BCOA Bulletin January-February-March 2007 - the Basenji Club of ...

FROM THE EDITOR
by Wanda Pooley
“I Can’t Help You If
You Can’t Read…”
That little shopping list brings me back to my opening
statement, “I can’t help you if you can’t read.” The reality
is that BCOA’s communication process is far from lacking.
The problem seems to be an aversion on the part of a small
This has become my new credo. It’s handful of members to reading and/or absorbing accurate
true – “I can’t help you if you can’t read.” information. Let’s face it. All of us are inundated with junk
This has nothing to do with literacy, and mail in our electronic inboxes, direct mail in our postal boxes,
much to do with the matter of simply not and telephone solicitations. It’s no wonder we have learned to
bothering to read the written word.
tune out anything that doesn’t address the “Here and Now” in
If ever there has been a time in the our lives.
history of the BCOA of easy and readily available communication, Has anyone ever examined all the means used by the BCOA
it is now. Today’s technology allows news to travel almost faster to impart information to its membership? Let’s review:
than the speed of light. Yet, a few members continue to use words • The Bulletin Board Newsletter is distributed eight times a
such as “secrecy, conspiracy, closed doors, concealment” with year. Published in these pages is every ballot voted by the
regard to BCOA Board actions.
Board; late breaking news on critical issues; and general
One point I want to drive home regarding any business Club business.
brought before the BCOA Board is this: The fi rst ballot of every • The Bulletin magazine is published quarterly. Within the
year addresses the administrative rules that lay the groundwork pages of each issue you will fi nd articles covering every
for all Board business. Moreover, these procedures are published facet of the breed, committee reports, health reports – you
at the beginning of every year. In case any of you missed Ballot name it, it’s usually there.
2007-01 as it was printed in the Bulletin Board Newsletter:
• The BCOA website is available 24/7. Because a website is
6. Matters under review or discussion by the Board and ballots more dynamic, when the need arises to “spread the word”
in circulation may be discussed among any or all Board fast, this is the spot to visit.
members, but such discussion shall not appear in public • The BCOA AnnounceList is used to send news quickly when
forum of any sort, electronic or other. Occasionally non- material is time-sensitive. The downside to this method is
Board members with pertinent information and/or experience when you change your email address and don’t notify the
may be included in discussion of a specifi c ballot.
Secretary, you don’t get the message.
For those of you who think this particular procedure shouldn’t • Want to talk to a real person? The Offi cers and Board
exist, let me just ask, “How willing would you be to bring a members’ contact information is printed in every Newsletter,
sensitive matter to the Board if you knew it would be bandied Bulletin, and membership roster. I am stunned when I
about in public?” The Board is the administrative body elected hear someone complain, “But I don’t know who the board
by the general membership to carry out the terms of the by-laws, members are.”
and the business affairs of the Club. It would be impossible to • To further share information on health, the Basenji Health
hold an open forum on every topic up for review. Chaos would Endowment website was created to post all breaking news on
ensue. BCOA’s by-laws, and the not for profi t corporation laws of health issues that concern our breed. Moreover, it contains
the State of Texas, provide that a corporation’s Board of Directors important information about the differences between the
controls all day-to-day business of the organization, with voting BCOA and the BHE. This is a critical distinction because
members having only those voting rights expressly delineated in these are two entirely separate corporations, operating under
the by-laws. This is how BCOA has operated, as a corporation, different goals and with different regulations.
since its inception.
Now, like all AKC parent clubs, BCOA is no exception when
Recently, I received an email from an anonymous source who it comes to dealing with small splinter groups who just plain don’t
declared in the fi rst sentence: “I've been a member for several years want to take the time to obtain accurate information. Besides, that’s
and yes, I'm writing anonymously mainly because I'm not going to no fun. For some folks, it’s more fun to talk among themselves,
be nice.” The writer proceeded to launch into a diatribe regarding speculate, and spread misinformation. I have heard some of these
his/her opinion “that there are tons of politics within BCOA. people cry, “Nobody told us,” but had they just bothered to read
Things aren't always open for the general membership to see.” the materials readily available to them, they’d have discovered
I should have just hit the Delete key because when someone there are no secrets, conspiracies, or politics involved. To these
has to hide behind bushes and take pot shots, it’s pretty obvious individuals I say, “I can’t help you if you can’t read.”
nothing constructive is going to develop. Nonetheless, what Or -- and here’s a risky idea if reading is too much work –
ensued was a short volley of emails in which I tried to explain
various by-laws driven processes, and in which my new pen-pal
ASK one of your elected Board members or Offi cers!
refused to consider anything from a different light. The list of CORRECTION FOR DIANE COLEMAN
complaints varied from -
• board members with personal agendas
• a conspiracy theory (a conspiracy to what end was never
AWARD – DOG LISTING
2003 should read
mentioned)
• an urgent need to “get new blood” onto the board.
“DC Jasiri-Sukari The Illustrated Man, SC”
The Basenji Club of America, Inc. BULLETIN - 4