We Want Your Ideas About Patch project

[tanglefoot]

I like SR’s idea,
Two final patches if possible

One for the final northen route cps and then the same
For the southern route and finish both in Nome,
It would be a fitting end to a great project and not leave any cp’s out for those of us who have complete or near complete collections.

I used to have mine displayed in the shop before we closed this year.

I am guessing the forum is suffering to other more modern types of social media like facebook and some
Of our beloved buds have either less time in their lives or have moved on down the trail or left it completely and some are sadly ‘on the trail’ as we mushers say. Gone but not forgotten.

[libby the lab]

I will go with the flow. I do buy a patch every year and would like it if we at least do a final patch.

[sugarriver]

Just to clarify:
My idea is to incorporate both northern and southern routes ending with Kaltag in this year's patch, with the shape of the loop delineated - or even using it as the shape of the patch. That would allow us to start next year's final patch in Unalakleet, which was our official start anyway. That way we could honor John and the BSSD kids for the start of our forum. I think we have to honor this very important history in our final push to Nome. Hope this clears up any confusion of my idea.

[txbennett]

How exciting!! This is the most interest we have had in our patches for a few years now!

Several "ideas" which can be fleshed out into designs for us to consider, by someone with graphic talent. Perhaps we can have a go at designing and selecting for both the 2020 race and for the 2021 "final" push into Nome

You go Buds!

[life (jplife)]

i have enjoyed the patches in the past, i think i have missed one.One last one sounds good to me.what ever works out.still enjoy coming in this forum from time to time.Have a great week all.

[MelanieGouldFanBrian]

Txbennett wrote: I suggest let's ask sc-race-fan to please design us one more patch, produce it and offer it to our buds as our final patch -- honoring Nome. The Moderators can offer comments on the design and then approve it without going through a cumbersome approval and selection process with few participants.

In my honest opinion Tx, if the patch concept has come down to leaving forum members completely out of the equation, I would rather see it chloroformed entirely! The whole idea behind the patch was member participation in every aspect from design to sales. To have just one person design and only mods make the decisions, and then serving it without options to members for purchase, is not really how the patch was envisioned when started. The last patches especially should have member input at all junctures.

One can mention disinterest and lack of member participation, but in the first few years of the project the mods regularly sent a mass mail message out early to all forum members asking them to start thinking about and submitting ideas and designs for the next patch with a deadline. There was plenty of time and many designs and ideas were provided after that, and even people who couldn't draw had their good ideas drawn by somebody with artistic talent and submitted that way. But I know that over the last several years, I myself have never received such a mass mail message, and I can only assume others did not either. Not sure why the solicitation of ideas that way stopped. To keep interest one has to pique interest.
I know there was opened in the mod lounge several years ago, an area where unused ideas and non winning drawings were put and could continually be put every year, so that, with a little tweaking perhaps, one or another could be utilized and entered in voting for future patches in times of idea drought, or when only one idea was submitted. I don't know if that still exists or not, but I don't recall one of the old designs ever being brought up for design tweaking or a vote.

sugarriver wrote:
I’d like to see everyone get a chance at submitting designs and or ideas given this as a starting point. Maybe we would get three or four sketches to vote on.

I agree wholeheartedly Sugar. Mail everyone informing them of the last 2 patches and really solicit them to submit ideas and designs. I would hope for a good response and hopefully some good ideas.

[emwcee]

As I recall, part of the motivation for doing the patch was to raise money for BSSD, who was sponsoring our forum at the time. Since they are no longer sponsoring the forum, what are we doing with the profits now? I know in the early years I really liked supporting BSSD because of all they had done for us, but things have changed now, and I'm not as motivated to buy the patches.

[klmobile]

I like the SR concept too.
But would like to see Nome get it's own patch, it the shape of the arch of course
And maybe one for the north south rote and then Unk to White Mnt.
No matter what is decided, this group has made it a pleasure to follow and share the Iditarod every year!

[libby the lab]

I think the only person spending their own money was Candy who took patches instead of reimbursement. I think she knows we are more than willing to pay her instead.
We have tried asking the winner what kennel they would like us to donate too and I believe we have not gotten a response in the past. I would like to see that done again the next two years if we do to mate patches then choose where to donate the balance.

[txbennett]

MGFB -- every year (including this year) we have tried really really hard to get active participation (including mass mailings) on patch ideas, design and production but ended up with the same two to six people doing the same tasks year after year with only a few (a dozen or so) folks "voting" on the choices offered. Our members have not responded as we used to.

The facts are that our "members" tend to not participate in our forum as we used to -- month after month year around. So we ended up with the patch project being handled by the same people (usually mods and a few "old reliables") keeping the patch project alive. This year, we are seeing fantastic participation with 233 "views" and multiple "comments" from 17 different members on this topic in just ten days -- as we started to question whether anyone really cared. It's great!!! We do care, at least 17 of us care!!!

We need active participation for the Iditabuds.com/forum to survive. We are no longer a "sole source" for information. Social media with public and private forums, multiple races, multiple kennels, fantasy mushing and web availability abound -- and compete for our attention. In the old days all we had was Cabela's forum on Iditarod.com followed by BSSD -- so we built a forum to provide a place where we could communicate with (and get to know) each other. Now we can, and do, get our sled-dog-race fixes 24/7, in a wide variety of social media outlets.

Can we build upon this activity? I hope so, but I fear not. After we settle the questions about the patch perhaps someone can introduce a forum topic on whether and how the iditcbuds.com/forum can continue to serve the needs of sled dog race fans, and send out a mass mailing soliciting participation on that topic. To build upon we are still a go-to forum for our members during the Iditarod and the Quest races.

TXbennett (30)