G’day all,
I’m in a helluva hurry to get going...to
finally see my kids in Brissy. So I can’t contribute as much as I would like to....just yet. I may get some flashes of inspiration during my long drive....but for now...
Has there ever been a concerted drive/promotion for ABPA membership? I’m not aware of any major ones. So I think that the following that we do have here today, is really quite remarkable, given that it is largely the result of the relatively small mob that we are, generating same, from simply sharing & being involved. I wonder at the potential for better results if a concerted promotional programme was undertaken.
I have a Corporate background & would be happy to contribute to such a drive....when I’ve had time to recover from my recent tragedies, & have my life running a little more smoothly. Our target audience (at present) is largely the greying population. Can the ABPA afford advertisements in publications that are ‘grey’ specific? eg ‘The Seniors Magazine’ & the ‘Motor Home Assocn’ etc. Perhaps they, like Neil, would welcome contributions from us, not only of poetry but of entertaining yarns/experiences & certainly blurb on festival experiences etc? We have some wonderful humorists in our ranks & it seems to me that some of their shenanigans would be well received by such publications. Back this up with a dedicated push into radio etc. Bob Pacey is a stand-out
individual example of successfully doing this, + tropical Marty,...with the northern ABC comp etc etc. Perhaps such a drive needs to be formulated & instigated? We all do our own little ‘local’ promoting. Can we pull this together for a combined assault rather than let all of this good work remain scattered?
Non-poets seem fascinated with versifiers, & even the yuppy TV presenters who have
occasionally featured a short poetic spot seem chuffed by them.
As for the site: I echo Heather’s sentiments & can only add that during the horrific year of nursing croc, I think I’d have gone completely
nutso if I had not had the access to & camaraderie that our website supplied. To me, it almost qualifies as a valid Aged Community Support service.....which are usually funded by Government.
Hopefully I can pick this up in a few weeks with a view to helping expand our wider profile. (and remember Neil’s observation that we’ve achieved all that we have, via volunteers. The wisest thing for any one of them to do is to cry ‘help’ when it is needed.)
I gotta flyyy!...or I’ll be driving in the dark.
Lotsalove & good luck!
Glenny
