This topic is for you to ask for what you would like us, your Governing Committee, to discuss and help you with. How can we make the AHA better. Put it down here.
Thanks Fred
I want off campus lunches for seniors and new soda machines in the quad.
I was actually thinking of the old-school soda machines, the ones with the bottles, but re-purposed like a true homebrewer would 
Seriously, What would make it easier for you to stay in touch with what’s happening, your brewing, your club, etc.
NRA style bulletins. You get the latest news, links to the full stories, and then they pimp their products at the bottom. 
If it was no more than one a week, it would be a good feature to add. Also good to force more traffic to the website.
Micro brewery Co-Ops
IE
Russian River beers etc on the East Coast
Whatever you West Coast guys want from us over there
The Microbreweries could work together on this.
Truck heads West with beer on it
Truck heads East with beer on it
Etc, etc, etc
I do admit, I like the Polo shirt idea
This would be great, but I’m not sure what it has to do with the AHA.
You dont?
We’re all under the same blanket arent we?
Where the AHA / BA gets involved with that is in campaigns such as raising the limits. The breweries that can distribute can do so wherever they choose. Legal restrictions, point them out, spearhead a campaign, and the BA/AHA will help.
How about the concept of “ranking homebrewers”.
Sort of on the order of beer judges but different in the sense that the homebrewer is the creator.
Food for thought.
correction…Beer for thought.
User friendly stuff…on the bb
Like one click to show all of my posts.
Like in the for sale and wanted zones, I have difficulty erasing my posts…
so I have been changing the heading to read…disregard or void or such when the
post really needs to be deleted.
Its the middle man that makes it too expensive
With a Co-op they can all share expenses
I guess the first thing on the agenda is planning for the 2011 NHC. With 2 regions maxing out this year some changes are in order. I’m sure the topic is already being discussed and I’m confident the Governing Committee will address it appropriately. Another topic already on the table is shipping competition entries. Your efforts on this front are greatly appreciated!
Man, you’re easy to please! Both of those topics are high on our list.
I knew they were Denny but they’re pretty big issues IMO. Once they’re checked off we can get down to other business. My 2 cents anyway… Regardless the AHA is headed in the right direction & the support is growing.
I totally agree that they’re big issues and I’m glad to know we’re working on things that are important to homebrewers.
How about sending us free malt?
I really appreciate Fred posting this question. Having been on the AHA GC for several years, I have watched (and participated) as it moved from dithering over the By Laws and conventions to actively providing consultation, feedback and input to the AHA staff. It was a wake up call for me when I realized that the AHA was essentially 3.5 dedicated heads - Gary Glass, Janis Gross, Kate Porter and half of Jill Redding (she also publishes the BA’s magazine - The New Brewer). BTW, the By Laws are actually a valuable touchstone for me, so the effort was not wasted, just not the most efficient use of our time.
When I realized this, it became clear that the input the GC brought to the AHA, along with the avenue members can take by speaking with their AHA GC, provides value and a reality check to the organization.
As a former economist, the world is all about the decisions we make with limited resources to accomplish our goals, whatever those may be. To work toward legalizing all 50 states, making it easier/legal to ship homebrew, or build a better website are just three examples of major initiatives that the AHA GC continues to bang the drum for. The Website is in a much better place, but how to get shipping homebrew recognized as a legal endeavor has been an on-going challenge.
Should the AHA spend its members scarce resources on a legal team that can possibly move this forward faster? Or should it facilitate a more grass roots effort? Or something in between? It is in these sort of discussions that I feel we add the most value. One members #1 priority may not be on another members radar. Anyway, I am rambling. As Fred has asked - what can we do for you now?
Working toward legalization in all 50 states, working to include the Territories in brewing competitions, and reviewing/adjusting the NHC guidelines would be three good areas to work in. I have no interest in competing, but from reading the Forum it appears that the competition is having some inevitable growing pains–the byproduct of laudable success.
In terms of what the AHA itself has been doing, I appreciate the improvements to the website and the more visible advocacy for homebrewing legalization. For a very small national association, it does a remarkable job. I manage an organization run by 4 people so I appreciate how much bang for the buck the AHA staff are delivering.
I winced a little at the word “dithering” because yesterday morning I got up at 5 and read the BA bylaws very carefully in an effort to understand the relationship of AHA to the BA. Bylaws do matter in the NPO world–I’m on a bylaws committee right now for another organization, and the committee was formed because the bylaws were standing in the way of that organization’s growth. But I agree bylaws can’t be the be-all end-all. I once made a similar decision on another committee–forget updating the manual, let’s do some direct action–and it was the right call.