Ronnie Posted June 23, 2014 Share Posted June 23, 2014 (edited) The recent discussions here on the forum peaked my interest about the get-togethers that are being planed in Portland by Reatta owners. Although I can't attend this years Rendezvous in Portland, I thought I would go to the Reatta Div website and check out what official activities were scheduled to take place this year. To my surprise I couldn't find anything about the Rendezvous anywhere on the Reatta Div website. No dates, not times, nothing! I just can't believe that it's not there and I find that unacceptable.The Rendezvous should be front page news. Instead the front page news on the Reatta Div's website is instructions on how to pay your dues. As far as I know the Rendezvous is the one and only event that the Reatta Div officially has for it's members each year. All the details about it should be readily available and easy to find on the Reatta Div. website. Is that too much to expect from a club with hundreds of members? Edited June 23, 2014 by Ronnie (see edit history) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Machiner 55 Posted June 23, 2014 Share Posted June 23, 2014 The Rendezvous should be front page news. Instead the front page news on the Reatta Div's website is instructions on how to pay your dues. As far as I know the Rendezvous is the one and only event that the Reatta Div officially has for it's members each year. All the details about it should be readily available and easy to find on the Reatta Div. website. Is that too much to expect from a club with hundreds of members? I'll second that.John F. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DAVES89 Posted June 23, 2014 Share Posted June 23, 2014 We have been looking for a new webmaster for some time. The person we currently have doesn't want to do it anymore which is why there have been no changes or updates for some time. Please contact me at; lemke1044@aol.com if interested... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barney Eaton Posted June 25, 2014 Share Posted June 25, 2014 Reatta Div members will have the information. Registration for the Rendezvous and officer ballots were in the last newsletter. The Reatta Div web site is important and we surely have several people (members) that could easily do the job. The request was in the last newsletter. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ronnie Posted June 25, 2014 Author Share Posted June 25, 2014 I guess I should have checked the newsletter first. I think I have it stored right here under my rotary dial phone... or is behind the typewriter? I can't remember. Anyway, I just didn't happen to think of it before I checked the website. Just letting the members know when the National event takes place via a newsletter is short sighted. It does nothing to get the public interested in owning a Buick Reatta. We (members) should be promoting the National event through our Reatta Div. website as something all Reatta owners and enthusiast would want to take part in. You can't do that with a newsletter. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barney Eaton Posted June 25, 2014 Share Posted June 25, 2014 I am not in disagreement with you........ the Reatta Div does need to promote Reatta as much as possible, in every way possible. While I worked for a large computer company for over 30 years, it did mechanical parts and know very little about computers so can not help with the website. We have young members that are savy to new technology but none seem to be interested in helping. One thing I have done in the past..... when I first started making bellcranks I offered to pay the Reatta Div dues for anyone buying my parts (they had to join the BCA, if not already a member) I have the records buried here on the number but it was intended to spur membership. Today when I sell a Reatta part, bellcrank or repair an antenna, I send a Reatta Div registration form with the parts......again to spur membership. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DAVES89 Posted June 25, 2014 Share Posted June 25, 2014 If we could get 20% of the people who visit this forum to learn about fixing their car to join the Reatta Division we would have 4-5 times the membership we have now. A better website would help a lot. I hope someone steps up to help with this big need. It is far and away the biggest challenge we have facing us today... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ronnie Posted June 25, 2014 Author Share Posted June 25, 2014 The young people aren't interested in doing a website because for the most part they have moved on to facebook and other social media sites. That is the reason this forum and the forum on Reatta Owners Journal are quickly becoming ghost towns. I will probably shut the forum down on ROJ soon and direct the forum visitors to it here due to lack of interest. The young people on facebook are talking about starting their own club with much less dues (-$50) that don't depend on the BCA once a year to provide an event for them. They want to have a club that communicates with it's members on a real time basis and has smaller regional meets more frequently than once a year so they can get together with their buddies. They aren't interested in cars being judged. They are interested in being part of a club that is fun even if you have a cheap Reatta.I don't mean to be disrespectful but the Reatta Div. is seen by the younger crowd as a club that consists of a group that meets once a year with the same old people for an hour or so and then carry on business the rest of the year over the phone. There is very little there for club members besides a newsletter. I'm afraid that mold will have to be broken before there will be an influx of new blood into the Reatta Div. The first step in doing that is to get a new website that is more appealing to the younger Reatta owner. I hope one of the young members you refer to will step up to the plate. