Help with starting a new BOF group

CountryDancer · September 10, 2016

I am brand new here and would like to start a new BOF group- can anyone walk me through that?

Mr. Camper · September 10, 2016

I'm new here and still haven't learned the secret handshake so could you please explain what BOF means? Thanks

skp51443 · September 10, 2016

Mr. Camper: See this link for info on the BoFs: https://escapees.com/fun/bofs

Country Dancer: I'm not sure just what the procedures are so calling the club business office would be the place to start. The main thing you are going to need is members and these forums would be a good place to start looking, national and chapter rallies are also good spots. If you can show enough interest you could ask to have an article published in the club magazine, you'd likely have to write it or have one of your potential members do it.

Pappy Yokum · September 10, 2016

I'm new here and still haven't learned the secret handshake so could you please explain what BOF means? Thanks

Well - if I told you the technique for the secret handshake....it wouldn't be secret anymore!

They'll pluck my feathers for spilling the birdseed without the handshake, but it's "Birds of A Feather".

BOF are special interest groups. Kirk will probably chime in and help the OP out with the "how to" info.

(Best I can do without a cyber handshake, LOL!)

.

Mr. Camper · September 10, 2016

Thanks to all for the explanation of BOF. I checked out the list that came with the link. My wife and I share many of the same interests and a few different ones but I've never been a joiner. Last time I joined a group I spent a significant amount of time touring the countryside of a particular southeast Asian country. I guess now that I'm retired it might be time to reconsider. Thanks again for the explanation.

Stripe34 · September 10, 2016

Mr camper thank you for your service

We haven't been joiners before either, but we are now :-). FT starting October, and "retired" for many months now

Hoping to meet lots of friends in our travels :-)

skp51443 · September 11, 2016

Most chapters are very happy to have guests, if you check the magazine and contact the person listed there they can set you up with all you'll need to attend a rally.

Something you'll find about many things in the Escapees club is that joining them is far different than joining something in many other organizations. Chapters and BoFs have pretty much no joining requirements aside from a small fee to cover mailing the newsletter and a few other minor things. We joined a fair number of chapters when we were active, pretty much anything near where we planned to spend any time, got us the newsletter and let us plan on attending rallies if we were going to be in the area.

Chapter / BoF rallies are usually also low impact events, you show up, pay a small fee to cover rally activities and then join in when and where you feel like it. Aside from mournful looks form the chapter's VP / rally master as they search for hosts for the upcoming rallies there is no pressure to do more than have a good time. You can of course get more involved and they will be happy to have your help, but that is optional. Even if you see the VP wandering from rig to rig like Diogenes of Sinope you can resist their sad hungry puppy eyes or just hide until they find a host. (Yes I have been a VP for a couple chapters as well as hosting several rallies so I know both sides of that story.) Hosting is actually a fun job, not all that much work and after you have assisted you should have no problems doing your own and if you do your assistant and officers will step in to help out.