MEMBERSHIP GAINS REFLECT DROP IN COMMUNITY SERVICE INTEREST

Boulder Creek is a typical Rockwell USA community nestled in the beautiful San Lorenzo Valley a few miles north of Santa Cruz.

On the 4th of July its people lined the streets to get a glimpse of friends and neighbors on parade–on horseback and on foot–celebrating Independence Day and much more. The flags were flying, the sky was bright and blue, there was a slight breeze, and there was excitement in the air.

But it was also a day to honor the 30 or so men and women who make up the crew of the local volunteer fire department.

For more than 60 years it has been tradition to serve up a pancake breakfast and use the occasion to thank the firefighters. This year people were lined up around the block waiting to pay $7 for a plate of hearty flapjacks.

This 4th of July, with the very recent and relatively close Summit and Bonny Doon fires, and the hot and difficult effort it took to contain them, it was especially appropriate to honor those who spent hours on the fire lines.

Boulder Creek, right in the center of a redwood forest, is a tinderbox and yet has been spared so far.

The people are proud of its fire department, again all volunteer with only the Chief being a paid employee. Members are quick to respond to all kinds of emergencies including downed trees, highway and other accidents, and of course fires.

Ty Locatelli, a third generation volunteer firefighter with a full time job with NASA-Ames Research Center, talked of the opportunity to serve and the support provided by the residents. “Citizens have a responsibility to support its fire department,” he said.

Barbara Green, 72, clad in red, white, and blue clothing from head to toe, demonstrated her gratitude both for the country and for the town’s firefighters.

In Boulder Creek there are people who are willing and able to set out and serve the wider community.

But within the society things are changing. In late Spring 2007 Stanford University conducted a special study and asked its alumni members, “How Do You Spend Your Time Now?” Take a look at the “Community” category and how the percentages change.

Pre-1970 Classes
Business/26.2%; Community/11.4%; Family 50%; Other/11.4%
1970s Classes
Business/42.1%; Community/10.1%; Family/39.1%; Other/8.7%
1980s Classes
Business/47.9%; Community/9.6%; Family/36%; Other/6.5%
1990’s Classes
Business/50%; Community/6.2%; Family/37.5%; Other/6.3%
2000s Classes
Business/59.4%; Community/3.8%; Family/30.5%; Other/6.3%

The Council and its chapters have been extending invitations to the membership, asking members to step out, volunteer, accept leadership positions, and help move the organization into an exciting, positive and successful future. But only a few members seem to want to serve the wider military community.

MOAA chapters all over California have been participating in the Give Me 10! competition and with mixed results. Some chapters have been able to recruit a half dozen new members with most signing up only one or none, not an impressive achievement. And our communities, it seems, are full of national MOAA members who choose not to participate with chapters, apparently purchasing a membership only for the magazine and other benefits.

Where are those willing to serve? Where is the volunteer fire department?

Many have concerns about national security trends and specifically what is happening to our uniformed services. Some of the big battles are being lost.

Some members have been working very hard just recently to head off a Medicare/Tricare physician reimbursement cut, pass California legislation providing for National Guard personnel higher education benefits, and in short protect apparently eroding earned entitlements.

The world is changing. The society is changing. Fewer members of the uniformed services appear willing to serve the wider military community.

The Boulder Creek volunteer fire fighters are willing to serve and even later receive grateful thanks and a pancake breakfast/ Independence Day parade from the town’s citizens.

MOAA in California can use a highly effective volunteer fire department equivalent. Opportunities to serve are everywhere. Who will step out and volunteer for what can be an interesting and profitable assignment?

Perhaps later there will be a very nice pancake breakfast or larger and more colorful event, all to express thanks for a job well done.

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