In the past few years there has been an absolute explosion in the craft beer scene here in Vancouver and this has done nothing but benefit us, the consumers of craft beers. Personally, it has been very exciting to be involved in the vibrant Vancouver craft beer community, as a lover of craft beer and now I am even more excited to be in the position to be able to work together with like-minded people to push for changes and advocate for consumers’ rights so that we can get the beers we want, when and where we want them, served how we want them served, at a price that is fair.
CAMRA Vancouver has been a big part of the growth of the local craft beer community but it is my belief that now is not the time to sit back and pat each other on the backs for a job well done. It is paramount that we strike while the iron is hot! Our membership has to grow in order for our organization to take the next crucial steps towards becoming a legitimate consumer advocacy group and be taken seriously outside the craft beer community. For that matter, we need to be taken seriously inside the craft beer community. I know many of you reading this newsletter are not CAMRA members and I would like to ask the question, why not?
Since being announced as president of CAMRA Vancouver, I have heard over and over from members and non-members alike that they hope I can shake things up and turn the organization into something more than “a beer appreciation group”. Whether this is an accurate description of CAMRA Vancouver or not, it is a perception that is held by many and I believe it is the main reason why many do not support and join the organization. I used to be one of those people. Until recently, I was not a member and the primary reason for that was I did not understand what CAMRA was all about here in Vancouver other than being a group that organized the odd beer festival and beer bus tour. I saw it as a clique of beer scene insiders who looked down on those who did not hold the same opinions and views on beers.
I can remember voicing these opinions to a friend and CAMRA member one day over beers and my friend said to me, “I agree with you but if you want to change things you need to join up and become an active member”. And he was right. To effect change, you have to get involved. CAMRA is a member-driven consumer advocacy group so member participation is crucial. It is similar to the saying, “if you didn’t vote in the election, you have no right to bitch about who is in power”. If you want to see CAMRA Vancouver change, then join up and help steer the ship in the direction you want it to go. If you are already a member and want to see changes then get involved and take action.
I challenge each CAMRA Vancouver member to recruit just one new member this next month. The more active members we have, the more political clout we carry. The government, the hospitality industry and the craft beer industry will take us much more seriously if we number in the thousands and speak together in one loud, strong voice. There will a place in CAMRA for organizing beer festivals, bus trips and 10% discounts but we can and should be so much more than that. I know that we will always have “passengers” in our group, who have no desire to get involved politically and that is okay, but the more active members we have, the easier it will be to carry those passengers along.
It is your group. We, the executive, are here to guide you, the membership, the consumers, but it is you who should be the driving force behind what we do. Join us in these exciting times and be a part of the solution.
Paddy Treavor, President, CAMRA Vancouver
Contact: pres@camravancouver.ca
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