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Fall 2014 Rummage Box?


Guest Mark McAlpine

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Guest Mark McAlpine

When will the Fall 2014 Rummage Box be published? I like to run something from the Rummage Box in each of our region's (Tidewater Region) monthly newsletters, but the Spring Rummage Box was only four pages so I've exhausted it. Please tell me the next one is coming out soon--I'd like to use something from it in our October newsletter. It's always informative and our members that don't like reading it on-line appreciate it reading it in our newsletter. Thank you!

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I have the same issue. Please advise what we can use in its place if we don't have the fall Rummage Box in soon. Do you need more articles? Let us know what you are looking for and we will be happy to see what we can put together, However, we like to put in timely and informative items from our executive board for the benefit and information of our region members. The Rummage Box is a highly useful tool in that regard.

Many thanks,

Keith Gramlich, Editor

The Newsletter

GNYRAACA

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If the editors are looking for some news from the

national AACA to print for their newsletters--and

that gives them some extra points in contest scoring--

they should consider some news clips from the "Speedster"

electronic newsletter.

In the past, our region has had brief news items based on that

source: on the library's videos on Youtube; on the Century

Club for 100-year-old cars; on the Mileage Award Program for

driving one's antique; etc.

Giving extra coverage to new programs such as these

will help the programs. Many members likely are unaware of them.

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John,

I have done that as well. I just wrote to Fred Young and asked for him to push for Rummage Box articles based on the fact that it is the only way really for National AACA to communicate with the members. There have been great articles on HPOF, youth education, etc. It is a way for the local chapter members who can't get to the annual Meeting to know what is happening on a national basis, from the people that head those departments and committees, and we need our VP's of the various committees to write the articles so we can inform the readers of our region newsletters.

Hopefully Fred will respond positively and we will have a new batch of stuff to pull from.

Best regards,

Keith Gramlich

GNYR, AACA

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Guest Mark McAlpine

Thanks for the suggestions of other good sources for newsletter content. I agree that "The Speedster" is a great source of info, but members who've registered their e-mail address already receive it. I like including articles/info from the Rummage Box not just because they're informative and interesting, but also because members don't receive it direct and have to seek it out on the AACA website, which many members, for a variety of reasons, don't do. (Just like pushing new programs as John S suggests, we also need to push members to check and explore the AACA website more for info.)

For editors striving for a newsletter award, the only specific National AACA publication the Newsletter Editors Manual references while discussing the Newsletter Awards Achievement Progam (NAAP) scoring is "The Rummage Box" (10 points for using articles from "The Rummage Box"). However, the manual does say you can receive 12 points for including "Reports on National AACA rules, judging, changes, museum, youth, etc." As John S pointed out, "The Speedster" is an excellent source for this info. Another good AACA source of material is "The Judge" newsletter for judges.

Thanks, Keith, for contacting Fred Young about this. Regardless if people are reading "The Rummage Box" for the info or to use it in their regional club's newsletter, it's a great product, very informative, and--as you point out--a great way for the National leadership to communicate direct with the membership. I know all the national directors are extremely busy, but it would be very helpful and much appreciated (by newsletter editors and members) if they could produce a robust Rummage Box at least once a quarter.

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Another reason for us to get as much info in the Rummage Box as possible for editors to draw on, is that so much of our membership is older, and they do not have computers, email, internet capability, etc., and fact of the matter is, they never will. A printed, hard copy Newsletter is the way to get this info to that larger-than-you-think population. I've have heard many statements to the effect of "this is the electronic age and everyone has to get with it and get a computer", but fact is, they won't and shouldn't have to if they do not want to. These people are, in a lot of instances, the forefathers of our generation of AACA member, and we should be able to provide them a communication that is comfortable for them, rather than to alienate them. We do an e-newsletter, but with printed copies to certain of our senior members that do not have electronic capabilities. Keith

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Mark, the newsletter scoring gets adjusted slightly

every year. The newsletter manual is a few years old.

In the current scoring spreadsheet (I'm on the Publications Committee),

having "News from National [AACA]" in your newsletter earns 15 points.

