Marty Bernard Wrote:
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> If you don't like something at a Tourist RR or RR
> Museum which depends on volunteer to exist, go
> help them fix it. Volunteer!...
> So Tom Rodgers, you have identified areas you
> found as a visitor which need polishing. Why
> don't you help them polish? Complaining here
> accomplishes nothing.

I'm going to take offense of the above statement as it broad-strokes a lot of people and doesn't take into account several factors:

1. The guy lives in Salem, Oregon (I believe). Chehalis is a long drive, >100 miles. Sure, some folks do it. Most don't. My wife would murder me if I took the (only!) car to Chehalis each weekend leaving her stranded home alone. And she'd demand to know why I'm spending hundreds of dollars in fuel and vehicle maintenance that could be used for other, more important things.

2. I have indicated to some closer groups that I wanted to volunteer. I've patronized several closer-in groups on repeat times. The responses I received were...well...let's just say not conducive to my continued interest in the group. Some were downright rude, the others were more ignorant. And I'm just simply showing an interest, not telling them how to run their organization or making snarky remarks. One group even sent me an e-mail berating me about one word in a post I made (the word "acquired") on a discussion forum. He seemed to be more interested in his personal ego.

3. The one time I was "accepted" as a volunteer I was pretty well given a VERY menial task and ignored by the rest of the group. I understand that grunt work has to be done and I'm not complaining about that, but to be ignored while the "higher-up" volunteers huddled together and ignored the rest of us was a put-off. The best way to make things happen is that everyone shares in the grunt work, everyone shares in the "desired work", everyone works together. It's all for a common goal and a common cause. And everyone is one team, not "us versus them".

The times that volunteers really did like me to join...unfortunately were model railroad clubs that also wanted me to pay as much as $60 -- A MONTH -- to join. Sadly that is out of my reach.

So...in a nutshell that is why I'm not a volunteer anywhere. I'll spend my money on one-time excursions with my son, and I'll pitch in a few bucks at the souvenir table or the snack bar. That way both parties win - I can enjoy the train, the group gets a few bucks out of me. I would love to volunteer but unfortunately driving 100 miles (each way) is not an option for me so the number of opportunities in my area is pretty low as a result.