David Hopkins just hit me with the year end numbers.
Our membership had increased to 98 as of yesterday adding Tango Victor
He says these numbers are unseen ever since existence of the club.
I am slightly embarrassed because I could not break through the 100.
Either way.The club is in a great position financially and where we stand in the gyro community.
I wanted to thank you all who helped us, helping us and will help us to further this great community and the goals we try to achieve.
We did have a great year in 2014 and looking back on the success of the club all I can say "let's make 2015 even better".
Thank you all.
Happy New Year from all of us in the Sunstate.

That's awesome to hear, 2015 is looking good.

Way to go Sunstate! Awesome numbers!

Way to go Sunstate! Awesome numbers!

Way to go Gabor and Sunstate! Awesome numbers!

Proud to be an active member of Sunstate, will see ya Tomorrow at Wauchula.

I'll be number 99 if an aussie is allowed to join? I'm serious btw

Do I get a renewal letter soon?

Thank you guys. Anyone can join. We have a lot of out of state and country members. I do think we have a good thing going on. Lots of help from lots of good folks. The only way to go. I have done nothing but pull the helping people together and chased the trouble makers away.

Come to think of it this forum had grown into a great place too. All the people who visit and stay with us make this a fun place to be. I really am proud of what we have here.
It's our own sandbox and it is large enough to scoop the occasional pop and piss out after they clump up.
I just looked at the number and we are standing at 153 members. Of you are obviously bipolar so you have couple of accounts...... I am tripolar cause l have 3. Either way. I appreciate all of you making my days brighter with your presence and your contributions.
Happy New Year to all of you.

That is awesome!
Excluding lifetime members of the PRA your club alone has about 20% to 25% of that number the last time I saw the numbers published (fewer than 500).
I have no idea what the PRA numbers are now.

Funny thing... One pays a bit less to be a member of SW&RC... than the PRA...

And IMO there is MORE value in this membership than a PRA membership.

Sorry John R...

I think the PRA's number is.....UP

There cant be many left?

We will see....

I will give John R credit... he is doing a good job of trying to fix things... he might get the heads of the BOD and Prez straightened out... Then again they may decide John R is messing with their gravy train... and run him off.
Prediction: If that does happen (they run John R off)... I will go on record the PRA will die... or at least go through a MAJOR re-organization (hopefully with a new leadership team).

A non-profit group set up to serve a specific hobby interest... MUST be 'of by and for' the members. IMO that is not the case at PRA. If they get that fixed... they may make it. If they do not... I think they will fade away.

I have said this many times: We need to get under the wing (pun intended) of the EAA. They are large enough to help us with the issues we need:
*Liability insurance (both group and individual)
*Clout lobbying govt (read that FAA) to get a few really DUMB things fixed concerning gyro regulation.
These are, of course, my opinions.

John R is a great guy (useless driver of Nissans.... but a good bloke) but as I see it, it is like this.......

he has a small rail road up a 1' in 10' incline with a little train carriage buggy, mining cart sort of thing.... I am sure you can imagine that..... anyway, on this cart is a great big, brown, round (well, cigar shaped) stinking turd (the pra) and poor John is trying so hard to push the cart up the line..... using a chop stick

He cant do it alone.... he needs your support, and everyone keeps saying they wont join, because it is such shit. So John is left rowing the boat.... by himself

If you want my opinion, which you don't, but I don't give a fuck, so here it is....... Wolverines should start a password protected (PRA and people genuinely wanting to join the PRA) only room (and guest.... me) and get together as many people as possible, in secret away from prying eyes, join the PRA..... when you have a good number of people and the elections come around.... GO TO THE ELECTIONS as a team and get who you want voted in, voted in..... how much does it cost to join the pra? Get your brothers and sisters, friends etc to sign up to bolster the numbers and give your group voting strength and kick the dickheads out... vote in someone cool who you can boss around (like John R) just dont let him drive any vehicles anywhere

