I am going to become a NMRA member and have a couple of questions. In filling out the online application, there is a pull-down menu for the region. For the Pacific Southwest Region, there is an additional charge of $12.00. Questions are, what is region subscription and is it required?
Richard,
Your NMRA subscription cover the National/Regional/Division membership. If you want the Pacific Southwest Region publications, you add the additional $12. At least this is how it works in the Thousand Lakes Region. When you pay for you NMRA membership, you are automatically a member of the region you live in.
Jim
The charge is for the Region Newsletter. If you don’t want the newsletter you do not pay that. No Region or Division is alowed to charge its membership dues. The only entity that you actually join is the National organization. As an NMRA member you can attend meetings and events at any NMRA sponsored event and only be charged what the members of that Division or Region is charged.
BTW, chances are that the Region may have a “free” online newsletter. The charge is for the mailed version usually. Welcome aboard! Have fun!
I am the superintendent of the Lakeshores Division in Western NY, Niagara Frontier Region, BTW
73
I would just add to Jim’s reply that in my personal 32 year experience with NMRA membership, I get far more out of my Region (Midwest) and Division (Wisconsin South Eastern/WISE) than I do out of any other aspect. The national magazine is quite good and much improved from years back, but the actual interaction with other modelers, the chance to attend and benefit from Regional conventions and Divisional meets, and to see what is in the Regional and Divisional publications and websites, are all far more important to me than the theoretical ability to attend a far-away National convention (although I strongly urge any and all to attend a National if one is close by and finances otherwise permit).
Amended posting: in other words I strongly advise paying regional dues and take advantage of full activity at that level, as well as Divisional.
Dave Nelson
So, just to confirm, when I pay the national subscription, I am automatically a member of the local division and can attend meetings, etc. If I pay the additional divisional subscription, the only difference is getting the division publication, correct?
Yep! You do not join a region or a division. You are assigned a Region and Division based on the address you use in your application. The subscription is for the Regional Newsletter. Divisions can charge a small fee to pay costs of individual events as needed, but can not charge dues or membership fees. If they do they can lose their charter.
Perfect. As always, thanks for helping the newbie.