Update on the Fans of the WCHA group in Facebook

[ALCEDO ATTHIS]

I ever find some think with canoe in japan , bushcraft , canoe with dog and more (my wife is japanese )
but like everyone on the planet , I use google and copy the best "kanji" in the translate for serching ...

 

[Vinci]

Now, how do we entice some of these folks to actually join the organization, and participate in Chapters, Assembly, etc.
I noticed a new post on the Fans of FB page and this forum about and event in China (at which a Paddle Canada banner was flying. Not sure why.)

Hello my friend,
I am one of the organizers of the canoeing event you mentioned in China. It's an honor to see your response regarding our event. Canoeing culture in China is not easy to promote, as we only have traditional Chinese boats like the Wupeng (a type of covered boat) and small wooden boats. As a result, the target audience here is very limited. This event was organized purely by enthusiasts, which is why we have participation from countries like Canada. Since this is the first edition, the preparations have been somewhat insufficient, but we will work hard to create a better canoeing community in China.
Of course, I am also eager to learn from everyone in the future.
(You should have seen this post here: https://forums.wcha.org/threads/the-first-canoeing-outdoor-carnival-in-china.19892/).
Vinci

 

[Nick Dennis]

I’m surprised Japan is not on there, isn’t there a big following of old school camping, like canvas tents and wool?

We do actually have 3 Japanese members; they may not follow the FB page hence why Japan is not flagged up.

 

[chris pearson]

We (I) need to change. Post there with less detail and tell them to move over to the WCHA forum for the in-depth story. Let’s use it to gain memberships!!!

 

[MGC]

I take care of an FB page for a club I belong to. I think it has marginal value and attracts a very unpredictable audience. And, (one of the things I dislike about it) the algorithms tend to pack content that follows whatever odd profiles the users bring in. It is a nightmare to remove some of the unrelated nonsense that appears. It's like digging a hole in the sand at the edge of the surf. One shovel out, and a rush of more sand fills back in. Meta is a major pain in the rear.
Having said that, from my experience, FB seems to be popular with the crowd who are internet averse... folks who would not turn on a PC to read an email seem to have FB accounts that they religiously follow. In my book it's just another tool to use for a specific audience . For our club I estimate that I get to about 10% of our membership with it.

 

[Benson Gray]

The Facebook algorithms continue to surprise me. The article linked below about the nice old bark canoe at the Maine Maritime Museum has been seen by over 531,000 people and is probably the source of several hundred new group members. It would be great if this also adds a few new paying members to the organization but that is more difficult to track.

Benson

Fans of the Wooden Canoe Heritage Association | This canoe was made by Abanaki during the 1700's | Facebook

This canoe was made by Abanaki during the 1700's. It's displayed at Maine Maritime Museum in Bath Maine.

www.facebook.com

 

[chris pearson]

Holy cow.

 

[Benson Gray]

I've been pondering the conversion question related to Facebook group members and paying WCHA members. A similar question came up in 2020 about how many users of this forum became paying members. I found 22% of the new members listed in the Summer, 2020 issue of Wooden Canoe could be directly tied to a forum posting.

The Fall issue has just arrived with a similar list of new members. I searched for their names in the Fans group and found 26% there. These people had been members of the Fans group for periods ranging from one week to four years. This doesn't necessarily mean that the Fans group led them to join the WCHA but it is an interesting correlation. It appears that internet activity will continue to be a part of building the WCHA's membership.

Benson

 

[MGC]

But Wooden Canoe and the annual assembly remain as the "official" WCHA information source for WCHA business, discussion, messaging.
I remain puzzled by the scarcity of online board member participation here and the absence of WCHA content. But I do understand the idea that WCHA matters are controlled through membership and by associating access to Wooden Canoe.
What I struggle with is quarterly communication when this website sits alive and active, 24/7

 

[Benson Gray]

I remain puzzled by the scarcity of online board member participation here

I suspect that some board members may feel that any discussion of issues here might be an inappropriate 'airing of dirty laundry in public.' The organization is running an election now so the candidates' participation level here can be part of your decision process.

 

[MGC]

I suspect that some board members may feel that any discussion of issues here might be an inappropriate 'airing of dirty laundry in public.' The organization is running an election now so the candidates' participation level here can be part of your decision process.

My card has already been posted...and no mention was made of issues. Participation does not necessarily mean attending to board business.

 

[Nick Dennis]

Well I’m always around on this forum as a current BM. I will experiment with the topics for social media postings and see what generates varying levels of reaction.

Nick

 

[Dan Lindberg]

I confess to being an "oddball" -
I check this forum daily, I visit the FB page maybe once a week.
I've stopped reading Wooden Canoe, it's just too hard to read, ie: small type.
I don't expect anything will change.

Dan

What I struggle with is quarterly communication when this website sits alive and active, 24/7

 

[samb]

I confess to being an "oddball" -

Nothing wrong with being an "oddball"!

 

[Michael Grace]

Like Nick I am also on the forums and always have been during my tenure on the board. I'm on here usually at least once each day. There are other board members who may frequent the forums but simply choose not to post. But in any case, just because some of us enjoy and value participation in the discussion forum doesn't mean everyone must. Just as some like restoring, some like building, and some simply like paddling, others might rather spending their time in a canoe, in their shops, or elsewhere rather than on a digital forum - different strokes for different folks (literally and figuratively). Some hate stripping but I love it!

 

[dtdcanoes]

YES, Michael with the reward that comes with a clean stripping effort. I feel the same way when the Gold leaf on a Boston boat comes out as hoped and says you should see me in the last light of a summer day.

 

[MGC]

Kudos to all board members who do frequent this forum and especially those who contribute. Michael, your willingness to dip into your own personal collection to obtain measurements or builder details is wonderful.

 

[Michael Grace]

Yes, Dave, it is wonderful to see beautiful things develop across the full spectrum, from stripping to gold leaf! And thank you, Mike. It is a pleasure, maybe even an obligation, to share information with others. I'm just one humble individual among many dedicated people who give so much, so freely, to so many. This is one of the greatest things about the WCHA - the community spirit devoted to preserving, restoring, building and using wooden canoes. We're all in this together, and it's great that so many people are so willing to share.

 

[Dave Osborn]

Dan Lindbergh,
Try a pair of Walmart 3x readers, and you’ll be back in business.

 

[Dan Lindberg]

Dave, maybe,
I have no line tri-folds for my regular glasses, I've never tried anything else.

But similar but different, I just filled out the Board Voting card, but have no idea if it will get mailed (no stamps, I avoid going to stores and don't write checks anymore, only electronic payments)
so the question - why can't/isn't there be a way to vote on the web site?

Dan