TEC Online Meet and Greet Session, 2021 CLOSED NOW THANKS FOR PARTICIPATING SEE YOU ON THE TRAILS!

I never liked the flow of sub building process, it isn't right, and I'm standing by my decision.

 

It was somewhere in the Creemore area. No winter maintenance road.
Short but fun...

 

Quiznos > Subway

Any small goose knows this...

 

Some Talking points from our google survey. I have put some writing in blue to give some insights from the club.

Club items related to how we are run and who we help

• Trail clean ups are a great and needed. Maybe involvement with local conservation authorities, hiking/biking trails, etc.
  -For the most part we have started to branch out to help other conservation areas like friends of Hullet thanks to the introduction from @ontarioyota. If anyone does have suggestions of who/where we can help out, by all means let us know! Some more discussion points for sure.
  
• Does the club need or want to develop a mission statement?
  -Currently we have this on the OF4WD page "Group of people into off-roading. Bring what you got. " We are limited on space on that page if memory serves me correct. We have grown and definitely could use a refresher.
  
  
• It is probably necessary to plan for and create an executive committee; President, Vice-President, Secretary, Financial Officer. Growth has been pretty fast. We don't want issues to arise, but they can with that type of rapid growth. We should have a plan for club continuity and should something unfortunate occur such as in-fighting, accident, illness, etc. I was witness to the implosion of a Jeep club years ago due to strong personalities in-fighting and a lack of leadership transparency. I don't want to see it happen again. Having an executive committee may also help if we are looking for sponsorship of the club for an event, and may give the club more legitimacy if we approach an land owner/authority/government (provincial, federal, or municipal) to drive our trucks on the property for an event, clean-up, or recreational usage.
  -this is a good idea. Currently there is two people who "officially" run this and many others who help (the countless donations, idea sharing, designing @weight and countless other things) but this is something for sure that is a good idea.
  
  
• We likely will need funds for community events and will need income to finance them. $10 per member doesn't go far.
  between the memberships and sticker sales we are trying to raise money not only for prizes for meets but also to contribute back to the community (garbage removal and what) . What ever money we raise each year, we only need to have $100 for the next years membership fee to the OF4WD (I use to just front this cost after we figured we had enough people to cover it).
  If anyone has any other suggestions let us know
• Have meets specific to shop days on how to work on vehicles out in the trail
  hmmmm, small shop days. I believe @Norilsk has something in mind
  
  
• Trail runs to rays and continuing to clean up trails
  supporting that local offroad park is a great idea. We did do our snow run there last year. They are under new ownership by a young family so definitely a good idea.
  
  
• More meet ups, trail runs, etc
  we are trying.....covid is killing us
  
  
• One thing that might be helpful to the members is a list of local Ontario shops, vendors, and dealers that are known to do quality work and are mod friendly.
  we currently have a list of vendors that everyone has had good luck with in the first page on the BS page.
  
  if anyone would like to help us add, please let us know!
  
  
• Well we've been mentioned in a few tweets and other similar social media platforms, but what about talking to a newspaper outlet. Similar to the RAP trip, we contacted a newspaper based in Bancroft. About the trip after they heard about it. may not be what gets us "viral" but may help show smaller communities that the 4WD community is actively trying to be a positive indluence
  definitely an option, just trying to arrange that. Right now, coordinating with the OF4WD is the best since they are the ones advocating for the trails and they actually showcase our involvement to the community heads as well as at the federal/provincial level. They did discuss this in the OF4WD Meeting a few weeks ago.
  
  
• Be nice if the tec club had a Facebook group maybe for posting events and things of that nature.
  Currently do, I will link it here along side our instagram page (Thanks @Norilsk for running that)
  
  
• Other things I can suggest are charity events, and scavenger hunts and or poker run style events. Theme events tend to have good turnouts and are great for raising money, and prizes etc.
  -we have done a few rallies and are looking into some paid participation ones to help with prize cost and raise money for the club (the Tec snow run was like that). We are definitely looking to branch out to have more events!
  
  
• Central meets to put a face to a tw user name
  Absolutely
  
  
• Continue to clean up trails as this work is well recognized in the community and Off road trail access is precious. Teach off road and recovery techniques to new Tacoma owners. Have prize draws With donated prizes after cleanup events. Lend a helping hand volunteering in situations where a Tacoma is required!!
  -We do try to have "newbie" runs where we show what we know about recovery and maintenance. We aren't professionals and share our knowledge for free (too much liability to charge for this).
  -Prizes for cleanups are in the works (soft shackles, a ammo case (thanks @ontarioyota) a snatch block (@Shveet can you remind me who gave that to us.....I completely forgot) and many more )

Sticker ideas (Something to think about)

• You could offer commemorative stickers at special anniversary moments, like 5 years for a concurrent member and so forth, while offering purchasable normal stickers as you mentioned above.
  
