This Is Your Club. Your Voice Matters.

I want to take a few minutes and speak directly to you, the members of Oakland County Sportsmen’s Club. For too long, some of you may have felt like your voice didn’t matter. Maybe you had an idea, raised a concern, or just wondered why certain decisions were made and felt like nobody was really
listening. I want you to know that we are listening. You are not voiceless. OCSC doesn’t belong to a handful of officers, Club leaders, or longtime members.
This is your Club. It belongs to every member who pays their dues, takes part in our activities, volunteers their time, and wants to see OCSC succeed.

We need to remember that as we move forward.

The current Club leadership is committed to doing things better. That means being more responsible, being more open with our members, communicating better, and making decisions based on what is best for the long-term future of OCSC.

The truth is, the Club hasn’t always been managed or operated as well as it should have been. Communication hasn’t always been what our members deserved, and I know some members have felt disconnected from what was happening with their own Club. We can’t change the past. But we can learn from it and do better moving forward. And that work has already started.

I also want to be clear about something. Club leadership can’t build the future of OCSC by itself. If you want your voice to matter, we need you to use it. Even more importantly, we need you to get involved.

You don’t have to run for office to make a difference. Volunteer at a match. Help with a sub-club activity. Come to a meeting. Help with a Club project. Maybe you have professional experience or a skill that could help us. Talk to one of us. Ask a question. Bring us an idea. Sometimes just giving a few hours of your time can make a big difference.

For those of you who want to have an even bigger part in shaping the future of OCSC, think about taking on a leadership position within the Club. We need members who care about OCSC. We need new ideas. We need people who are willing to ask questions, listen to other opinions, work with others,
and help make good decisions for the future of the Club. You don’t need to know everything about how the Club works. You need to care. You need to be willing to learn. And you need to want to leave OCSC better than you found it.

The goal isn’t to keep looking back at the past. The goal is to learn from it.
We have a real opportunity to build a Club where members get involved, people work together, and we take pride in what we have. A Club where members know their voices matter and where Club leadership understands that we have a responsibility to listen. But having a voice also means being willing to participate.

OCSC has an incredible history. Members before us gave their time, their skills, and a lot of hard work to build the Club we enjoy today. Now it’s our turn. The future of OCSC won’t be decided by one President, one Vice President, or a small group of Club leaders.
It will be decided by all of us. So, I’m asking you to get involved. Volunteer. Participate. Ask questions. Bring us your ideas. And if you’re ready, step forward and lead.

This is your Club. Your voice matters. And we are listening.
Looking toward a very bright future here at OCSC.

Mike Stailey
1st Vice President
Oakland County Sportsmen’s Club