For initiation we just make our new members push a penny five feet with their nose...

Seriously, there may be many reasons for initiation fees but sometimes it stems from nothing more than "I had to pay it so should everyone else"...all the way from the days when the club needed additional revenue to acquire and fund the flying site...but to be really fair that line of reasoning likely needs adjusting for todays dollars LOL

Bottom line, regardless of most club fees, it is probably the best money spent in our hobby. Most clubs do an outstanding job of keeping those costs to very insignificant levels. Just go Fly!