BCBA Registration is now paperless and available only online.

Summary:

• New Membership System saves volunteer hours for our board members.
• Membership Registration is now PAPER-FREE: Everything is done online. No paper forms, no lost mail, no checks, and no cash.
• Everyone who joined/renewed in 2021 already has an online account: If you joined or renewed in 2021 before our online system was available, we have set-up your account for you.
• Membership periods: The new system gives you a full 12-month membership, regardless of when you initially joined. For example, join in August, renew the next August. (System keeps track and will notify you for renewal.)

Details:

NEW MEMBERSHIP SYSTEM:

In October 2021, BCBA computerized our entire membership-joining process and added an online member directory accessible by members only. The new system makes becoming and staying a member far easier. Instead of having to wait until one of our monthly meetings, or printing a membership form and mailing it and payment to the P.O. Box to wait until the mail is checked, or coordinate with a board member to meet up to deliver membership form and payment, and then the board member making a trip to the bank to deposit payment. This new system does all of this for you and us. No more lost mail, lost checks, typos in members' email addresses so we can be sure to keep you in the loop of what's going on. This new membership directory will be updated daily, and if any of the information changes you can log into the website and update it immediately.

MEMBERSHIP REGISTRATION IS NOW PAPER-FREE:

Every registration transaction is done online with a credit/debit card (Visa, Mastercard, American Express, Discover, Diner's Card). This has several advantages to members: 1) You'll get an instant receipt via email, so you'll know you are good to go; 2) When you renew your membership, you don't have to re-submit all your contact info since it is already in the password-protected online directory; 3) Our online payment system is much more secure than paying by check or cash. We now use the same credit card processing company as Target, Under Armor, Facebook, Lyft, Unicef, Habitat for Humanity, Warby Parker, and more. It has built-in fraud detection and uses powerful encryption protection. Even though your transactions are conveniently accessed from our own website, the BCBA doesn't 'see' or store your credit card information.

EVERYONE WHO JOINED/RENEWED IN 2021 HAS AN ONLINE ACCOUNT:

If you haven't already, you can go to our website bentoncountybeekeepers.com and create a password (click login and then click that you forgot your password. Then enter the email you used to join BCBA and click 'Get New Password'. You'll receive an email that guides you through the next steps.) When you login, you'll be able to access the members-only sections of the website, including the member directory. You can search the directory to find other beekeepers in your area, look up other member's emails, etc, or just scroll through the directory to 'meet' your BCBA community. You can check your profile info and add details like how many hives you have or how long you have been keeping honey bees. On your profile page, if you checkmark the box "I have honey to sell right now" your info will appear on our website's "Local Honey for Sale" page. Be sure to uncheck it when you are not actively selling honey. We are trying to add new content all the time to the website to help beekeepers. If you would like to research a topic and write up your findings, contact ......

12-MONTH MEMBERSHIP PERIODS:

Previously, we offered memberships based on the calendar year, running from January 1st to December 31st. So the later in the year you joined the less you got for your dues. Now you get a full year regardless of what time of year you join. For example, if you joined on July 12th, you won't need to renew your membership until the next July 12th. You will get timely email reminders when it's time to renew. If you renew early, your membership is extended a year from when it would have expired - so if in the above example you renew when you get a reminder email in June, 12 months would be tacked on to the end of your current membership extending it to the next July 12th.