P3D How about a stereo club in the MPLS/SP area???

[fj834@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx (Dr. George A. Themelis)]

Tom Martin expresses surprise to my missing the news on the NSA Upper
Midwest meetings:

>I am surprised George, I thought that you read all of the Photo-3D posts
>;^)

It was not posted under Larry Berlin's name, was it? :-) (boooo.... nasty
joke!)  OK, I missed it!  But I have a few questions about these NSA
regional meetings and their relationship and interaction with stereo clubs.

I understand that NSA is divided in 14 geographical regions. Each region
has a "regional director" assigned to it. It is not clear to me what
purpose this division serves, what are the duties of the directors and what
is the relationship with local stereo clubs.  Are the NSA regional
activities financed by NSA?  Are they open to NSA members only? If the
answer to these questions is "no" then what is the NSA connection?  

I see these NSA regional meetings as a small version of NSA conventions. 
They are special events spanning over several states and people can travel
many miles to get to them.  They can include sharing of stereo images and
selling/trading of equipment  just like in NSA conventions. They can last
several hours (a good part of the day) and people can even stay overnight
to attend those.  

I would be willing to travel to Cincinnati to attend one of those (and have
done it).  But there is still plenty of room for a stereo club in
individual cities.

What is a stereo club?  A stereo club is an organization consisting of a
group of people who are interested in stereo photography (imaging).  The
organization is usually on a city level (but people within reasonable
driving distance can attend).  There are monthly meetings of 2-3 hour
duration.  The club has officers, a constitution and collects fees from
members in order to pay for operational expenses like projection
equipment/supplies, publication of newsletter, renting space for meetings,
etc.

A stereo club is independent and self-sufficient.  Members of a stereo club
can join NSA (and most do) or PSA or ISU or any other stereo organization
but are not required to do so.  The club as a club can join these
organizations too.

Do we need these formalities?  Can we just have "so and so" call the
meetings whenever he feels like it, and meet at his basement or the local
library?  Sure, you can do that.  But I see this as a transitional period
that will either die when "so and so" gets tired or evolve to a more formal
organization.  

A formal club has a history and a tradition that is appreciated by the
members.  Yes, usually there is a small number of people that do most of
the work but these people take turns.  Older people retire, new people come
in.  The club's rules and traditions are above any individual member.

Back to the Minneapolis / St. Paul area.  In Tom Martin's page there is a
reference to "our members".  Which members is that?  NSA members in the
states of MN, WI, IA, ND, SD?  How many people outside the state of
Minnesota attend those meetings?  How many people who attend the meetings
are not NSA members?   What is my point?  

My point is that there appear to be a lot of people in the Minneapolis /
St. Paul area interested in stereo photography and this is a good
opportunity for an independent stereo club.  That will certainly mean more
work for the people involved but also more satisfaction for all
participants.

-- George Themelis


------------------------------