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Creating an Actual Herp Society ??????
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by Cro on January 25, 2008
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In a different thread, Josh asked the following:
"I know this idea has been batted around, and the logistics would be a booger, but why don't we become an actual society? You know; face to face meetings from time to time, a news letter (or, dare I say it, a Journal), membership dues, etc. I think that we could remain a thriving on-line community AND have a pretty good regional turnout. Anyway, just a thought..."
It is an interesting topic that deserves more attention here.
The SHHS already has an oppertunity for a regional turnout two times each year at the Columbia Reptile Shows, where we have had our Banquets in the past. These Reptile Shows have given many site members a chance to meet, and share ideas.
Wether we can ever again be an official Herp Society with dues is somewhat debatable. In this new world where folks exhist on the internet, I am not sure a old time herp society is something that will survive.
The only reason someone would want to pay dues in a herp society would be to get the official membership card, the sholder patch, and the news letter (which is mostly worthless, as that can be an online thing), or a Journal, if they can find someone to be an Editor, and find enough folks to actually publish a Scientific Journal.
Will we be able here to get someone here to edit a Journal again ? We can not even find folks to find past issues that we can post in PDF format on the site so that folks can see what was done in the past.
Even if someone steps forward to edit the journal, will there be enough folks who will submit articles to it for it to be published 4 times a year ? Now days, that is very difficult.
Don`t get me wrong, I would love to see the SHHS bring back the "SHHS Rattle," however, I just do not see that happening too easy. It will be tough for an Editor to convince folks to submit enough articles to it to make it work.
Back when it worked at the Atlanta Zoo, and edited the Journal of the Georgia Herp Society, I was constantly calling friends at zoos around the country and trying to get them to submit articles for our publication. It is not easy to do. I did get great articles from Bill Love, and Joe Laszlo, and Steve Dobbs, and Jim Murphy, Robert Zappalordi, and many other well known zoological folks, but it was a very time consuming job.
Anyone who becomes the SHHS Editor has a very big job ahead of them in trying to get folks to submit articles. I would be willing to give it a try, but it is a very difficult job.
If someone pays $15.00 a year to be a member of the SHHS outside of VenomousReptiles.com, they will want something for their money. And a simple newsletter will not do it. They will want a world class journal, along with the sholder patch, and the twice yearly meetings and banquets.
So, what do others here think. Can a society like the SHHS happen again as a membership socitey, or is it best for it to stay an internet society of Venomous Reptiles.com ?????? Post your ideas !!!!!
Best Regards JohnZ
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RE: Creating an Actual Herp Society ??????
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by Adamanteus70 on January 26, 2008
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John,
I know exactly how much work goes into a Herp Society. I founded and was president of the Marion County Herp Society here in Florida. Silver Springs Nature Park sponsored us and gave a building on property to meet in. We had monthly meetings, and had a few cookouts during the summers. It was alot of fun. It also spawned off a 4-H Herp Society for youths. We held a annual auction to raise funds to pay guest speakers, fields trips, etc. As president of that Society for five years, I worked my butt off getting donations for the auctions, locating guest speakers, published a news letter, and called everyone to keep them informed about the Society. Not only was it hard to get enough people to join, but even harder to get them to pay membership fees. The Society was running strong for five years and then slowly fizzled out. I had some great speakers such as David Lee, Bill Cope, Bill Zeigler(Miami Metro Zoo), Larry Lemon, Dick Bartlett, Jesse Durham(Silver Springs Curator)and many more. It is hard work, and recommend it only for the dedicated volunteers.
Paul
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RE: Creating an Actual Herp Society ??????
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by Rob_Carmichael on January 26, 2008
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Craig Pelke who is a head keeper at Milwaukee Zoo's reptile house started up (or someone he knows) M.A.S.H. (Milwaukee Area Society of Herpetologists)....the society started off great with high hopes but what happens is that most of the work is done by a very few and slowly, or in this case, pretty quickly, the society fizzled out. If you want a model to look at, go to: www.chicagoherp.org - I'm a member with the CHS and they are one of the strongest running herp societies in the U.S. and even so, face some very real challenges in terms of membership, meeting attendance (and they are in Chicago!), etc. You have to have a group of highly motivated go-getters to make it work.
I'm all for the original suggestion but we are all so spent on time and other committments that its going to be logistically very challenging.
Rob Carmichael, Curator
The Wildlife Discovery Center
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RE: Creating an Actual Herp Society ??????
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by Chris_Harper on January 27, 2008
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The business/meeting/society aspect of it fizzles out because there are usually about 5 people who do 99% of the work. Been there done that. If the website was as hard to maintain as the society/newsletter/patches etc. was, I would have to pull the plug tomorrow. Being a society president is a part-time job that doesn't pay anything. I gave it 5 years of my life. This is the most I can do now.
CH
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RE: Creating an Actual Herp Society ??????
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by Cro on January 27, 2008
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Chris is very right. A herp society usually involves one individual who does most of the work !
We should congratulate Chris for the time he put in in the past in making the SHHS a working society.
Best Regards JohnZ
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RE: Creating an Actual Herp Society ??????
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by Cro on January 28, 2008
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I would still like to see the whole collection of past issues of the SHHS Rattle made available for download here.
(right now there are only a couple of issues available on the site)
If any of the original members have complete collections, I would be happy to scan them to PDF file format, and get them right back to you if they could be borrowed for a few days. Send me an EMail if you can help.
Best Regards JohnZ
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RE: Creating an Actual Herp Society ??????
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by earthguy on January 28, 2008
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Guys,
I suspected as much, but thanks for looking into it. I guess all I really wanted was the patch and the cool membership card ;) LOL
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