David, and all interested members,
Thanks for your inquiry about the MBC and our membership fees of $40 for a single and $60 for a family membership.
The club is registered with the state of TN as a “non-profit”. The board members are all volunteers and receive no compensation for their efforts. The board members pay for their memberships as well.
We do have ongoing direct expenses that we pay annually that I will list in this response. We have made a concerted effort to reduce expenses to the club without sacrificing the basic needs of the members.
These are some of our ongoing expenses based on last years numbers. All of these expenses are expected to increase in 2026.
> Liability and Supplemental Accident Insurance $1569.00 annually >Web Site (Wild Apricot) maintenance $842.00 annually > Donations to 10 different churches that we ride from $500.00 annually > RWGPS club membership for enhanced use by members $250.00 ann. > PO Box, Domain Fees, State of TN annual filing, $275.00 annually. > Membership in the League of American Bicyclist $200.00 annually. > Event rental space ie. Barfield Park, Christmas Party venue etc, $210.00
This is not a complete list, but should give you and other members a good idea of what we spend the membership fees on.
We have 180+ members in 2025 and hope to have everyone renew their membership for 2026. We have also had quite a few new members join in the last 60 days. We value all of our current members, renewing and new members.
I hope this has addressed your concerns, and we look forward to you renewing your membership and riding with the club this year.
Sincerely,
Mark Elbaum President
