One bad apple is all it takes

[lachesis]

I am active in an organization that supports military and their families. Our meeting place hosted a children's Christmas party last Saturday. We have a Men's subset and a Women's subset of the meeting place. The Men were the sponsors of the Christmas party ultimately, but a couple of the Women decided that they would volunteer to shop for Christmas presents for the children of the members and their families of the meeting place. At our monthly meeting, we voted that the Women would be responsible for paying for the toys, the Men would supply the food.

There was a sign up sheet for the names, gender, and ages of children up to age nine on the board for at least a month prior to the event. When it came time for the Women volunteers to shop for the gifts, they spent at least $450 on toys for all the kids signed up. Later that day, there was a wrapping party and one of the regulars, who comes in pretty much every day, blasted one of the volunteers for not shopping for his five grandchildren.

She asked him if they were on the list and he said yes. She checked the list and of course none of them were on there. He backpedaled and said he told the bartender. Well, the bartender doesn't maintain the list. It was on the board for a month and the guy comes in EVERY DAY.

Which brings us to this month's meeting: The President was one of the volunteers that day and witnessed poor C getting an earful from the regular. We don't need that crap. Due to that man, the Women have decided we will not offer to help with the Christmas party next year and the Men can fend for themselves.

Too bad; So sad. ALL of the kids for next year are losing out because of one jerk. Happy Holidays!

[LillFilly]

Why can't HE shop for his five grandchildren!? Are members of this organization allowed to add their own kids to the list? That just sounds wrong.

[Pixilated]

And why does he assume it's the bartender's job to pass along his messages?

Oh wait ... forgot where I was for a moment ...

[lachesis]

That was the point of the list on the board, so the members could add their children/grandchildren to the list. We had Santa and Mrs Claus come in to give out the gifts appropriate for the kids' age and gender. Like I said, the guy is there literally every day. All he had to do was put pen to paper and add them himself.

On another note, the Women are trying to collect annual dues from each member. They have from September until the end of the year to pay for 2013. To date of the party, there were only two members left to pay for their dues otherwise they'd be put on the inactive members list. Those two women (mother and daughter) only show up to events when it benefits them. Raffles for big-ticket items? They're there. Fundraising for our adopted unit that just went overseas? Nada. These women had six children signed up all together. The daughter's four kids and two kids who I think were their cousins.

Let's just say although we need the numbers for our membership, I'd rather let those two go by the wayside and recruit people who actually care for the organization instead.