Jim Miller addressed the issue of recognition rings for people to represent different award categories or to denote positions within our organization in the latest USMS executive meeting minutes (located Here).
While I applaud the openess of our managment, I still have to ask the question:
Why do we need rings in the first place? The pro's are we are giving somthing nice to those people who have served USMS well or otherwise extra-ordinary service.
The con's are much more numerous:
1) Why spend the money to do this when we can certainly find other uses for it?
2) If people are that critical to the organization, then they should already know how integral they are.
3) Any time an item is given to denote someones position in an organization, a level of elitism inevidably creeps in. While it is tempting to do this simple gesture because people volunteer and should feel recognized - Isn't it more that we feel good because we participate and promote an activity important in our lives?
Pretty easy to see where I fall on this issue, but I am interested in knowing what other peoples view points on "rings of recognition." As a sport why do we need this symbolic gesture?
If anything, we should give them to people who donate money to the endowment fund...
Chris B.
Maybe I’m missing something, but I don’t see a direct correlation between “Elitism” and recognition.
What I see in Masters swimming is that the opposite is usually true. Without exception, those in Masters who have been recognized for service, both the Ransom J. Arthur Award recipients and the Dorothy Donnelly USMS Service Award recipients, have been and continue to be some the most altruistic people I have the honor to know.
I do agree with Chris, that a heart felt thank you and personal praise goes a long way. I believe that each of us should let our coaches, meet directors, volunteers, etc. know that we appreciate their efforts and thank them for a good workout, meet, effort... However, I am also in favor of expending modest funds for a rings or other forms of recognition, as long as we are not designing million dollar super bowl rings or planning to spread them around like Mardi Gras beads. Long after the verbal thanks has been forgotten, the recipients will have a constant reminder of our gratitude for their contributions.
And to Michael concern. If you do lose your pin, you may purchase a replacement. And, I hope that you will agree that the pin is not reward it is only a token reminder of you being recognized for your contribution and sacrifice to our organization. And, to digress even further – just thinking about being associated with Dorothy brings back such warm feelings and remembrances of this great lady. Her love of our sport and us have once again brought tears to my eyes. Thank you Dorothy!
Maybe I’m missing something, but I don’t see a direct correlation between “Elitism” and recognition.
What I see in Masters swimming is that the opposite is usually true. Without exception, those in Masters who have been recognized for service, both the Ransom J. Arthur Award recipients and the Dorothy Donnelly USMS Service Award recipients, have been and continue to be some the most altruistic people I have the honor to know.
I do agree with Chris, that a heart felt thank you and personal praise goes a long way. I believe that each of us should let our coaches, meet directors, volunteers, etc. know that we appreciate their efforts and thank them for a good workout, meet, effort... However, I am also in favor of expending modest funds for a rings or other forms of recognition, as long as we are not designing million dollar super bowl rings or planning to spread them around like Mardi Gras beads. Long after the verbal thanks has been forgotten, the recipients will have a constant reminder of our gratitude for their contributions.
And to Michael concern. If you do lose your pin, you may purchase a replacement. And, I hope that you will agree that the pin is not reward it is only a token reminder of you being recognized for your contribution and sacrifice to our organization. And, to digress even further – just thinking about being associated with Dorothy brings back such warm feelings and remembrances of this great lady. Her love of our sport and us have once again brought tears to my eyes. Thank you Dorothy!
