At a WCA Board meeting earlier this year, we discussed the importance of growing our membership through attracting and conserving new members. It was recognized that many people who are new to paddling do not have paddling partners or even canoes when they first get involved in the sport. We felt that it was very important to make ourselves welcoming to new paddlers, and increase their opportunities to become active with us. Often outings organizers are contacted by such new members, who are anxious to get out on outings but lack the requisite partner or boat. The organizer will try to help the person out. If there is another would-be participant who also needs a partner or gear, the organizer will suggest they get together. However, that process acceses only a very limited pool of prospects. Plus it puts the onus on the organizer to be a matchmaker, which is a responsibility not everyone wants.
Consequently, we are exploring the idea of adding a subsection to the Outings section of this website called tentatively the Outings Partners Match Program.This would allow members hoping to team up with other potential participants the opportunity to advertise their need more widely. The member would fill in an electronic form that would include the outing name, and a full profile of what the person was looking for. For example, that Bill needs a canoe and stern partner to do the April 5 Black River trip. Submitting this would post the name and date of the outing under the Partner Match Program list. Other members interested in the outing and wanting to team up with another paddler could click on the entry and get the full details. Responders could reply to the person's email address or phone number,as preferred.
Once the date of the outing was past, the posting would be deleted, both to remove outdated material and to preserve the poster’s privacy.
This program is designed to increase accessibilty and participation in the WCA Outings Program. Members looking for partners for private trips, would continue to post on the Bulletin Board.
Such an enhancement to the website is a significant job, and our outside IT consultants who manage our website have quoted us a possible cost of $800. To be safe, let's work on the assumption it may cost us $1000.
To help us better determine if such an investment may be reasonable, assuming funds were available, we would appreciate your feedback on such an additon to the club's outings program.
Could you see yourself personally using this?
Do you think it would be widely used?
Do you see it as a signficant value-added benefit for members?
Would it increase our attractiveness to new members, and improve retention and participation level of current members?
Your thoughts on this would be very much appreciated, and will help us serve you better.
Thanks,
Bill Ness
WCA Outings Committee