Join FATMUG!
·
Basic
Membership - $10
·
Trail
Supporter - $25 (Donors at or above this level receive Free FATMUG
T-shirt, Please provide shipping address and shirt size)
·
Trail
Star - $50
·
Trail
Superstar - $50+
FATMUG Member Registration
Joining FATMUG is quick and easy. Simply cut and paste the “Member Info” section below into an e-mail, fill in each section and send it to join@fatmug.org. Next, if you choose so, click on the donations icon and provide a donation. Done. Plain and simple.
Membership is registered on an annual basis. After your initial registration we will send you an annual renewal and ask you to inform us of any changes to your membership info. If none of your information has changed in the last year then just reply to let us know you’re still into FATMUG. Or, if you wish to cancel your membership then let us know and we’ll drop you from the rolls.
FATMUG membership is free. Always has been, always will be! However, we’ve found that operating as an effective organization takes more than just people; it takes money, too. So while we’re not requiring any donation for you to become a member, we encourage your donations. You can donate during membership registration/renewal, at a later date or you could choose to give at a variety of different events throughout the year; whenever you feel compelled. It’s all up to you.
If you’re wondering why we need your financial help or where your money will go, read the explanation below the membership information section.
Member InfoName: Contact information such as e-mail address, phone number, mailing address (only share what you’re comfortable with) : What you like to do on the trails? (Bike? Run? Hike? Etc?): On a scale of 1-5, where 1 = beginner and 5 = expert, how would you rank your skill level on each of your above listed activities? : Do you have any skills or professional training that you would be willing to offer to help FATMUG? And if yes please let us know what it is: If you would like to help with trail maintenance, do you have any specific tools that you could bring, such at a leaf blower, gas hedge trimmer, weed eater, mcleod, tamper, etc?: How did you hear about FATMUG?: What are your specific reasons for joining FATMUG?: Donation Level: |
Why Donate?
You’re probably thinking to yourself “Why would I want donate any money to FATMUG?” and I can’t blame you for wondering that. After all, FATMUG membership is free and there’s no fee to use the trails. So what are you getting for your money? Well, let me try to explain. I’ll start with the interesting stuff and then work down through the boring stuff. Hopefully you’ll be compelled to donate before you get tired of reading.
To keep the trails open!
Yep. That is the #1, absolute best reason to donate. And if you’re reading this right now then you probably agree. Now save yourself the time of reading the rest of this, go make a donation and then get out and enjoy the trails!
Still reading? Want more details? OK. Basic trail maintenance is a major time consumer. I mean, come on! The trails are in the woods after all. There’s always a tree falling down, vines growing into the trail, a creek crossing getting washed out, an off-camber section eroding, a ton of leaves burying the trail in the fall... Fixing all that stuff takes a lot of time and hard work. Each additional volunteer that we can get out on the trail helps speed-up the maintenance but a volunteer without tools isn’t much help. But give us some volunteers AND some tools… now we’re talkin’! Your donation can help us buy the basic tools and supplies that we need to keep the trails open.
To educate the trail using community
Almost every time I’m on the trails I meet someone new and it’s often their first visit to the Quarry. These folks don’t have any idea who maintains the trails or who is or isn’t allowed to use them or why they shouldn’t use them at certain times. We need to spread the word about being a responsible trail user, about who should yield to who during encounters, about when hunting may be going on nearby, about what uses are not allowed, etc. As the number of trail users increases, so does the need for education. Since we can’t be on the trails all day every day to share information by word of mouth, we rely on publications and signs. Printing and laminating signs and flyers costs money and so does constructing and maintaining informational kiosks. Your donation can help us create the publications necessary to foster understanding and respect.
We also plan to host seminars on topics such as proper trail construction and maintenance techniques. Such seminars require classroom space, educational materials and a speaker.
Your donations can help ensure that we’re all working together towards the best off-road trail experience possible.
To assure access to the current trails
We do not have any guaranteed access to the trails currently located on city property and we want to change that. Part of the process of convincing the city that legitimate trail users should be allowed to use that property is proving that we are responsible stewards of the land and that we have the resources to maintain the land without being a burden on the existing city budget. FATMUG needs your financial support so that we may present ourselves to the city as a strong ally in property maintenance.
To negotiate for more trails
The trail system at the Quarry is an amazing resource that continues to draw more visitors with each passing month. As more people show up to use the trails, the current feeling of solitude and escape will decrease while the user impacts increase. In order to preserve that cherished feeling of solitude and to also disperse user impacts, we’ll need to expand the trail mileage. We’ve identified potential new trail locations in the immediate Fredericksburg area. Convincing the landowners that we have adequate financial stability to provide long term trail construction and maintenance resources will be required to earn permission to start building. Just as described above, your financial support is needed to help us reach this goal.
To pay for administrative costs
I told you it was going to get boring. Corporate registration, liability insurance, printing & copying, registering a web site, accounting and taxes, blah, blah, blah. You get the point. There are a lot of little fees that sneak up on you when you’re just trying to get things done. We need your help in covering the basic costs of operating a volunteer organization.
If you’re still reading and want to know how you can be sure we aren’t just going to blow your cash on a keg and some burgers, we promise to be as transparent as possible with all of our spending. A budget will be available to show where money is intended to go and then actual expenditures will be documented for your review.
I hope you’ve been moved to help out an organization that is working for you so that you can continue to enjoy world-class off-road trails right here in Fredericksburg. And as always, if you can’t donate financially (and even if you can) please consider volunteering your labor.
Thanks very much and see you on the trails,
Steve
