[23918] in APO-L
[APO-L] Agreements with other organizations
daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (Michael Gallagher)
Sat Sep 13 20:40:01 2003
Date: Sat, 13 Sep 2003 20:38:47 -0400
Reply-To: Michael Gallagher <famtree@UDel.Edu>
From: Michael Gallagher <famtree@UDel.Edu>
To: APO-L@LISTSERV.IUPUI.EDU
I'd like to propose an idea that I'm not sure how to implement, because I
don't know how non-profits make & ratify agreements. In one Brother's
opinion, gentleman's agreements are best for service groups, but I think
things can fall apart more easily that way.
I'll start with the premise that people join groups due to interests that
align with those of the groups. For example, my Boy Scouts of America
involvement got me into APO because I came to college thus looking for APO
at Activities Night. People can have multiple interests, but there can be
overlap. For example, values I learned through Scouting have opened the
door for me to join other groups as well, namely the Sons of the American
Revolution (SAR) & the Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War (I don't know
how much longer I will be in the latter due to not being able to find a
service record), as well as the National Society of Collegiate Scholars. I
was also in Key Club in high school.
I would like to entertain the possoibility of creating a web of connections
between organizations...
As I asked Rich Quodomine (after asking how not to compete with other
service groups): "...I even want to establish links between orgs I belong to
through commonalities. I expanded this in talking to an RA. I was reminded
of the service coalition goal of the local AmeriCorps UD group [editor's
note: they fold at the end of September]. My idea would be a
web of coalitions. The example I used for the AmeriCorps RA was the BSA.
They are large so can have big goals like the service initiative [of
something like a million service hours] a few years ago, but they also are a
youth org & have a duty to God & country aspect.
Tie it in with more than just APO in terms of service groups, tie it in with
patriotic societies (hereditary or not, ex. I used=American Legion), tie it
in with church & church youth groups [ex. of more: honor societies, etc.,
etc. etc.]. These [youth groups] also do service & add the
religious aspect (BSA has tenets but says the member's own religious leaders
have that more[space mistake in original] specific role). The American
Legion engages in community & youth work work also as well as about as much
religion as the BSA. See
where I'm going?
The only issue is issue politics getting in the way [with the patriotic
groups, for example, the proposed anti-flag-desecration amendment], but [the
same Brother as above] said coalitions need to get beyond differences to
work for common goals. What should I do? The next logical step is seek the
opinions
of some of those in example groups. The DE SAR president knew a few of my
APO chapter's founders & of APO & has a Scouting background. I have so far
asked him by email but he needs time to respond, with lots of Sons of the
American Revolution duties. Asking each national board is hard, especially
because agreements must be passed @ national meetings [which] are staggered
& things change so negotiation is hard unless we get into "rounds" like the
Uruguay
Round[space mistake] international environmental session type thing.
Help! My tact is bad but my passion high. [...] The best thing would be
talking to someone who has multiple group[space added]roles."
Thoughts? Ideas on whether this is feasible? I knw Packy will say I will
have time to do this kind of thing as an alum & that with a chapter of 6 I
should put priority on it & that if my chapter folds shortly after I
graduate (or before, which I'd vowed not to let happen) (which I don't want
to happen) no one in APO will take me seriously on a sectional level or
higher (ie I read it as trust me/allow me to do anything).
Michael Gallagher
Zeta Sigma Historian & Co-Webmaster
