Tear Jerkers?

[Joseph]

Pardon me, but I'm confused. Why would we start a group w/in the South Central Group...wouldn't that cause splintering.

Splintering of what? More often than not chapters join forces to host a gathering anyway. I used to be in the Liberty Bell Chapter, then the Southern Appalachian Chapter, and now the Potomac Basin Chapter. As Chapters form closer to me, that's the one I "belong" to. When I move to Missouri I expect that will put me in the Heart of America Chapter. I believe the only requirement for membership is interest. Membership is not a requirement to attend a gathering, but be warned - if you show up at a gathering, you'll be considered a member!

I have to ask the same thing as Todah, why do we need more organization than we already have. We seem to growing quite well like we are. What would be the benefit of this?

TearJerkers provide MORE organization?! You obviously have no idea who you're dealing with!

Uhhhh....so we could go to meetings and pay dues?

Meetings? Dues? Like I said, you have NO IDEA...

It's more of a (very) loose association than an actual organization. From what I've seen, the first one with the initiative to call Todd and volunteer to form and head up a chapter gets the job. Then it's up to him or her to provide however much leadership and organization (or lack thereof) he or she deems necessary. Usually it involves organizing a gathering or two and acting as a conduit for chapter communication. I will say that the chapter directors I know - Todd, Len Daddona (Liberty Bell), Paul McCaffrey (Potomac Basin) Stacey Ernst (New England) and Ross Wade (Southern Appalachian) are all super folks who put on a great gathering.

Joseph

[madjack]

...we talked about doing a SouthCentral TearJerkers, year before last at the first Beavers Bend gathering...the thought at that time was...why?? there is no benefit that anyone could come up with and thus the SCT or SouthCentralTears was born...see we allready havva group although it has no director or Yahoo groups page...it seems this board works(ed) well enough for us
madjack

[Loader]

Agree! I think SCT works well as is. LCG II was a clear sign of that.

[starleen2]

I would agree - maybe too much organization would be excessive. However, lets run this idea through committee, get recommendations, do a study AND survey and in the end – TABLE IT!

[madjack]

Agree! I think SCT works well as is. LCG II was a clear sign of that.

...yep, the LCGII was an SCT Production in conjunction with MadJack Enterprises ............

[s4son]

I have yet to go to a gathering I didn't enjoy regardless of what "group" organized it. Lets face it, everyone can't afford the time or money to go camping 300+ miles every weekend. My thought behind forming a more localized group was to increase the opportunities for camping with like minded folk, close to home. It is not meant to replace the TD&TTT forum or exclude anyone. On the contrary, everyone is invited to join and attend any gathering we might have. There are no officers, no dues and other then common sense and common courtesy, no rules. Look at it as just another way to enjoy tear dropping.

Scott F.

[madjack]

Scott's certainly right about a more local organization enabling camping amongst those in that area...the SCT group encompasses a very large area and we have 3r4 large events yearly but a smaller group could workout to organize more area specific gatherings...they don't all have to have 50 trailers and 100 attendees...
madjack

[Loader]

Local organization is a good thing, and your are right, driving 300+ miles every weekend is out of the question. I do think the SCT group works pretty well now. Although we have no formal director, we all work together to plan, organize, and host gatherings throughout the region. Anyone is open to suggest a gathering at any park/location. We have attended gatherings with as few as 7 trailers and gatherings with a massive amount of trailers, like LCGII.

To be honest, besides being able to call ourselves a Chapter of the National Tearjerkers Group, what is the added benefit? Don't get me wrong, Tearjerkers is a good thing, however, what would change for the current South Central group?

Besides a cool logo that is?

Hey, if we can make it, we'll attend the gathering no matter who hosts it! We just want to camp and have fun with others who enjoy teardropping!

[Eunice]

I have yet to go to a gathering I didn't enjoy regardless of what "group" organized it. Lets face it, everyone can't afford the time or money to go camping 300+ miles every weekend. My thought behind forming a more localized group was to increase the opportunities for camping with like minded folk, close to home. It is not meant to replace the TD&TTT forum or exclude anyone. On the contrary, everyone is invited to join and attend any gathering we might have. There are no officers, no dues and other then common sense and common courtesy, no rules. Look at it as just another way to enjoy tear dropping.

Scott F.

I agree. I am having a great time with the Jefferson State Chapter. There are major gatherings in this area (DAM gatherings, IRG2 and others) that are not tearjerker. Tearjerkers is just a nice way to talk to folks and share ideas and camp together local and all across the country. and I LOVE our logo.

[oklahomajewel]

I have to agree with Loader, Dave, etc..... I did join the KS/MO group, just on the off chance that a campout was mentioned there but not posted on the T&TTT forum.

Same thing with Texas..... Dave's already got a website called Tears of Texas and TX teardroppers are enough to get in the double digits but I would want to know if there's a campout going on that I can make it to and not miss out.

I love the South Central teardroppers !!! That includes anybody from neighboring states too !

[Todah Tear]

I have yet to go to a gathering I didn't enjoy regardless of what "group" organized it. Lets face it, everyone can't afford the time or money to go camping 300+ miles every weekend.
Scott F.

The intent of my question was not to bash TearJerker 'cause we teardroppers are not a violent people . I was just concerned about the group dividing up and cliques forming. I personally enjoy getting to see everyone...when I can make it. Those who don't attend are missed. However I definitely get your point about driving 300 miles. I know that it is taxing, but I think that we are trying to have some gatherings in various areas. ...but as has been mentioned basically any teardropper is free to mention invite others to join them when they camp. I have a little more freedom with my vacation days than I did earlier this year, so I try to come as often as possible.

Todah

[Woody]

I am not sure what all the fuss is about, it is free to join, and you can be a member of other groups also. When the Tear Jerkers was formed there was at the time not to much else orgainization for teardroppers to communicate or meet with others atleast on the east coast. The major teardrop site at the time was "Teardrop Times" which has been gone for about 3 years or so now. The site was strictly teardrops and nothing else ( no TTT's). Thanks to Mike's efforts and T & TTT board which filled the void in the internet world for builders. Now they are being built in numbers one could have only dreamed of 3 -4 years ago. When I was asked to head to the Florida Chapter I did it willingly to help promote Teardrops and the culture and the main benefit of meeting people I would have not met any other way nationally. When I joined I was a member of the "Southern Applalacian Chapter" which included the state of Florida then. The transition was smooth from that to the Florida Chapter. I have meet many good people through the Tear Jerkers and made many friends for life. I could have started my own group, but decided to head up the Florida Chapter instead and have no regrets since. Giving many of us a greater opportunity to have a good time and meet each other at a national level (even internationally now). Join what you want to be a member of. The Tear Jerkers is free to join and you still belong to or start other groups . Join or belong to what you want. It is the people, not the trailers that make a gathering

[Ivar the Red]

I had a troubled youth, I just want to belong. I'm from Colorado, so I may just join them as well.

[Ivar the Red]

But I don't know how much more room I have for pictures in my signature thingy.

[Pam Wright]

Hey Johnny,

You are more than welcome to join the Rocky Mountain Chapter... I host 1 major gathering called "the Last Gasp of Summer" each year the last weekend of September, but communicate with members of TearJerkers and camping friends all over the nation and try to camp almost straight through most of the year...

Hopefully we can camp together some time.

pam