Dear EAA Chapter 582 Members and Friends:
As the hangar door is now closed on 2013 we are proud of the many accomplishments of our chapter members this past year.
Let’s take a look at some of these
- Many members are working on or have completed plane projects
- 2013 Plane Fun was very successful at providing Aviation Exposure, Young Eagle Rides, and Fund Raising
- Young Eagle Growth through partnerships with Wood County Airport and the Toledo Public Schools
- Began developing programs with the Aviation Explorer Group (sponsored by the Boy Scouts)
- Began developing programs with the Girl Scouts
- Many social and learning activities were provided by our members for our members to enjoy. Such as fly-ins, fly-outs, cookouts, hanging at the hanger events, educational seminars, camping experiences, air shows and holiday parades
- Began the FLAIRE Project which is a Chapter program to involve our members in designing and building an airplane
I am excited by what we have done in 2013 and even more excited by what we are about to do in 2014.
Our chapter focus will be the continued development of our Strategic Plan to be known as the EAA Chapter 582 Flight Plan which will focus on…
THE BIG 6….
- Membership
- Communications
- Aviation Learning
- Chapter Management
- Chapter Activity
- Philanthropy - EAA Young Eagles Program
This is my first edition of Notes from the EAA Chapter 582 President and in the months to come I will be providing more detailed information about each of the BIG 6 areas.
Stay tuned and as they say “get in, sit down, buckle up and HANG ON…” 2014 is going to be a GREAT FLIGHT!
First; (Communications) Communications are the number one necessity of any organization. Without a method of keeping the members informed, the direction and accomplishments of the club are lost. In the end, involvement and interest of the members wane and ultimately membership dwindles. Good Communications are a necessity.
For a number of months now a new, interactive EAA Chapter Website and Member Portal has been under construction, today it has been launched.
The objective of the project was to offer the membership better communications and understanding of chapter events.
Previously, the chapter relied on disjointed methods of communicating information to its members.
We are moving to consolidate chapter communicates via one centralized Member Portal or Website. The new webpage is interactive so you will be able to go online, pull up a chapter directory and see who is a member and how to contact them.
Members will also be able to communicate with each other, conduct business, see photos and participate in chapter related blogs. All on line, all at their finger tips!
Now, Memberships will be renewed on line and visitors to our site will be able read about our Chapter and join, if they choose, all with the click of the mouse.
Nominations to send our, “would be” aviators to the EAA Air Academy will also be handled here. Simply click on the application, fill out the form and submit your candidate for consideration. It’s that easy.
I am excited about our new Member Portal and I think you will be too. If you haven’t done so already, please take a moment and visit our latest website and member portal. We have tried to combine all the best features of our old web page with many new and exciting functional abilities: http://www.eaa582.org
Second; (Membership) Dues Payment Online. As I touched on earlier, we needed a way for members to pay and renew their dues on-line. Until now, Chapter memberships began and expired each January first. Now memberships will run for a 12 month consecutive period from the day the member joins. Gone are the days of the pro-rata membership and costly billing and accounting expense associated with sending out membership invoices. Memberships will now be handled online via the new Member Portal. The process of invoicing, payment and follow-up will all be managed online. Simply go to the Chapter website, click on the “Renew or Join Here” and follow the prompts.
Of course not all of our members are computer savvy or feel comfortable paying on line, so rest assured the traditional methods of manually paying will still exist (Note: the new website and Member Portal is password protected and secured by internet pay-pay security). But, for those who choose to send in a check, an invoice will be generated automatically and an email will be sent directly to you notifying you where to send your payment and what to expect along each step of the renewal process.
This is a good spot to mention, “Member Status”. Paid up members will receive a key FOB that will be electronically coupled to the hangar doors. Non-paid members well….. let’s just say, Membership does have its privileges.
Third; (Chapter Activity) Events are the life blood of our organization. As you can see many of the BIG 6 areas are Event driven. The new Website was designed to promote events and participation through easy registration. Whether you are hosting, promoting or attending an activity the Events module is for you. The Member Portal will help you stay informed, 24 x 7 x 365 days a year.
In the past, chapter events were often left to the last minute to organize. Dates were confused, events got scheduled on top of other events, responsibilities were overlooked and liabilities became an issue. Now events and class registrations will be accomplished quickly and easily through the member portal. You’ll be able to read about an upcoming event, review the details and register, all online. You will also be able to host your own event or class by filling out an “Events Form” and submitting it to the board. Your event will be registered, approved and put on the schedule for all to see and register for.
Fourth; (Chapter Management), Inventory Control is now available to track the many assets we own as a chapter to help our members in their building projects. A custom program has been developed and donated to the club by Eric Bower a programmer. The inventory program is available on the home page of our new website to help you find the tools you need.
Ladies and Gentleman; our flight plan is ready and with your help we will have a great flight and a great year.
FLIGHT CREW prepare for TAKE OFF...
Very Truly Yours,
Tom Park, President
EAA Chapter 582
2014 – January Notes from EAA Chapter 582 President