As we approach another exchange, perhaps it would be useful to think about
how we do this and, importantly, how we MIGHT do it to make it easier on
Luminita or whoever does it in the future.
Who decides how many exchanges to have per year? Is this decided by the
Board? Is the decision completely arbitrary or does someone actually
consult with Luminita to see what would be easier at her end? Would it be
better to have a few huge exchanges, or better to have more frequent
exchanges with fewer items in each? I have no idea, but I'd think Luminita
could tell us because she's actually doing the work, and her opinion should
carry a lot of weight.
What is the policy regarding disposition of excess material? If someone
donates a huge amount of something and there aren't many takers, do we
donate the excess to other societies with overlapping interests? If not,
why not? Has the membership ever been asked about this? Has Luminita ever
been asked? Do we expect her to plant, store, or otherwise keep excess
material alive until another exchange? That, to me, is unduly burdensome
and too much to ask. I for one would be happy to donate on the condition
that Luminita has complete discretion to dispose of leftovers as she sees
fit in any noncommercial way. Sharing with other societies seems like a
great way to build bridges if it doesn't add too much work.
All too often I've seen local societies waste away because the few
volunteers are treated so badly and worked so hard that they burn out and
leave. Patting someone on the back is necessary and needs to be done
often, but it isn't sufficient. The volunteer should be given the respect
and discretion to do the job their way because what worked for the last guy
might not work for the next. "That's how we've always done it" is rarely a
formula for good management when volunteers are involved. It implies that
we stopped learning or are just too arrogant to consider new ideas. There
is always room for new ideas and room for improvement.
For me, the SX/BX is about the single most valuable thing PBS does, so we
should always be thinking about how we do it and how we might do it better.
Bob E TN hoping for some rain tonight
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