re: Amateurs
There was one child who did stay around the PC and later the telescopes and he told me he had a small refractor himself. Maybe one day he'll join our club.
A french magazine has analyzed a trend since 1994 in our world:
More and more people buy telescopes and manage on their own to make pictures. But the number of clubs and club members has only slightly increased (comparatively).
It can be a solitary hobby or one shared within a club.
Not every member is available for this or that punctual event and one can be member of various clubs and associations sumultaneously. It all depends.