• I'd like to see us having a badge like "overland bound" that says TEC on top, then our forum name at the bottom and in the middle our membership #.
  
• I’m liking the badge/patch idea that’s floating around. Other than that I don’t have much, you guys are doing great as it is! More cleanups and community events sounds good too

Too Funny to leave out

• "Hi there, excuse me if this is the wrong place to ask but I was hoping you could tell me what the best way to get cheeto stains out of a lambo seat that would be great, thank you."
• "I THINK PIZZA PARTIES ARE TEH ANSWER. I MEAN COME ONE GUYS WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU WENT TO A PIZZA PARTY?"

 

I suppose I am a big, wise goose now

 

No, you are a small goose...it's your name

 

my thought process might be all over the place here but;
I'm all for talking with municipalities as well as conservation authorities in trying to be transparent with them with our intentions of offroading, that yes we'd like to have our fun wheeling and camping but we also don't want to shit where we eat - so to speak. Not sure how everyone else stands, but i'm 100% fine with taking a trash bag out of the bush even on non-event days, following the "leave it better than you found it" mentality.

With the recent explosion and ease of people joining the "offroad" and "overland" communities (not with just our group) with base-model trucks and the ease of going in a tearing up tracks on private land (remember that everything south of Barrie/Peterborough/Ottawa is privately owned land and we're able to run on OFSC tracks because we're part of OF4WD), so i think we need to find a sort of foothold with the owners and municipalities that will help us keep trails open. I guess via community service like the cleanups we do might be something to bring to the table.Otherwise it's those that don't have a care in the world that bomb through, dump trash, and tear up tracks on the on and off-season that de-legitimizes OF4WD and all of its clubs. So i think getting the landowners and regions to know the distinct difference between us and some rowdy teenagers taking their dad's truck through trails would be a good start. but a bad apple will always spoil the bunch.

In regards of group authority of TEC, in most video games i've been a community manager in - we tended to settle on "knights of the round table". where not 1 or 2 people are the main leaders but a group (i find 7 works well) within the group that leads everyone forward. Mayhap using the poll system more often on decision making with the rest of the group. Mind you this system might not work since we're all here with a common goal. Just an idea is all.

In regards of in-fighting, I've always been a firm believer with transparency, communication, and brutal honesty. We may be in a forum where communication is a normal thing, but if someone has a bone to pick with another member - we need to encourage that the parties talk it out like adults (for example the one fella who started up a business with help from he-who-shall-not-be-named, we were firm with where we stood, but also made sure the fella understood the implication of being helped by this person all while none of us tried to linch the guy trying to start a business.). i guess this is for everyone who reads this; but we aren't some 10 year old kids playing the new fortnight game and throwing a temper tantrum when we lose a match or something, getting irrationally peeved at someone on a public forum will make you look like the laughing stock most people are. Being angry never fixes anything (i would know, when i lost my back window just this weekend and lost my cool for a few minutes but quickly regained my composure and didn't try to ruin anything for anyone else.)

i like that one, it's outside the usual common ones you see and hear. Depending on the goal of the club from here on forward - it will change. but most mission statements follow the goal of the group. in out case something like this might be good; "Just a bunch of Canadians Undertaking Natural Trails and enjoying the great vastness of the wilderness" is one that comes to mind.

Fundraisers are a certain starting point; can be activity workshops (like the recovery program we did at Ganaraska) and the shop days ideas. Could always do sexy car-washes but that's a little difficult to do since we're all over Ontario
maybe host a car event like TMMC does?
but regardless of how to get more income, what are you thinking of doing with an increase of funds? prizes are one thing, could allocate the pooling of funds to stuff like the group Ganaraska runs and have a "free" day run or organize a fun run event at Rays? Just ideas to stir the pot.
As you said, the Pandemic currently is limiting us so thinking long term is not a bad idea, but short term for now is vital.

also it was @Emanresu that passed along the snatch blocks.

maybe have a shop per region? Like if someone is in the GTA, these spots are good. if you're Kitchener area; this shop is good. etc.

ah that clears things up a bit. i missed that meeting, do we know if there is a recording somewhere?

sobs uncontrollably remembering the last time i went to a pizza party

THEY PUT PINEAPPLE ON THE PIZZA.
PINEAPPLE! ON PIZZA!
THE MONSTERS

 

I thought we had a mission statement...be a CUNT

We even has the sticker

 

All good talking points.

We may need to figure out next steps to determine whether or not we follow through with items or not.

Still have plenty of time to see the direction of the thread.

 

figured to expand on the ideas that the community has so far. i'm also looking forward to seeing where it goes

 

And to whom goes the credit for that one?...

