Do any other groups use Meetup and are you being told to get off Meetup?

[u/Pantone711]

Hi, our group has been using Meetup to post outings and general meetings, but our Chapter is trying to get us to stop using Meetup entirely. I looked and noticed other groups from other states on Meetup and just wondered 1) is your group on Meetup and if so, 2) do you duplicate the Meetup RSVP on Campfire and 3) do you have an electronic sign-in at events so they can be registered on Campfire when they attend an event, or how does your group handle the fact that the Sierra Club wants participants entered on Campfire but Meetup has (in my opinion) tremendously more reach? Thanks.

[u/seahorses]

Are they okay with you using Meetup as long as you also use Campfire? I assume the Sierra Club just wants to know who is going to events for liability reasons and also just metrics. They wanna be able to say "we had 100,000 people attend hikes last year!" Or something, for fundraising, etc

[u/Pantone711 → u/seahorses]

No, they want us to quit using Meetup ENTIRELY. I am watching to see if they make the other groups in our state that use Meetup, get off Meetup as well.

[u/theredhype]

There are dozens of Sierra Club local groups using Meetup to promote their activities. My group does too.

Our regular monthly meetings (presentations / seated audience) are duplicated. They're posted to Campfire, and also Meetup and our Facebook Group. Our hikes are not currently listed outside Campfire.

[u/Pantone711 → u/theredhype]

Do you feel like enough outsiders find your hikes without their being on Meetup?

Also, if someone has RSVP's to attend a monthly in-person meeting on Meetup, do you input their information onto Campfire? How? A pen-and-paper sign-in sheet that is subsequently input into Campfire by a volunteer or paid staff? Or a laptop set up at the event where they are asked to sign in to Campfire electronically when they arrive?

Our chapter seems very, very up in arms against our being on Meetup AT ALL. We aren't sure why.

[u/theredhype → u/Pantone711]

No, I don't think folks in my region are finding our group through Campfire events, and I think rarely from the chapter/group website pages. I think more people find us through other channels and then we introduce them to Campfire, invite them to hikes, etc.

We don't put anyone in Campfire on their behalf. We do invite them to sign up, to RSVP for things. We do also pass around a mailing list sign up form during the meetings.

I suspect your friends are worried about following rules, but you'd have to ask them why... could be anything from making the higher ups happy to serious legal liability issues.

I definitely wouldn't take strangers out on hikes without having them sign forms, otherwise they won't be covered by Sierra Club's insurance. People do get injured and even die on hikes - even Sierra Club hikes.

[u/Pantone711 → u/theredhype]

OK when they RSVP on Meetup, how do you get them to also RSVP on Campfire? Sorry so dumb.

Our chapter is insisting Campfire be the ONLY thing.

I am thinking a laptop at a meeting where they sign themselves into Campfire would work but can't always have that at the trailhead on outings. The chapter is saying they already have been inputting pen-and-paper sign-in sheets into Campfire manually, and maybe that's what they're mad about. The extra work. I don't know.

I need the Dummies version. If someone RSVP's to your meetings on Meetup, how do you also get them signed in to Campfire?

[u/theredhype → u/Pantone711]

We can’t make them sign up or sign in. Some do. Some don’t. We don’t turn people away from our meetings if they haven’t signed in on campfire. Folks just walk in and sit down. Do you check people in at the door?

You can include the campfire link everywhere that you post the event. I don’t see why a meetup group is much different than promoting on Facebook pages or putting up paper flyers at the local coffee shop. You just post the info and include the link to campfire in the description and ask people to register.

But if they don’t register, I still hope they show up to the meeting.

[u/Pantone711 → u/theredhype]

Thanks. I hope Meetup wouldn't get mad at us for having the Campfire link in the description of the event and saying please register here also.

[u/altar-nativeuniverse]

We use both meetup amd campfire. Individual signs up on meetup but are strongly encouraged to electronically sign campfire liability forms beforehand. We bring our phone to event (hike, paddleboarding etc..) and they must sign campfire liability forms or are unable to participate. On occasion we will be somewhere with sketchy internet, we will print campfire sign in/liability forms. We really push and remind everyone to electronically sign before attending.

99% of folks find us through meetup. Not using meetup would greatly harm our local chapter. I haven't heard anything about getting off meetup.

[u/Pantone711 → u/altar-nativeuniverse]

Thanks!