NaCCRA Forum: General

Thanks Jim for pointing out my intuitive error… But in my defense… When I click on the folder title in “Proposed Amended Bylaws” I get access to its contents (i.e.a pdf file)… I just assumed that clicking on the titles of the other folders would give me access to the folder contents as well. I realize now that in one case, I’m accessing files, and in the other I’m accessing folders.

Mark,
The Newsletters folder in the Document library is not empty. Note there is a statement, "Click the folder icon in the navigation panel to see sub-folders (which may contain documents). You must click on the folder to open it, there you will find most issues of LifeLine by year.

Jim Haynes

Jennifer…

In your 2/18/2019 post on NaCCRA’s General Forum, you mention that you thought that one appealing aspect of NaCCRA membership would be member interest in the sharing of "how we do such-and-such at our CCRC" and questions soliciting best practices.

I agree with that sentiment and would like to know more about your efforts in this regard…. I would also like to know if anyone else shares this interest.

I’m relatively new to CCRCs, having joined the Haverland Carter network in Albuquerque NM in May 2017. And I only recently became a life-time member of NaCCRA (i.e. in May 2018). Unfortunately, I did not see your column in Lifeline. Nor do I know of anyway to access archived copies (the current Document Library’s Newsletters folder is empty).

Feel free to use my email address (mrz1user@gmail.com) for a more direct contact. This post is on the Missing Email Address thread… In this regard, some members, such as myself would be comfortable to having our email address publically available behind the Member Only firewall.

I've been a member of NaCCRA since 2013 when I was a CCRC resident in Texas.  At that time Texas did not have a state association.  I found out about NaCCRA by happenstance, from Texas LeadingAge.  I then attended LeadingAge conventions in Dallas, Nashville, and Boston.  I thought that one appealing aspect of NaCCRA membership would be member interest in the sharing of "how we do such-and-such at our CCRC" and questions soliciting best practices.  So I started a column in Lifeline called "Ask and Share."  However, the sharing of responses wasn't timely enough.   I kept pointing to the Forum section on NaCCRA's then-website, hoping to eventually phase out the column.  There were questions about how libraries were run, about community garage sales, about non-smoking policies, etc.

I know I'm preaching to the choir when I say that any successful organization in this day and time HAS to go electronic in its communications, especially non-profit associations.  Why?  Because of much faster response times to issues, questions, and breaking news, and the major reduction of printing/postage costs and "old-fashioned" administrative labor, even if done by volunteers.

I suggested to the then-management of NaCCRA that there be a cut-out return form provided in a hardcopy of Lifeline that solicits everyone's email address.   This return form would be at the end of a major article,  explaining the absolute necessity of email.  Get those members who DO have email addresses but who have, for some reason, chosen not to provide them to NaCCRA to see the importance of providing those addresses.  Why would they bother to provide their email addresses if they know they'll still get hardcopies for the same level of dues?

A the same time, such a solicitation can ask all members for suggestions for cost-effective ways to get timely information to those members who have chosen to never touch a computer or an I-phone.  If someone insists on hardcopy, then see if they'll volunteer to do the administrative work that the "old-fashioned" methods require.  

I think my past suggestion(s) about this fell on deaf ears.  But .... if that "headlline" solicitation-with-explanation regarding the need WAS done, I may have missed it.  It might have occurred when I was busy with the Chapter 11 of my CCRC (and other Sears Methodist Retirement System CCRCs), serving on the federal bankruptcy court's Unsecured Creditor Committee.  Or, I might have missed it when moving into our second CCRC in North Carolina.  

So I wonder ---- was a blatant solicitation to get members to send in their email addresses ever attempted?   

Rember postcards are public so they would not work for invoices, and they are not returned if they can not be delivered. Announcements, promotions, advertising maybe.

Jim Haynes

Maybe a postcard will have to be a way to communicate with no email members. It would be less expensive and less labor for a postcard.

NaCCRA does not have email addresses for 30% of our members. We have 410 members without email addresses, and 105 with email addresses, which for various reasons do not work. I mention this problem in my President's column in the upcoming issue of LifeLine, which you should receive in late January. I am interested in suggestions about how best to communicate with these members. Sending notices, invoices, and other information by regular mail is time consuming, labor intensive, and expensive.