I don't think it is all that unusual for these clubs to be clickish.... Before attending the rally, I contacted the Gateway club in St. Louis and introduced myself on their web site, and asked if it would be OK to stop by their tent and introduce myself at the rally. Didn't get the pleasure of a reply from their membership chairperson.... So, I guess it's a second club that doesn't really wish to bring in new members.....Oh well, life's too short to fret about the small things....