[tact]

Hi all,

I am sure many of you have seen much more than I have in Malaysia and would
have more and better experiences and ideas to share....please do if this
idea strikes a chord in you.

When I am out and about I often notice there are lots of opportunities that
we in the 4x4 community could take up to give a little back to Malaysia and
the people of the jungles. Things that wont even take much effort on our part.

Examples...
1. Orang Asli village where someone has installed a few plastic pipes and
got a few water taps in place. Water coming from waterfall etc. But when
they wash, cook, etc.. the waste water runs thru common areas where people
walk and kids play.

a few bags of cement, a little piping... and the waste water is directed
elsewhere. Simple...easy... and a great weekend fun for those who get
involved.

2. Loggers make roads and bridges in past kampung or OA villages...then
after their quota is taken they move on. Roads and bridges then
deteriorate. In many cases just making a bridge safer and more solid
would be a simple and easy weekend task.

3. Heard that in some recent fires Bomba called around looking for
volunteers with good, well equipped 4x4's to simply transport portable
equipment and firefighters to places they could not otherwise go.... but
of course there is no easy way to contact people who just MIGHT want to
take some leave and volunteer to drive in such events....

4. even some facilities (campsites etc) established by government that
might not be getting maintenance and falling into bad state of disrepair...
with some simple and easy community action - rectified...

5. what about charity runs where collections of clothing, tools, kitchen
cookware, etc... can be delivered to OA villages from time to time?

I am wondering if maybe we could establish a register, database, whatever
of people who would not mind being called up whenever some 4x4 community
action event comes up. You wont have to give up all your time. But
imagine if we had a register of 200, 500, 1000 people. Whenever a call
goes out for a project and all are called up - surely 10-20 "volunteers"
from the total number registered would be available and willing.

Open for comments.... anyone?

[aadnana]

huge congrats for mooting the idea.

For a start, organization like LROM and other 4x4 clubs do have their
own "loosely" drawn list of members who are ready to be called up for
tasks like this. As was demonstrated in the recent tsunami related relief
effort.

I suppose you are thinking along ,setting the list up under the banner of
Autoworld 4x4 club (suggestion only)?

[GoToy]

Very good idea tact.

Autoworld banner?

[tact]

Hi aadnana,

I wont take any kudos for the idea. Am sure its been in a lot of minds. I
even thought there would likely be others already doing this and maybe I
was wasting my breath and should jsut have asked who is already doing it
and join them. ;)

Actually wasnt thinking of making it linked to Autoworld, or setting up a
club etc. And would think its best to make it so it can be independant of
any organisation or club as such.

That way it does not put ideas in people's minds like ... "i run a 'yota
and so a bit malu about fronting to a LROM charity thing."

(I know its silly - but I do think people feel like that at times. I know
even in myself I would be a little malu to even join a "land cruiser club"
event when I only have the little brother - hilux)

I guess at some point - if this really takes off.. it would be good to
have a focus point, a "home" and so on for the organisation. but keep it
low cost and non-profit etc.

[HeeroHuy]

hmmm 4X4 club.... sound interesting.....

count me in...

[mzasmat]

Well, I love the idea of doing the charity and giving back to the society.
I dont think we need a club or anything to do charity. The first task we
need to do is how are we going to contact all the 4x4 kakis out there.
Once we have the e-mail addresses or contacts of all the kakis, then the
plan can be rolled out easily. From the forum, I think there are more 100
active forumer. Why dont we form e-group. E-group can be used not just for
charity event, but can be used as a mean to get in touch with people of
the same interest. If you guys are really serious about this, I have no
problem to be moderator for the e-group, becuase I am a moderator for few
e-groups myself. Offcoure there will be no obligation to join or
participate in event. The main purpose how to contact the people and to
notify people of activities, event or maybe new trails or spots to be
explored. We have done some donation collection to help a pair of twins to
undergo eye operations few years ago. Within one month we manage to
collect almost RM5000.00 using the e-group. And we went to the twis's
house and the kampung folk do a big kenduri for us. That was something.

[GoToy]

I think some kind of organisation or front name would be a better option.
Of course I see your point, but I think most would favour a front name.

See how this thread progresses for that!

[aadnana]

hi
I see the merit to make such set-up to be the least non-administrative as
possible (like clubs, etc), but there are time when transparency become an
issue. People want to know who be responsible of what as so on.
Responsible is not in the sense of whose balls should we cut off should
anything went wrong , but more of point of focus and person in
charge.

In the beginning, we may start a an e-group as was well pointed out by
mzasmat, It is an excellent start if we can do it. we can try out a pilot
project (easy one) which involved basic coordination and logistics. Then
we can slowly progress to fit the strength of the group.

The more we do projects, the better the group in honing its skill. Then a
club may be necessary the make teduious administrative job easy.

btw, a club without activity is like having no club at all, so better
start with activity then think of a club later.

imho

[tact]

All,

My idea is for something like mzasmat has mentioned. basically a database
or register. collect together names, email addresses, phone numbers, and
maybe some info in vehicle and equipment carried...maybe also some info on
skills or training (eg. vehicle owner may be a paramedic in his 9-5 job
and has also done advanced 4x4 driving classes). Anything that may be of
value to those we would possibly serve.

Whether its an e-list... or a website hosted for the task. behind it will
be a database of some sort.

a. to report on opportunities and to organise trips to fulfil specific
needs observed in the field (fix a bridge, do some plumbing) we could even
just use the autoworld forum here....

b. to be really useful to people like bomba etc....it will eventually need
to have a "host"... someone who has an office or phone that is manned
fairly regularly (24x7 even?)and can act as the "call centre" for the
volunteers.

If it really grows then who knows...maybe in the future incorporate a
non-profit organisation.... etc.

But for now starting small... want to know who would be interested in this
- putting their name and number and maybe some other details into a
database so they are not missed out when opportunities to give back are
organised... ??

[tact]

Yes I like what aadnana says also. "a club without activity is like having
no club at all, so better start with activity then think of a club later"

Its how I see it. start small. small administrative headaches. if it
grows and gets big then sure lets incorporate some club.

call it "dreaming dreams" if you like - but I also think that
administrative headaches can be reduced if the "type a" activity (planned
and organised projects to fill a specific need, build a bridge, etc)... if
these are actually placed back on the person who sees the need to organise
the project! (with any hand-holding, guidelines, etc as needed to do it
right).

the benefits of this are:
1. more people become confident and competant to organise such things.
making leaders, not just the organisation leading....

It matches a life attitude I like and someone once said it like this, "see
a need? fill it!"

2. this idea of leaders leading others to become leaders (there is a
mouthful) is like teaching people to fish, not giving fish to people.

3. it results in less headaches for the organisation - who then basically
become a resource (manage database and so on) to those who are out there
organising their own projects.

4. it will however make for a need to train people at least in the basics
like whats expected in organising events etc. for this those with the
skills just become resources to those who are still acquiring the skills.

perhaps the organisation creates the paperwork, forms, templates....the
"member" then fills in the blanks, ticks off checklists, and fields the
calls from those who are going to be involved in his project.