AN Community > AN Community
ANA Dues Up From Last Year.
MDemisay:
May I interject something here?
If it were not for the wealth of understanding that we all get from just the camarderie of discussing things. we all would be out there on our own stressing about this particular treatment or that. This site has saved me immeasurable amounts of time ( time I lost researching for 6 months on the first go round in 2004) and has saved my family( in 2012) from being pulled apart by my individual stress so I, for one don't see why a $5.00 increase is so incredibly hard to bear? The value has proven itself to be there time and time again!!
This proves that as a group we stand strong together waving a mighty AN Flag then apart, alone and isolated waving our arms to get attention from Big Medical Complexes and being overwhelmed (and drowning) at how much information at how much information there is to process.
Keep on going ANA you have fans galore!
Mike
Jim Scott:
--- Quote from: arizonajack on July 08, 2013, 07:19:02 pm ---$45 this year.
$40 last year.
A little annoying.
I just hope it isn't a trend.
--- End quote ---
Jack ~
No one likes to see prices rise but I don't recall the ANA dues being raised for a few years. However, costs inevitably rise, necessitating a small increase. ANA membership is voluntary but put in perspective, $45. per year is just under 87ยข per week for the information available, including the Discussion Forums. I find that a reasonable cost and, unlike gas prices, not annoying at all.
Jim
arizonajack:
All those responses would be OK if it were just ANA that had an increase. But everywhere I turn, costs are going up and every increase is "justified" by the people making the increase and accepted by people who don't think an $X increase is a lot of money for a "worthy" cause.
Well, it's a 12.5% increase, folks. How would you feel if all the "important" things in your lives cost 12.5% more than it did last year? Are any of you making 12.5% more money than you made last year? I'm not.
Even ANA is subject to the basic laws of economics. When prices go up, demand comes down.
Jim Scott:
--- Quote from: arizonajack on July 10, 2013, 11:07:33 am ---All those responses would be OK if it were just ANA that had an increase. But everywhere I turn, costs are going up and every increase is "justified" by the people making the increase and accepted by people who don't think an $X increase is a lot of money for a "worthy" cause.
Well, it's a 12.5% increase, folks. How would you feel if all the "important" things in your lives cost 12.5% more than it did last year? Are any of you making 12.5% more money than you made last year? I'm not.
Even ANA is subject to the basic laws of economics. When prices go up, demand comes down.
--- End quote ---
Jack ~
Your frustration with the constantly rising cost of living is understandable and shared by most everyone, including me.
However, I don't view ANA membership as comparable to a retail business and subject to the economic principles of supply and demand. ANA membership is, by it's nature, relatively exclusive and clearly focused on the issue of acoustic neuroma and nothing else. There is no reason to join the ANA if you or someone close to you doesn't have or had an acoustic neuroma.
The ANA was founded by an AN patient (Virginia Fickel Ehr) 32 years ago, now has approximately 5,000 members and is administered by mostly volunteers, including M.D. advisers, a board of directors and a small staff located in an Atlanta, Georgia suburb. The ANA website that hosts these eminently valuable discussion forums costs the ANA money to maintain but even the moderators are volunteers and we're all dues-paying ANA members.
Simply multiplying the annual dues by the membership numbers gives you a good idea of what the ANA budget is, aside from gifts and donations they receive every year. I don't find it at all extravagant considering what the organization offers it's members and I do not believe the dues increase is excessive, but that is simply my opinion.
Granted, prices rise in many areas; my wife complains about food prices, I complain about gas prices and we all complain about rising taxes. Ultimately, it comes down to setting priorities and making choices as to how and where we spend our money. I would assume that folks who have a computer and internet access can afford the $45. ANA dues but if that $45. per year is a financial burden and anyone feels the money is better spent elsewhere, ANA membership remains voluntary.
Jim
alabamajane:
Amen Jim, as usual he has a balanced , informative reply,, it's quite obvious why he is moderator ,, and a very astute one at that,,
As to the thread, the dues/ membership is totally voluntary. comparing the dues increase of this organization to food, gas, utilities is like apples to oranges ,,,, you need a certain amount of those items,, ANA memb. is something we all CHOOSE to pay for after diagnosis due to the invaluable info and support we receive,, you don't have to pay it,, totally your decision .
As for me, I did not even realize there was an increase as I have included additional monies for a donation every year,,, I have received FAR more info and support than what I have CHOSEN to contribute. Great website, forum, support groups and organization for my money!
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