I am thinking of starting an organized military model club in my home town and I need some advice. What are some ideas to get one started? What are some of the activites that go on at the club get togethers? Basically I just need any advice I can get. We have a local hobby shop here in town that a few guys meets at once a week to work on models but unforunatly the R/C car guys also meet there the same night and they are growing in numbers and it's become so noisy with them there I want to create an officail club and meet else where. Any help would be greatly appreciated, thanks.

First of all, contact IPMS/USA about starting a chapter, second, don't do it at home, unless you are single and your living room is about 30' by 30'. You might also contact AMPS if you want to just armor.

Couple things:
You'vealready got a de-facto club with the guys from the hobby store. Perhaps working with the owner to use the facilities at a different time. That's in his interest, people in the store who are probably going to want to buy. If that's not possible, you'll need to find a meeting space that is free since you don't have an operating budget. Check with local churches, library, etc. who might have a hall to offer for a cheap or free rate. Post a flyer in the hobby store when you find a spot and time. Try to get a notice in the paper that you will be having an organizational meeting. IPMS http://www.ipmsusa.org/MemberServices/memberservices.htm " TARGET="_blank"> http://www.ipmsusa.org/MemberServices/memberservices.htm is a good idea, especially if you plan to eventually sponsor contests. They provide insurance and good publicity.
Things to do at the meetings might include a make and take for kids, talks by local veterans or racers, a demo by a local reenactment group, members doing a demo about a technique they've perfected. You'll probably have a show and tell session at each meeting.
You'll need to set up a treasurer who can be trusted if you plan to do any group activities or contests. You don't want someone who's going to decide HE/SHE's the club and the money is his/hers, says the voice of experience. You'll want someone to keep a membership list and someone to do a newsletter. This is the glue that'll keep you together and remind people to get their butts to the meeting.
Keep the meetings light. Don't take a roll call or check off lists of who's there.
Some grop activities you might consider down the line are holiday parties, trips to museums/living history sites, group trip to a historical movie, etc.
Remember, as orgnizer, you'll be doing a lot of work. Get a good core group of workers to support you. You don't want too many, because nothing will get done., too many cooks and all that. Learn very early to delegte. When someone says "why don't we..." don't let it become "why don't you..." Answer that with, "What a great idea! You have my/our support to go ahead with that."
Good luck.

As a long time president of our local IPMS club here in Victoria......I found delegating was very important......we had an events guy who's only job was contacting people for future demos and displays.....a newsletter guy....who formed his own commitee to help him......if you're going to charge dues....you'll need a treasurer...and if you want to keep a record of what goes on at your meetings you might want to appoint a secretary......most clubs have a secretary/treasurer....as club president I took it upon myself to phone all of the club members on the Sunday night before our Monday meetings.....you'd be surprised how many people forget a meeting that is once a month....all it takes is a quick phone call the night before to remind them and you'll usually have a good turn out.....we did an anual show/contest every year and I usually headed up the show commitee and would pick some of the best workers in the club to be on it with me and again....delegate jobs within the commitee......a regular meeting would consist of introducing new faces....finding out what they build and how they found out about us.....this was good so that the other members who were interested in the same things would know and would make that person not feel out of place and it also let us know what was working for advertising our club.....we'd have the events guy tell what was coming up and also tell of events that had just past and what the outcome was.......the newsletter guy would ask for more articles and get phone numbers off of the new guys....this served 2 purposes....they were now on the phone list for me to call before the meetings and we also kept a newsletter pile down at the local hobby shop that had a phone list in it....when I was on the road with my band across Canada in the 80's I used to go into the local model shops and ask if there was anyone I could get together with while there that was into what I liked.....1 place had a phone list of the local club that included their name......phone # and what their main interest was....I called guys up with my same interests and we would usually have mini meetings in whatever bar I was playing in at the time....it was great fun!!!...I would then go over any new business that had come to my attention and then ask if anyone else had any new business to put in......then I'd cover some of the old business that was still happening and ask anyone if there was anything they wanted to go over again....then I'd ask for anything that was new or rumoured coming out,,,this gave the chance for people who weren't on the internet to hear some of the rumoured new releases...because everyone knows we hear it here 1st.....and also if someone had a brand new kit hot off the press....the newsletter guy would know who to hit up for an article/review......then after all that we'd sell tickets for a draw of a gift certificate to our local hobby shop....and then if there was anyone willing to do a demo on something they'd do it then.....we had an airbrush demo......and weathering demo.....pastel chalk demo...a resin casting demo....and many more over the years.....at every meeting we had 1 member who had a really good digital cam and he'd bring in 2 swing arm lamps and a piece of blue card stock and he'd set up and shooting gallery for members who brought in their latest models finished....all pictures were then sent via email in a couple of days if you had it or brought to the next club meeting on a disc if you didn't.....this also gave the newsletter guy another chance for hitting people up for articles complete with pictures....sometimes people would bring in videos on modelling or of a particular vehicle or aircraft to show to round out the meeting.
Some of the events we would do were many mall displays per year.....model demos in local hobby shops and book stores...Chapters loved having us set up a table at the front of the store and talking to people about models while we were working on them....they'd put out model related books and magazines they sold....so it was good for both of us....make up a small blurb on who you are and where you meet and the dates you meet to take out to these events so you can hand them out...we even had a map on ours and could fit 4 to a page and then cut them out....people loved these and it brought a lot of new members in....take some with you when you go to the local shop too and if you're standing looking (drooling) at the models on the shelf and there's someone standing beside you that you've never seen before looking at them glassy eyed too.....ask him or her if they know about the local model club and hand them a flyer....you'd be surprised how many people you'll pick up this way.....we also got together groups to go to things like airshows and museums and other clubs anual show/contests.....a van load of guys splitting the cost is a lot more fun than going by yourself......at the out of town shows I came up with the idea of a travelling trophy....we called our Visitors Choice.....we'd all look at the models in the contest and decide on 1 to give our trophy to....this was very widely recieved and now a lot of clubs are doing this....this also helped us get a newsletter exchange going with other clubs we visited.
These are things that were done to keep an official club going......years before we had a club here in town......I was involved with a figure group that met once a month at somebody's house.....this also was a lot of fun and you got to see each of the other guy's work rooms and displays at their house....but as it grew we realised something had to happen to accomadate the growth....so if you only have a few guys this might be what you want to do until it grows then you can go into the more official club setting....
Good luck and let us know how it turns out for you!!!

