Please Help with a New Purpose Statement for my Car Club!

[Guest fchammer1]

"The purpose of this club shall be the preservation and enjoyment of...." In the interest of avoiding embarrassment, I am not identifying the name of the club or the make of the cars mentioned in the rest of the statement. Just let me say, "That's it!" This club needs a better purpose statement -- one that is more specific, and speaks to a broader audience than just the few members we have; and I am at a loss for words. I can't even find any others to read that would give me ideas -- or allow me to paraphrase and rewrite one.

Can anyone help? :confused:

[oldcarfudd]

Why not start by making a list of things your club does, and the reasons people join it. Do you gather information to help with correct restorations? Do you try to preserve original cars and accessories? Do you encourage, or discourage, customization, updating, hotrodding or other modifications? Do you tour? Do you show? Do you judge? Do you put on presentations for schools and civic groups? Do you support a library, or museum, or scholarships? Do you interact with other car clubs or historical associations? Do you try to get new people interested in the same kinds of things you do, with the same kinds of cars? Are there activities you'd like to be doing, but don't yet do? When you've agreed on what you are, and would like to become, and maybe on what you're not and don't want to become, and why, it will be time to try to summarize what you've agreed on in a mission statement. Until then, a mission statement will be mostly platitudes and hot air.

Gil Fitzhugh, Morristown, NJ

[Guest fchammer1]

Why not start by making a list of things your club does, and the reasons people join it. Do you gather information to help with correct restorations? Do you try to preserve original cars and accessories? Do you encourage, or discourage, customization, updating, hotrodding or other modifications? Do you tour? Do you show? Do you judge? Do you put on presentations for schools and civic groups? Do you support a library, or museum, or scholarships? Do you interact with other car clubs or historical associations? Do you try to get new people interested in the same kinds of things you do, with the same kinds of cars? Are there activities you'd like to be doing, but don't yet do? When you've agreed on what you are, and would like to become, and maybe on what you're not and don't want to become, and why, it will be time to try to summarize what you've agreed on in a mission statement. Until then, a mission statement will be mostly platitudes and hot air.

Gil Fitzhugh, Morristown, NJ

Thanks, Gil. That actually does help quite a bit. I am a relatively new member of the club and after reading their constitution and by-laws, I do better understand their lack of activity and lack of reaching out to potential new members. This particular group has not evolved and consists primarily of a group of old friends who get together twice each year to sit around and talk. Even nepotism is alive and well with the board of directors. I would like to encourage new membership and more involvement by the younger members. Toward this end, a well-written Purpose Statement with stated goals would go a long way to inject a little life into this club. Imagine a lethargic board faced with a purpose statement that encourages members to actually DO something. Would a board of directors dare to report in a general meeting that they failed to pass such a goal-oriented objective?! To do otherwise is to do next to nothing.

[Dave@Moon]

There are dozens of examples of these statemtns available online, however most of them are called "mission statements". If you google "car club mission statements" (omit quotes), there are more examples to see than you can shake a stick at.

Two quick examples I found that I like are:

Nor-Cal Ford Car Club Council MISSION STATEMENT

Mission Statement || West Coast Challengers || So. Cal. Car Club

[D Yaros]

Purpose should most certainly include the word educate. You may feel free to add whatever adverbs, etc. you feel applicable!

[oldcarfudd]

What Dave Yaros says is crucial if your club wants approval from the IRS as a 501©(3) non-profit educational organization that can receive tax-deductible contributions. Not only must you claim to be educational, but the bulk of your activity has to BE educational and you must be able to provide documentation to prove it. LOTS of documentation. But if you're primarily a hobby club, don't worry about it. Register as a 501©(7) organization. You can have educational activities, like a visit to a school, or not, as you see fit. The IRS won't care. You're still a non-profit, but people who give you donations can't deduct them. Whichever you are, you'll have to pay taxes on any so-called non-related business income, like any profit from selling club T-shirts.

Gil Fitzhugh, Morristown, NJ

[Guest]

Many times mission statements contradict what really goes on in clubs.

When club X says; 1. to pool together as much information as possible to assist X brand owners in the restoration and preservation of their vehicles.

2. to promote interest in X brand, their history, restoration, preservation, and above all,

3. to make owning X brand an enjoyable experience.

That same X club allows these types of cars people own join that club. A example;

http://t2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcRjFSHKKbQtTFvEagSHYp7vbZBL936S9U7VL3whUJJd6emKXittPQ

or;

http://image.hotrod.com/f/eventcoverage/hrdp_1002_affordable_custom_cars/31702491+w794/hrdp_1002_18+affordable_custom_cars+.jpg

What do cars in the links above have in common with restoration, history, preservation of their X brand???? NOTHING!

So some advise to clubs out there. Say what you mean, and mean what you say. The mission statement I posted was a specific brand of a clubs mission statement that contradicts itself by letting customs into the club.

Edited January 27, 2013 by helfen (see edit history)

[oldcarfudd]

Helfen, I'm not quite sure what point you're making. If the Brand X club is allowing those CARS, which clearly aren't restored or preserved Brand Xs, to participate in club activities, then you're quite right; the mission statement doesn't describe the club. But if the Brand X club has MEMBERS who also own hot rods, so what? Lots of people who have a Brand X might also have a hot rod. I belong to two national Model T clubs. I have a Model T, and drive it on Model T tours and some other tours. I also have three collector cars that aren't Model Ts. They're not welcome on Model T tours, but I drive them on other tours. That doesn't pollute the Model T clubs, or make me less acceptable as a Model T club member.

