I recently attended the 46th Annual Conference of the Rocky Mountain Outdoor Writers and Photographers (RMOWP) Club. Although I’ve been a member of the club for almost a decade, I had never actually been to one of their conferences. But this year, the conference was being held in Estes Park, Colorado adjacent to Rocky Mountain National Park, one of my favorite national parks, so I had an additional incentive to go.
Having never been to the conference, I really had no idea what to expect. Would there be a lot of people or just a small intimate gathering? Old? Young? A mix of ages? Would everyone be a professional photographer or writer and way out of my league? How would I interject myself into a group I had never met? Although we have a common interest in photography, it is just a hobby for me and not something I feel comfortable discussing in-depth with a bunch of experienced photographers.
I will admit, I approached the door with a bit of trepidation. I entered the meeting room and rounded the corner. There, I was met by approximately 10 people gathered around the registration table, which also served as the bar. They turned as I approached and in unison shouted, “Harry!” It was something right out of Cheers! They even offered me a beer. After recovering from the initial surprise and a quick glance around the room, it became evident that of course they would recognize me. The 40 or so people in that room had been getting together once a year for many of the last 45 years. It appeared I was the first new addition they had welcomed in quite a while.
The thing that struck me, and what I wanted to share with all of you, was how immediately at ease I felt thanks to how all those strangers welcomed me. They approached me and introduced themselves and invited me to sit at their table. It was as much family reunion as it was conference. Throughout the entire meeting, someone new would come up and introduce themselves and strike up a conversation. They knew I was from North Carolina and they wanted to know about the recent hurricane we had just been through. How did I like Colorado? Was the altitude a problem? Interestingly, they asked very little about my photography experience. I began to realize that photography and writing were just the reasons they came together, not the reason they liked being together.
While photography was a common thread throughout the discussions among the attendees, their real interest was in what was going on while they were taking pictures. In the 3 days I was there, I never once heard anyone mention aperture or shutter speed. What I heard a lot about was how much someone enjoyed their trip to Alaska, or their experiences guiding trips to Africa, or fly-fishing in Colorado.
I kept thinking, “I hope this is how a new member in AASV feels.” I know that for those of us who have been AASV members for many of our association’s 50 years, our annual meeting is as much family gathering as it is scientific conference. But it has been a long time since I was a new member. This past week reminded me how important it is to reach out to our new members and make them feel comfortable and that they belong regardless of their experience.
We can all learn and grow from everyone’s experiences and what we each bring to the gathering enriches us all. It is incumbent on us “old-timers” to make the effort to reach out to our new members rather than waiting on them to come to us. So, when you get a chance, introduce yourself to someone new. Invite them to sit at your table. Take the opportunity to learn from them and be willing to answer their questions and offer your expertise.
The RMOWP is a small club with approximately 130 members and one paid staff person. They publish a newsletter six times a year and I always look forward to seeing the photos and reading the articles. In addition, they plan the annual conference, administer a scholarship, maintain access to various resources, support a website, and conduct photo and writing contests. All of this is thanks to the hard work of a dedicated group of volunteers.
This reminded me of the importance of any organization’s volunteers including those in AASV. Without the free use of your time and expertise, we would not be able to provide our membership with the resources and representation we currently enjoy. Thanks to all of you that give of your time, money, and expertise to make AASV the great association it is! If you haven’t taken the opportunity to get more involved with the AASV, that’s ok. We are happy to have you as a member and we hope you find value in the resources and opportunities your membership brings. I promise you, however, there is a whole other level of reward to be gained once you partake in the opportunities to contribute your experiences and knowledge to the benefit of everyone in the family.
Harry Snelson, DVM
Executive Director