Thanks for all of the great advice. I will print it out and keep it on hand. It's going to be a great help.

This may be a silly question, but, did you check the IPMS/USA webpage to see if there is a chapter in your area?
http://www.ipmsusa.org/index.htm
Just a thought........

Yes and their is in seattle but it's a big hassel to get there from where I live.

Hey AJL & dioman ... GREAT ADVICE ! Makes me think of starting up something myself.
Good luck with starting your club azizmaz. I hope it work's out for you !


- ralph

According to your profile, you're in New Haven. Before going to all that work, you have 3 IPMS affiliates in your general area.
CT, Connecticut
IPMS/Connecticut Marine Model Society 2nd Friday of the month, 8:00pm, University of New Haven David Dinan
203-378-2259
CT, Fairfield
IPMS/Connecticut Yankee 1st Monday of the month, 7:00pm, 15 Barnstable Lane, Stamford Doug Hamilton ([email protected])
203-323-6442
CT, Stratford
IPMS/Stratford*Sikorsky Chapter 3rd Saturday of the month, 7:00pm, Bridgeport/Sikorsky Airport Terminal Building Gil Hernandez
At least two of these are well established groups with a long history. My group is a little over an hour up 91 from you in the Springfield MA area.

Were you refering to me? The last time I looked out my window I was still in Bremerton, not New Haven. That would be a very long drive for me.

Nope, that was referencing a post by Screamingeagle :-)

Hi Al ......... I really appreciate your digging around for me, but since I've been a member of AMPS, I really would like to get an AMPS Chapter for the New Haven area. There is one AMPS Chapter in Naugatuck,, CT and I know a few of the guy's who belong to it, one of them is Lynn Kessler, but it's a bit far, and there club memebers are all from that area.
I'd really like to get one right around my vicinity, especially that Branford Hobbies is only 4 miles from my house, and like you all mentioned, I could post a message on the bulletin board and see what kind of response I get. One reason why I'd like to get a club going is to make some new friend's who also make military scale modeling their hobby. I think it would be pretty kool to have a friend or a few friend's ( not even to wait until a once a month club meeting ) who can come by at night and do some modeling together and talk about techniques, do a joint or group diorama, and talk about GREAT MILITARY BATTLES !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ..... OH YES !!!!!. Ya know - thing's that only us modelers can relate to & have fun with. I'm 42, but I'm still a kid a heart ! It just get's kind of monotamous when a modeler ( namely " me " ) spend's month after month without any friend's to share in this great hobby. My brother is a modeler, but he's married - and I guess I don't have to tell you about that situation ( LOL ). Don't get me wrong - ArmoramA has some good people here, but you can't build model's and have a few ice cold bottle's of BECK'S with your bud over the net ...... well ok' maybe a "cyber- Becks "
THANK AGAIN AL.

- ralph