[Jacob-list] Where is the JSC?

[Betty Berlenbach]

Thanks, Cindy.  I just want to say "ditto" to the people who do similar
things in JSBA, though God knows, the tasks are spread much more broadly
than one couple, thank God.  Still, I agree that these people all give a lot
of volunteer time, while having lives, and if the registrations take a
couple of months to come back, that's life.  Where some registries hire
professional registry agencies, with paid employees whose JOB it is, paid
and all, to work 8 hours a day, five days a week, doing this stuff, and so
they are more timely, both JSC and JSBA are mostly volunteer positions, or
nominally paid by the piece type of positions, which is really NOT adequate
compensation.  I have the same problem with other organizations I'm part of.
Since we now live in an instant everything society, the idea that things can
be done over time is anathema to some people.  Even mail!  Many of my
friends will not send letters anymore, because they want an instant answer,
and don't want to wait a week.  And when they don't get an instant answer,
they send a second email saying, "Well, did you get my email?  You haven't
answered and it's been 2 days!"  as if people had time to sit down and
answer every email the hour it arrived.  When working with volunteers, the
understanding is that compassion and patience and gratitude are important
words, I think.  Thanks, Cindy, for pointing that out.
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Cindy M Telisak" <jacobsreward at juno.com>
To: <jacob-list at jacobsheep.com>
Sent: Tuesday, January 06, 2004 10:43 PM
Subject: [Jacob-list] Where is the JSC?


> Did somebody ask about even current existance of the JSC a
> > couple days ago?  The JSC must still exist as a friend said her
> > check from a couple months or so back was cashed for
> > transfer/registry of sheep sold to me (not that I have seen any
> > paperwork/communication coming my direction from that
> > organization)....  My registry apps for 26 sheep sent in October
> > have no paperwork back from the JSBA registrar yet either--
>
> Hi Jacob friends,
> I'm technically a Jacob owner, and definitely an enthusiast living in a
> suburb near Lucas, TX.  I'm not interested in stirring up controversy,
> but as an eye-witness to the JSC registration process from time to time,
> I have to make a few comments.
>
> Time passes between issues of the Journal, or between when you send in
> your papers and when you get them back.  It might seem, then, that
> nothing is happening in the interim.  I just wanted to shed a little
> light on what really goes on..  Fred and Joan Horak have over 100 of
> their own sheep running on about 20 acres, plus half a dozen horses to
> tend.  They also have grown children and a lovely grandson not far away.
> On top of these personal and family responsibilities they donate hundreds
> and hundreds of hours to the JSC, year after year.  This time is spent
> researching, writing, publishing, assembling and mailing the Journal,
> promoting the breed at sheep festivals and wool shows, and also handling
> every piece of paper in about 1600 sheep files, bringing these records
> into some kind of consistency and integrity, and preparing them for
> permanent archiving, to preserve the records vital to the task of
> conservancy.  I know what a chore this is, because I've sat at their
> buried dining table for several days on end helping out.  Another JSC
> member friend has given weeks of her time as a professional archivist to
> help get the job done.  The registration process itself is tedious and
> time consuming on Joan's end because of all the necessary checks and
> balances put in place to protect the records.  It's thankless and
> expensive work, much of which they pay for themselves.  They carry on
> because it's a job that needs to be done, and nobody else seems anxious
> to assume the job.  I'm sure over the years more valuable volunteer time
> has been given in other areas of the Conservancy by St. Jude's Farm.
>
> My request is two-fold.  1) Please think twice before making casual
> comments that denegrate the labors of love of people you know.  And 2) if
> you have concerns about your paperwork, invest in a short phone call.
> Though you may not get immediate e-mail response, the Horaks almost
> always are available to pick up the phone.  OK, three-fold: consider
> investing some volunteer hours yourself to further the cause of the Jacob
> sheep through the Conservancy and take some of the load off of those who
> are perpetually exhausted from the responsibility.  There's a lot more
> that could be done to help both sheep and breeder if more people took up
> the cause.
>
> The Horaks never toot their own horns, and I'm probably in big trouble
> with them for doing it, but I watch them devote literally their whole
> existence around these spotted little critters, and I think that's
> remarkable--and worthy of note.
>
> Blessings to all,
> Cindy Telisak
> Jacob's Reward Handspinning
> Plano, TX
>
> ________________________________________________________________
> The best thing to hit the internet in years - Juno SpeedBand!
> Surf the web up to FIVE TIMES FASTER!
> Only $14.95/ month - visit www.juno.com to sign up today!
>
> _______________________________________________
> Jacob-list mailing list, sponsored by Swallow Lane Farm & Fiberworks
> Jacob-list at jacobsheep.com
> http://www.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/jacob-list