Once all of this is achieved, then make the PRA a great entity ..... otherwise it will just fade away from lack of direction and support.... to me the choice is up to the gyro community who aren't in the PRA any more.... winging from the outside..... no use complaining.... you need to take a T spoon of cement and a glass of vinegar each.... join the PRA and all of your friends and relatives..... gang up on the assholes (stack the election meeting) and take over the joint It is actually very similar to your country.... people whine about obummer, but when it comes to voting, people say "why bother, he will get in anyway" Bullshit... get EVERYONE to vote, not just the lowlifes he gives $ to buy their votes.... and do what the shit side does.... VOTE TWICE or 3 times. Don't moan about it, do something about it, every vote matters.... or at least helps

Gabs for president! He has lots of spare time

OK Muz...

The first thing I am gonna say... is better to not assume... you know why...
I am always interested in ideas... some I take seriously and some I do not... But I like to think outside the box...
The comfy and safe space inside the box... is for simple minded folks...
(Bet I get in trouble for that... )

If I am reading you correctly... You think the way to fix the PRA is to get as many folks as we can to join... then stack the ballot box and elect a whole new leadership team... I like that idea! Amongst other things... it is democratic.
I suspect... TPTB... would figure a way to say the election was not valid... and spend the $$$ of all the folks who joined.

My thinking: John R is not a dummy... his ability to motivate folks is noteworthy!
IMO let John do all he can... part of which will lessen the strangle-hold on power.
And if along the way John gets us the things we need: Liability insurance and political clout to get the FAA to re-write the rules for gyro's... get rid of some silly stuff which is hampering growth of the sport.
THEN... folks will join because they WANT to... and the organization will revive.

You see... people follow REAL leaders... just look at what Gabor has done with SW&RC... as I understand it... the club was a mess before Gabs took it over. Now they are bumping 100 members and doing as well as they have in many years.

OTOH... even simple minded naive folks can smell a rat... and they quietly just leave.

IMO the best way to fix PRA.... is to give folks a REASON to join. And IMO John R has the best chance of laying the goundwork to start rebuilding process.

The new PRA blog is a good step in the right direction!
Getting an E-zine that is full of good stuff is another!
Arranging some REAL VALUE in a membership is another!
And more, more, more.

I believe folks will come to the PRA if there is value in the PRA.

All true GG, but having a bloke like John bust his balls trying to single handedly make the clowns in charge of the PRA yeild and make the PRA a better place... to get members to return is very hard on John and he will eventually burn out.... the clowns will still be in charge and the PRA will still have fewer members than it should/deserves....

From the outside looking in, I would say it needs a clean out of the dead wood at the top and put in people who can and will do the job rather than those just interested in 'jobs for the boys'....

you ex PRA members have given the shitheads plenty of time to get their act together... they are still alienating you..... you need to get the members who were PRA and recruit more that are interested in gyros and joining the PRA and shake it up.

We just had our ASRA elections last month... I didn't vote.... I forgot..... but ASRA is compulsary, the boys in charge are ding a fine job... we have insurance and they handle CASA (our FAA) well, so, they were re elected unopposed....

You guys have a similar system..... you must use it to your advantage.......get more members, make every vote count..... get the shitheads out.... or at least get them in line

I thought it was us Aussies that were whimps? I thought Americans didn't take shit from anyone? Get the possy together, get behind John R and run the barstages down (in a Nissan.... Oh, what a feeling! Oh, no, that is Toyota?!)

You chapter does everything RIGHT!!!

PRA 31 is trying to follow your example but only have 30 or so members only about 5 gyro 3 not finished yet? Sad.

The good news PRA had 13 new members join and 6 renew!

We are growing again and not losing members too.

Rotor-craft is going to get BIGGER because of your passion and GET IT DONE spirit!

Thank you for all you do for US/ ME!!!

Then you need to band together with Gabs mob so both your chapters will be up around the 130 number..... then band together with other chapters that are supportive and sooner or later you will have a couple of hundred members to go and vote at the meeting..... might work worth a try, I reckon