I know the answer

 

Theme from jeopardy playing whilst feverish (non covid related) searches being performed...

 

As Peter mention, well said.

I don't know too much about the club at all, or how OF4WD is involved, but I think before you start discussing leadership strategies, mission/vision statements, there should be an overall long term goal to the club.

Is it going to become a non-profit organization, a profitable business, or just another facebook style group that anyone joins and participates as they please?

In my VW ownership there was a popular facebook group called Club Wolfsburg (im sure some here have heard of) that had lots of participation, all kinds of cars/people from clapped out highschoolers to senior VW entusiasts. Their numbers grew massively and they had all kinds of shops lined up (tints, body shops, dealerships) with certain discounts on labour/services/products and meetups that were increasingly reckless. Once discounts/giveaways show up, people just click *join* to take advantage, and in short: more people = more clashing.

I guess what I'm saying is ensure you have a scaleable plan in place, before those things happen. Obviously facebook is entirely different world, but you never know.

the management piece is hard, sometimes more opinions can be better, but also it can deviate from the clubs' long-term plan as time goes on.
(i.e. 7 people on a board, and 4 people leave in the first few years, changes the majority of the orginal decision makers). Keep 3-4 close people that you know will stick around and have the clubs best interest in mind. It seems youre already doing this, but maybe add one or two to take some stress of the bigger decisions.

Agreed with transparency and communication, it goes a long way, particularly when people are paying money (not that 10$ is huge but some people feel very entitled to have proof its going to good use).

Kinda lame but a covid meet-up idea : Drive in movie. a good way to see some trucks/faces without a bunch of people standing around. Theres still a few of these alive we could rent out if theres enough interest, or you can even rent the equipement to do one outdoors?

thats all i have for now.

 

Good points everyone!

Here are my personal thoughts to address some things:

• Mission statement: I think we can update it to something like this, what you think @tacoma16 "The Mission of Toyota Enthusiast Club (TEC) is to further off-roading as a safe family experience while respecting our trail systems and to strive to protect the environment. We focus on educating the public about responsible trail use." It's more re-fined and in line what we are doing now, sounds booooooring oh well... I am ready for taking flying tomatoes into my face

• Short term goals: I prefer to have this club as a non profit organization and not turn it into another Facebook group where everyone joins just for discounts etc... as a matter I only keep Facebook/Instagram active to advertise club actions and move traffic to a TW for further discussions. We post events on those platforms as well, but primarily we would like to stick to TW as of right now. I had an idea of creating a webpage for the club and move traffic there, but this would be too much work for current scale we operate at. Also, there was some thoughts to move club chat platform to tnortt.ca, but I feel TW is currently best place to be as we can have meaningful discussions with much more people here .
• Long term goals: I can't figure out what's for breakfast tomorrow and you want me to outline for the entire organization, yeah right There are long term plans, but one thing at a time. Let's grow the club and attend/create events and go from there.
  
• Club management: I would like to keep it small and focused, it ain't a dictatorship, but it kind of is . I don't want to have bureaucracy BS where we need to agree to disagree for every club action... but! I am looking to add one more person to a club management once we past 100 member mark to help with some volunteer work. If you would like to join please message me or Peter. This is a commitment, so think twice. We are die hard fans when it comes to a club.
• Club events: those are COVID dependent, but we have lot's of events ready to go as soon as restrictions are lifted. Newbie runs, trail cleanups, long range group expeditions, mall crawls and basic 4WD training winching/repair sessions all free and available to anyone who would like to join. We are going to have some fund raising events in the future once public gatherings are allowed to grow club financials and have larger scale events etc...
• Transparency and communications: I think we are doing good here, we always ask for feedback and this thread is a good place to receive it and show what we've done so far. I've met and spoken to people and get the feeling that we are on a right track here.
• Public involvement: I personally would like to have the club involved into more volunteering and community help. If you have suggestions - do let us know and we can proceed with it further.

keep adding your thoughts here, all your contributions much needed to determine course of action and what to do.

 

Hey everyone, quick introduction.

You’ve probably seen me on other parts of the TW Forum.. My name is Ralf, and I’m the owner of Summit Expedition Trucks Ltd. in Alberta. I originally grew up in Barrie, Ontario. Been to some awesome off-road areas locally and elsewhere in Ontario!

I love what you guys are doing here!! Not much to add, other than keep up the great work! Filled out the questionnaire as well.

Looking forward to bringing over one of the trucks this summer, even though it might not be a Toyota

 

bring the Tacoma with the tray, i'd love to see it in person if you do swing by

 

The Jeep is getting a tray and canopy as well, so either way there will be a tray to have a look at

 

When the pandemic settles down a bit and some of the restrictions are lifted I think the idea of seeing a lineup of Tacos at a Drive In would be kinda cool...