicitations only to be met by silence...for whatever reasons.

I would suggest that I, and anyone else willing to only 'help', not post in this thread.  And I offer a plea that someone will post an offer to chair a position if they can.  I'll be watching, but not posting: I promise.
 
  • #10
There was talk of someone in charge of a newsletter...is this an active idea/has someone been selected?

I could fill that position, assuming that its responsibilities were the organization of content and execution of the publication (paper or digital).  I can contribute content if need be, and I have a little design experience, but I could certainly ORGANIZE and bring together designer(s), writer(s), photographer(s), etc. to get the newletter done.

I think the option of email or paper should be left to the member.  Some people don't like email.  Of course, email, besides being more environmentally-friendly, is cheaper.

OR

If/when it is decided to get a Web presence (site) for the NASC, I would be more than willing to serve as Webmaster (unless this has already been talked about). This is really right up my alley.

Or is this all a part of PR?

- Patrick
 
  • #11
I think there are a lot of willing to volunteer for a position, but do not know how we can best serve. I would be glad to sit on a committee, but my experience is not nearly that of others. Hey, I am good a harassing poor innocents if that helps
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I have tried to build a list of the cps that every state has, but I have found that many states (game and parks) are not willing to give out this information. Most have refered me to California Carnivores. A couple answered, but I had more information than they did. A couple were good.
 
  • #12
On the topic of PR (Public Relations) if it is decided that certain responsibilities would be under this category, then the chair of PR would then be responsible for dividing up tasks to certain folks. Sorta like a contractor and his sub-contractors or supervisors and the floor managers.

I myself am not a CP pro but I have some connections in the plant world in general. I am not going to say that I could do it better than anybody else, but no-one else is offering up to it and I am willing.

Vote for me as PR if you feel I could do it.

If this is gonna happen, it has gotta happen soon otherwise people will forget and stop thinking about it and it will die a slow death sliding down the topic list.

I understand some may have more important issues with the storm or in their personal life, BUT many do not and are just not saying anything. The list of people who "want to be involved" is much more than the replies to this not to mention that some replies are from the same people.

Joe
 
  • #13
Ahhhhh....an offer of a webmaster! YAY! We do need that. There IS a web site...somewhere. I'll have to check into that. It would be nice if we could get that rolling even if the only thing posted is the Mission Statement. As far as PR goes...each committee chair must have a team to chair so you (Ptfreelander) could be part of that team as webmaster. Thank you so much for offering.
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I see what I can find out about the web site and let you know.

There IS a pinned topic for people to post to if they are working on a particular topic. So maybe if people check that, they see if anyone else is working on a project. If they are, anyone who wants to help can PM that person and see if there is anything they can do to help them.
 
  • #14
Please do get back to me!

I would envision the first draft of the Web site as an online, Web site-format version of the brochure, with pages for each of the sections. Then additional information/materials could be added as they come along.

Just a thought - obviously the site need to be whatever the people in general want it to be.

- Patrick Triggs
 
  • #15
PAK, you might want to consider that Parlimentary Proceedure places the appointment of committee's and their respective chairpersons squarely under the duties of the president.  Only officers need to be elected.  This would save a lot of confusion I think, and with good information should place the best person in the best place to do the job.

There are a lot of small jobs that need doing: legwork to compile addresses and contact information.

For example: what is the name and address of the town where the NASC rescue was made recently, and what is the address of the nearest Newspaper there? Are there any Universities nearby, and what is their address and name of the Dept. Head of Biology?

An in terview with Brooks, Jay and other collectors that were present at the rescuue should be made, and the who, what, where, when and how's recorded with the aim of writing up the account. Include numbers of plants sent from the rescue effort, the developer's name that gave permission, etc.

Once there is an official NASC, we can begin to contact many potential ally's, but first we must show that we are not a bunch of well meaning children out for free plants. In the mean time there are many many addresses related to Sarracenia that should be compiled for a mailing list. Siomeone needs to be in charge of just this mailing list. It would be good to have a list of all the major commercial dealers in Sarracenia. Likewise, we need a list of Botanical Gardens in the U.S., their addresses, phone numbers and directors.

This is all WORK. The information is "out there" but we need a tight database that will be available at need. The chores can be split amongst those who "don't know what they can do" simply by asking them to perform one part of the chore: one to deal with the University contact information needed in the "CP Hotbed areas", another to websearch a list of Sarracenia dealers, including their names and addresses, another to do the same for the many CP Societies, newsletters, forums.

Break it all into bits, and give one little bit to each NASC member. It could be anyone.

For example: Pete, I need the name of the town newspaper closest to the collection rescue, and also the one of the next largest city nearest to it.

Tim, I need the name of the University closest to........and the name of the Head of the Biology Dept., including phone numbers and email addy.

Joe, do a websearch that will provide the names of all commercial interests in Sarracenia.

Carol, Write to Brooks, Jay and whomever else was there at the collection and get me the dates and names. Who, what, where, why and when.

Steve, I need the names and addresses of all the CP Societies and Forums worldwide, and the names of their Presidents.

Amanda, I need the names and addresses of the Botanical Gardens here in the US and the names of their directors.

Now, if each of these chores were posted as it's own thread, the information could be worked on by any "Bill, Bob's, or Carol's" that chose to but their shoulders to the task. It matters not at all who does it (as long as it isn't me, that is!). If any bit is found to be too large for the individual, they in turn can make an appeal for additional help on the relative thread, and hopefully will receive it. This is where it comes to the individual drive of each NASC member to take on a bit of the work on their own initiative, which includes regular review of this sort of thread.

To do this, an individual needs to assign a time and dedicate themselves to working regularly at that time. Maybe it can only be for an hour once a week, but once that time for that hour arrives, it has to happen. Ptherwise the initial fire and drive will just fall to the forces of apathy and other necessity.

Yes, overcoming apathy and enui is the hardest part of any coordinated and concerted effort. Most folk are well intentioned, but they need to be told what to do. They also get busy and can't always meet the bill. They also need to be nagged on occasion to produce, lol.

I hope this helps the President in his efforts. Casper, we all appreciate your efforts, but remember if something gets too large, you MUST assign parts of it off to someone, otherwise you will crumble: dealing with the incorporation and the auction are both huge tasks.
 
  • #16
Well....

It has been a while since I have been on here...and it appears that my old name was deleted...

Not sure how long this post will last, but you can add my name to what you wish.

Anyone that has questions can reach me at JeffMechler@hotmail.com

Jeff
(old member name 'jaie' )
 
  • #17
Reading back over this post I see we definately had some plans in the works with people ready to do what they could. I PM just about everybody that signed their name to the NASC. Where are they?
 
  • #18
Oh, They're out there somewhere. I am seeking nomination as Head Honcho of the Growers Board. I nominate Zak for Public Relations Board. I suggest everyone get on Board!
 
  • #19
I will accept that nomination, and encourage anybody who feels as though they could also preform this function to nominate themselves. I know Superimposedhope had mentioned running, but I haven't heard from him in a while.
 
  • #20
Perhaps, Zak, we could have one main, and several reps (as Bruce mentioned) throughout the USA. We need to zone the country and place a rep in each region. Thoughts??
 
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