"Southerners are kind on the outside and mean on the inside, Northerners are mean on the outside and kind on the inside." Comedian Caroline Rhea said that….do you think it's true? This is NOT a club in which to insult and degrade the south, but a place to feel comfortable with each other because of our common backgrounds. The members of this club who have grown up in the New York tri-state region are inborn with a sense of urgency that most southerners just don't understand. That doesn't mean we all talk fast, but it means if a light turns green and you don't move, you're getting honked at. I don't feel any regions' residents are wrong in their behavior, but northern and southern personalities are just different. For example, most Yankees have high expectations. Christmas light displays down here and places like Dollywood don't really do it for us. This doesn't mean we aren't simple folks, it just means we grew up near the greatest city in the world, a city with money, a city that goes all out and knows how to put on a show. I am forever indebted to Andrea for creating this group or most of us would never have met each other. And as she said, it's nice to share our wonderful and not-so-wonderful experiences....sometimes only a Yankee would get it.

So as you probably noticed this group is now a "Club." We all know what a club is - you pay dues, and membership has its privileges. Dues are cheap, and everyone is expected to contribute and participate. Our club is now private also. This means only members of the group can see our profile pages, where our meetups are, etc. Besides the social aspect, I want this group's priorities to be networking and support. I want to spotlight members who own their own businesses, so that our club can get perks. We all know how the "good ole boy" system works down here. Northerners are snubbed and judged and that's why we need to support each other.

A lot of us don't have family here. This club can serve as family or friends for those who need it. If you have just joined this group for something to do, you aren't looking to create lasting friendships, that's fine, but there is a basic requirement that you must attend at least ONE meetup every six months. The amount of meetups in 2012 will increase, so this should not be a problem for anyone. If you need help finding a good babysitter, I'm sure there are members who can recommend someone. Also, there will be a 3-strike policy on no-shows. In my opinion, northerners are reliable, respectful and responsible people. If you say you're going to be somewhere, then do so, otherwise change your RSVP status. You do not need to RSVP "no" if you're not going to a meetup. If you have your email notifications (meetup reminders) turned off, that is fine - I will take the responsibility to email members a day or two beforehand to confirm that they are still going. When I email members, I expect the consideration of a response. Some of you have my personal email but the one I will now be using for club matters is knoxvilleyankees@yahoo.com. I don't believe yahoo goes into the junk folder (hopefully). If a member does not respond to my emails, and doesn't show up for meetups, I will have no choice but to remove them.

Members' input is ALWAYS welcome. Feel free to suggest and host meetups, email me anytime, and post on the discussion boards. I would like to have a cookout in the summer and a holiday party in December. With Seymour now being the "headquarters" of the club, I am hoping to attract more members from Sevier and Blount Counties. I am interested in creating subdivisions within our club. For example….singles, couples, parents, dog lovers, business owners, male bonding, day trips, volunteering, sporting events, grief support, etc. You won't have to join them, there is no way to create mini-groups, the meetups will be posted along with the regular ones. If this works, other members will need to create and host these events, and therefore become part of the leadership team for this club.

I love our diversity and I believe our club can serve various purposes. If this group fails to enrich your life somehow, then I have failed as organizer.