Friday Club® is a dynamic multi-city group with the primary purpose of bringing together like-minded people in a secure, fun setting every week. Members are free to bring along anyone they like; eventually those people get absorbed into the club as well (provided they don’t creep anyone out!) Thus maintaining a strict one-degree of separation from the club at all times. Essentially Friday Club creates an environment where people can easily approach one another, knowing that anyone they meet has at least one core member vouching for them.
We are all (well mostly!) mature adults so no lecture on social etiquette but here are a few things we’d like to ensure at Friday Club®
1. Members should, at all times, feel safe in the company of other Friday Club® members.
2. There is no specific financial/social criteria for joining the club except for an annual membership fee that is payable by all new members joining the club in Mumbai (see point 9 & 10). Members are free to sign up for events their budgets allow subject to point 3 below.
3. No Friday Club® activity is compulsory, however in the event that a venue is booked requiring a minimum number in attendance, members who sign up and then cancel post the stipulated time will be asked to honor their commitment and pay the stipulated amount.
4. In the event that someone behaves in an undesirable manner on a Friday Club® night a moderator should be informed. If the person in question is a member they will be given a warning. If the complaints persist membership of the defaulting member will be terminated. In case of such termination of membership, no refund of the annual membership fee, if paid (see point 9) will be granted. (If the person is not a member (they will obviously not be allowed to join) and we suggest you deal with them in whatever manner you deem fit.
5. No refund will be given in the event that a member voluntarily leaves the club.
6. The purpose of Friday Club® is to provide a comfortable and entertaining environment where people from different backgrounds, fields (even different parts of the world!) can come together regularly and continue to meet an eclectic set of people. We will do our best to ensure that we give everyone the opportunity to enjoy a variety of different activities; it is then entirely up to the individual member to determine the level of involvement/participation that suits them best.
7. Members are welcome to enjoy the activities organized by Friday Club® in various cities in accordance with the requirements stipulated by the local Friday Club® moderator.
8. Friday Club® does not take responsibility for members if they should choose to divulge personal information (phone numbers/addresses) to people they meet at Friday Club® events. However in the event of an issue with another member the moderators will follow the same protocol established of issuing a warning and if required – revoking membership.
9. Friday Club® is a dynamic enterprise that is expanding rapidly (across various cities.) In order to maintain an interactive online forum and provide exclusive benefits to the community there is an annual membership fee (upon joining of Rs.3,000/- in Mumbai (This fee is pro-rata so from the month you join you pay 250/- per month up to December, membership cards will be valid till December 31st of each year. There is currently no charge in other cities.)
10. Friday Club® members who joined prior to June 2005 will continue to enjoy ALL the benefits of Friday Club® without payment of this annual fee for the first year (ending January 2006) since we consider you to be our founding members!
11. People interested in becoming Friday Club® members must know an existing Friday Club® member and attend as their guest twice to ‘test drive’ the experience pursuant to which they can request membership to the Friday Club® yahoo group (via email & a referral.) Upon paying their membership fee they will be given membership (and a card) provided they meet the non-serial killer criteria that is! This annual membership fee is subject to change entirely at the discretion of the chief moderator.
12. Guest Policy: Anyone who wants to join Friday Club® is requested to attend any one FC event (preferably with the person referring them so they have a guide and someone to introduce them around - specifically to at least 3 moderators.) Following which we run our basic serial killer screening and also assess whether they fit the profile of the club and then welcome them to. When we organize events where FC members are welcome to bring guests at times only FC members will be extended the special deal (i.e. free entry/bar discounts on their FC card). Guests and dormant members (those who stay on the mailing list but don’t wish to renew their membership fee because they rarely attend), while welcome to attend, will be required to pay the regular club charges – however, whenever possible, they will be granted access to the FC special section. In the event of an out of town/day trip/trek/ FC Brunch, Human Foosball etc. members will be extended a special fare in proportion to the guest fare. (Example: Sula wine tasting trip was Rs. 600/- for FC members and Rs. 1000/- for guests) This is probably a rare situation but since we’ve experienced it: If a guest is denied membership (at the discretion of the moderators) we request that the referring member does not sign them up for future FC events as a guest. The screening process is of course for the benefit of the club and its members and pretty much the only way to keep FC serial-killer free.
*Serial Killer; To include the standard definition as in the Oxford dictionary as well as anyone who behaves in an undesirable and lecherous manner towards members of the opposite (or every so often same) sex, leading to discomfort amongst Friday Club® members; somebody who assumes that Friday Club® is simply a place to “pick up” chicks/guys and adds no value to the club in terms of personality & behavior.