AKC Gazette

December 2010

AMELIA AVERIL

WHY JOIN A CLUB?

 

By the time you read this column, we will be in the midst of the holiday season and jolly old St Nick will be getting ready to make his annual visit. It is a time of reflection and a time of looking forward to a new year.

I thought I would write my last column of the year on clubs and why people join them. They join to become involved with those who have a common interest and to learn more about the breed and to become involved with bettering the breed. All are good reasons. What causes the dissention and unhappiness that we witness in many clubs?

It is unfortunate that clubs have been dissolved and broken up because members could not work together. Sometimes it becomes “them against us.” The original goal of working for our club and our breed can be lost in the heat of battle. One major problem is that some people personalize everything that occurs in a club. Egos take over, and everything translates into a personal affront.

It is important to realize that if you do a working job for a club, you may face criticism. If you cannot take criticism, don’t take a working job. Ideally, you are working for the good of the club, not for a few people or for yourself. Club decisions should be made on what is good for the club and for the dogs, and not to promote individual interests. If you are joining a club to promote yourself and your dogs, don’t.

A club can operate only if there is a unity. The focus should be what is right for the club. You do not have to like everyone in the club, but you should be able to come up with decisions that benefit the breed and the club. This is the ultimate goal.

It is true that there is a lot more that can be done to educate club members. For our club this is not an easy job, with such a large membership. We are on the threshold of doing more, however. Working together will strengthen the club and help us get closer to accomplishing our goals.

To close, let me wish you and your dogs the best of health, true happiness, and the merriest of holidays. May 2011 bring you the things that you want the most, and among them we count great success with your Bulldogs.

As we sit down to our holiday dinner, may we take a moment or two to remember those who have gone from our ranks, those who did so much for the Bulldog and for the Bulldog Club of American and for showing us the true meaning of sportsmanship.

Amelia Averil, 8 Willow Brook Rd., Hillsdale, NJ 07612.