Well this if my first post here. I have been reading the forums for a few months now as I have recently bought a new Wrangler and do look forward to hitting the trails at some point (once the honeymoon is over with it and my wife says its Ok...). I figure this is as good a thread as any to pipe up in.
Anyway, it feels like this topic has gone from a simple discussion on promoting wheeling through recognition to a debate on whether membership is worth it or not. Here are my 2 cents.
I have always felt that memberships are important as they do weed out the leeches and keep people that are generally committed to participating with a group, and there should always be perks for being a member, no matter how simple it may be.
As for the photo's, I think the idea is great and I do think that the "official" Jeep of the month should be limited to Members jeep's only(perk of membership?). That being said, I don't like the idea of them being tucked away in some members only area. A large part of the reason that I am now interested in wheeling is because of this site and being able to see what people are doing with their rigs and the fun you all have with them. It constantly keeps the wheels turning in my head on what I would like to do to/with my jeep. This is a great way to promote the club and get people excited to join, and the reality of it is, that if this "hobby" as someone put it, is going to last in the future then you are going to need new members to help get out and spread the word on responsible wheeling.
So I guess what I am trying to get at is, keep your membership criteria strict to keep out the leeches that can tarnish the name, but find ways to show how much fun wheeling can be so you can attract the next generation of wheelers.
That is my little rant. Great forums, I look forward to meeting a lot of you in the future as I get myself more involved in this world. When I feel I can commit the time that membership needs/deserves I will be putting my name down for your consideration.