Our first-ever membership drive is well underway, thanks to the organizing efforts of Membership Committee Chair Carol Marple and the generous publicity support of nearly every manufacturer and major vendor in the hobby.  People who join the NAR between January 1 and July 31, 2010 will be receiving free rocket kits from Semroc and Quest and a free hat from Aerotech -- $30 in great free products -- in addition to the outstanding services and publications that are a normal part of NAR membership.  Members who recruit new members will receive a $5 cash bonus for each at the end of the drive.  Please reach out and recruit, so we can make it to our goal of 5200 members by NARAM-52.  A bigger NAR can deliver more and better services to all of us.  

 

We are continuing our efforts to implement and adapt to the new management information system at NAR Headquarters.  There were definitely some rough spots in the first few weeks, as there always are in a software transition.  It turned out to be harder than anticipated to print membership cards, so there were some unusual delays and omissions during the first two months, which we think are now corrected.  Please contact Marie Stumpe at NAR HQ if you still have a membership card issue.  One item is still unresolved pending a custom software change: it is not currently possible for a member to purchase a new or renewal membership for another person online.  You have to do this by sending in a paper application form for that person. 

 

The brand-new 2010-2011 edition of the 60-page NAR Member Guidebook has been produced by volunteer editor Mario Perdue and delivered by the printer.  Mario did a great job, and I'm sure that you will enjoy your copy of this great NAR membership benefit.  These will be sent to every NAR member when they join or renew.  We mail them out in bulk every 6 weeks, so it may be up to two months after joining or renewing when your copy arrives.  It is filled with updated or new articles and a whole set of new discount coupons.

 

The US Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (BATFE) has now published their annual "Explosives List" for 2010 which officially removes our ammonium perchlorate composite propellant (APCP) from the list of materials subject to their regulation.  This was the final official step in implementing the victory that we won in federal court against their unnecessary and unjustified regulation of our hobby.  We are still awaiting a court decision on our motion for recovery from BATFE of some of the enormous amount of your money that we had to spend to defeat their regulatory actions.