[Kevin]

I'd echo that. There are many ways to not lose your identity while being assimilated into a larger organization. You'll find that the support, advice and information support you'll get from a larger organization will help you quite a bit.

Belonging to a larger group has its good and bad points. You just have to weigh them and do what's right. The easiest thing you can do is start researching groups with which you'd like to merge and then contact the ones tha interest you.

Good luck!