"Master Editorship" is reached at 170 points, so that's almost 10% of your goal!

There's no stated requirement that it be from a particular source.

And it certainly wouldn't need to be the full page that a typical

"Rummage Box" article occupies.

Our region mails a professionally printed newsletter to every member,

as we want to give everyone something tangible for his dues.

Personally, I think a good printed newsletter, if it suits the

budget of your region, encourages people to relax and turn

the pages. Speaking for myself, I know I spend much less time

looking at a typical on-screen publication, including "Speedster."

The national office says that a substantial percentage of e-mail

addresses that receive "Speedster" never even open it!

Edited by John_S_in_Penna (see edit history)
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Guest Mark McAlpine

Thanks for the information, John--it's good to know. It would be helpful if national would update the Newsletter Editor's Manual for new editors like me. It's also interesting to know that most members who receive the Speedster don't open the e-mail they receive. It would be interesting to know why--do they already read it on the AACA website or are they just not interested. The answer might help national tweak the product--if necessary.

And I concur with "GE Dictator 1928"--many of our older members do not have a computer (or at least don't want to read the region's newsletter or the AACA's Antique Automobile magazine on-line) and many other members regardless of age prefer to read hardcopy versions. Our region (Tidewater) moved to an electronic version newsletter several years ago, but we still print and mail hardcopies to those members they want it--no questions asked why.

Thanks to all for the discussion. I enjoy reading the various sections of the AACA Forum and learning from the collegial--and informed--discussions.

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I'm not sure what percentage delete "Speedster" without reading it,

but it's not small. I doubt that it's because they are reading it on

the AACA website. Maybe the national office can give more information.

E-mails often don't stand out, and the wheat can get lost among the chaff.

I know one busy executive who told me he was getting 1500 e-mails a day!

Speedster is a long chain of information without the beauty and permanence

of professional printing. I read mine and even print out parts of it; but

from all sorts of other places I get frequent e-mails which I seldom read

and always delete.

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I'm a generation or more younger than our typical member--

not that age matters one whit when we're enjoying our cars--

but since I'm on a computer during the workday, I want to

see well printed books and magazines (and newsletters) for

my hobby. In fact, I save some of the best.

Please don't think that only "old" people want printed copies, folks!

However you do it, something worth doing is worth doing well.

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John,

My apologies if I offended. I only speak from experience with our local region, where the decision was made by the board to do an e-copy only. We found that the ones like my own parents (50 year members of both local and National AACA) who will not go electronic were ones who requested a hard copy.

Best,

Keith

I'm a generation or more younger than our typical member--

not that age matters one whit when we're enjoying our cars--

but since I'm on a computer during the workday, I want to

see well printed books and magazines (and newsletters) for

my hobby. In fact, I save some of the best.

Please don't think that only "old" people want printed copies, folks!

However you do it, something worth doing is worth doing well.

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...... I'm on a computer during the workday, I want to

see well printed books and magazines (and newsletters) for

my hobby. In fact, I save some of the best.

However you do it, something worth doing is worth doing well.

Ahh, magazines! What's better than pulling that Antique Automobile out of the plastic wrapper and smelling that wonderful print ink? :)

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The new Rummage Box will be helpful. Thanks to the editors

and contributors!

I notice some differing thoughts on using "clip art" in newsletters.

Vice President Fred Young, in his communications to editors, advises

against much of it--or any of it at all. The Rummage Box has a different

thought on the matter and advises filling space with clip art to gain

attention to an article.

The clip art that I have typically seen is hastily drawn and even cartoonish.

A true graphic artist might use well executed illustrations in an appropriate place,

but usually clip art from a computer is just a space-filler. Wouldn't it be better to

enlarge a car photo or rearrange text?

Our region's newsletter never uses clip art, thinking that it makes a publication

look amateurish. When did you last see clip art in The Wall Street Journal

or in Antique Automobile?

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Guest Mark McAlpine

A belated thanks for the Fall Rummage Box! Just in time to include in our region's (Tidewater) October newsletter.

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