Sometimes a club has to bend a bit to have enough members to be viable. Last year I was on a well-run HCCA tour in the midwest. A national HCCA tour, which this wasn't, is restricted to pre-1916 cars. Other HCCA tours can elect to accept cars up to WWII. This tour had a few post-WWII cars, including a couple of customs. It didn't comply with the by-laws, but it brought in enough people to achieve critical mass in a sparsely settled area. I don't think the HCCA mission statement ought to be changed just because there are tours like this, but sometimes you have to recognize reality.

Gil Fitzhugh, Morristown, NJ

[Guest]

Helfen, I'm not quite sure what point you're making. If the Brand X club is allowing those CARS, which clearly aren't restored or preserved Brand Xs, to participate in club activities, then you're quite right; the mission statement doesn't describe the club.

Gil Fitzhugh, Morristown, NJ

That's exactly what I'm saying. I'm also saying that some clubs I've known now have modified cars and their owners have taken over club activities and direction. I will also say this. One club in particular which was specifically formed by what customizers call purist because they felt they had no place to go has now been taken over by modified and custom people. Neither of those two clubs adhere to their mission statement. One of which I stated in #7

[Hudsy Wudsy]

In the interest of complete transparency, make sure you include some words about gettin' chicks.

[oldcarfudd]

I think a (maybe not the only) solution to keeping the club focused on its original purpose lies, not in the mission statement, but rather in the by-laws and their voting rules. The HCCA by-laws have a provision to keep people who don't have eligible cars from taking over the club. Anyone can join the HCCA, but you must own a pre-1916 car to vote on national affairs (including by-laws changes) or to be elected to the national board. And all cars on a national tour must be pre-'16. Regional Groups may be formed if they have at least 5 members with pre-'16 cars, and they have considerably more latitude in setting their local voting eligibility and touring rules. The HCCA also recognizes a nickel-era registry, for those people with cars built between 1916 and 19(I believe)32, plus earlier cars that came with nickel trim. And the club also recognizes affiliated registries of marques (like Velie and Stevens-Duryea) and car types (electric and steam) that continued beyond 1915. These registries can have their own tours, and they can be written up on the website or in the national magazine, but their members can't vote on national affairs unless they also own a pre-'16. There are occasional rumblings about changing some of these rules, but so far they seem to be working. The club is (slowly!) growing. But the way to keep out the cars you don't want is in your voting rules, which have teeth, rather than in your mission statement, which has none.

Gee, I thought all the chicks that mob me in my brass cars were attracted to my studly appearance and sparkling personality!

Gil Fitzhugh, Morristown, NJ

[Guest]

I think a (maybe not the only) solution to keeping the club focused on its original purpose lies, not in the mission statement, but rather in the by-laws and their voting rules. The HCCA by-laws have a provision to keep people who don't have eligible cars from taking over the club. Anyone can join the HCCA, but you must own a pre-1916 car to vote on national affairs (including by-laws changes) or to be elected to the national board. And all cars on a national tour must be pre-'16. Regional Groups may be formed if they have at least 5 members with pre-'16 cars, and they have considerably more latitude in setting their local voting eligibility and touring rules. The HCCA also recognizes a nickel-era registry, for those people with cars built between 1916 and 19(I believe)32, plus earlier cars that came with nickel trim. And the club also recognizes affiliated registries of marques (like Velie and Stevens-Duryea) and car types (electric and steam) that continued beyond 1915. These registries can have their own tours, and they can be written up on the website or in the national magazine, but their members can't vote on national affairs unless they also own a pre-'16. There are occasional rumblings about changing some of these rules, but so far they seem to be working. The club is (slowly!) growing. But the way to keep out the cars you don't want is in your voting rules, which have teeth, rather than in your mission statement, which has none.

Gee, I thought all the chicks that mob me in my brass cars were attracted to my studly appearance and sparkling personality!

Gil Fitzhugh, Morristown, NJ

Gil, what do you say to officers of a club that say "we will do things the way we want" or if you say you want to adhere to the mission statement "it ain't gonna happen"??

[oldcarfudd]

If the by-laws have a provision for elections, and you have enough support, vote the rascals out. If you're a voice crying in the wilderness, and most of the other club members are happy with the way things are, you're in the wrong club; leave and join another one, or start a new one.

Sometimes a compromise position is to petition your exalted rulers to let you start a separate chapter, with its own by-laws, that will stress a different part of the hobby. You can be the restoration chapter, or the preservation chapter, or the dirt roads touring chapter. You don't necessarily have to let everyone in. Two examples I'm familiar with:

1. The Autoneers Regional Group of HCCA requires that each member attend an Autoneers tour with a brass-era car every year, or leave the Autoneers.

2. The Nickel Era Touring Registry of HCCA allows only nickel-era cars (including pre-'16s that came with nickel trim) to participate in its tours.

There's no conflict between the parent club and the subsidiary; each does its own thing. I'm told, though, that the Nickel Era group wasn't approved by the national HCCA board the first time the idea was raised. People in groups sure can find reasons to disagree!

Gil Fitzhugh, Morristown, NJ