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Booreatta Posted June 25, 2014 Share Posted June 25, 2014 I for one dont want to call anyone out on the fourm but a large percentage of folks posting here are not and have not been a member of the BCA or Reatta division. Being a critic is the easiest job on the face of the earth. Its a good club and everybody gets along very well. The club is about friendship and having a good time. Those that dont belong simply miss out. Print this out and keep it under your rotary phone, it will be the most fun you will have today. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DAVES89 Posted June 25, 2014 Share Posted June 25, 2014 I for one dont want to call anyone out on the fourm but a large percentage of folks posting here are not and have not been a member of the BCA or Reatta division. Being a critic is the easiest job on the face of the earth. Its a good club and everybody gets along very well. The club is about friendship and having a good time. Those that dont belong simply miss out. Print this out and keep it under your rotary phone, it will be the most fun you will have today. Sounds to me like you are calling Ronnie out. He IS a member of the BCA and the Reatta Division. I actually am glad he brought this up. We have been talking privately via emails about what we need, but never came here with it. Now it is out there, and hopefully someone will step up and bring us into this century... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Machiner 55 Posted June 26, 2014 Share Posted June 26, 2014 I sent my son an Email to see if he'd be interested in taking this on.I'll let you know what he says as soon as he responds.John F. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Machiner 55 Posted June 26, 2014 Share Posted June 26, 2014 This was his reply:That's something I'm capable of, but it's one of those things that's typically under-appreciated and short lived. If it's a paid position, I'd consider it.John F. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DAVES89 Posted June 26, 2014 Share Posted June 26, 2014 This was his reply:John F. Sorry it is not a paid position. How about you team up with him as a father and son act? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Machiner 55 Posted June 26, 2014 Share Posted June 26, 2014 Dave,How about you team up with him as a father and son act?As good an idea that that is, it's not going to happen.Sorry but, I tried.John F. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ronnie Posted June 26, 2014 Author Share Posted June 26, 2014 This was his reply:That's something I'm capable of, but it's one of those things that's typically under-appreciated and short lived...Sounds like he's been down that road before. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barney Eaton Posted June 26, 2014 Share Posted June 26, 2014 I need to figure out how to make money as the Reatta Division tech advisor. I get at least 3 phone call a day and some are repeats. Talk about no appreciation, try fixing a guys car from 1000 miles away. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Booreatta Posted June 26, 2014 Share Posted June 26, 2014 Hey Dave my intent was not to call anyone out, I perhaps should have used other language, My intent was to simply use the rotary phone as an example of how the Reatta bunch have a good time with or without an up date to the web site. Ronnie I am sorry if that is the way it sounded. Sometimes words just get in the way. We just need to find a web master. I dont think it will take much time.Chuck Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bushwack Posted June 26, 2014 Share Posted June 26, 2014 The recent discussions here on the forum peaked my interest about the get-togethers that are being planed in Portland by Reatta owners. Although I can't attend this years Rendezvous in Portland, I thought I would go to the Reatta Div website and check out what official activities were scheduled to take place this year. To my surprise I couldn't find anything about the Rendezvous anywhere on the Reatta Div website. No dates, not times, nothing! I just can't believe that it's not there and I find that unacceptable.The Rendezvous should be front page news. Instead the front page news on the Reatta Div's website is instructions on how to pay your dues. As far as I know the Rendezvous is the one and only event that the Reatta Div officially has for it's members each year. All the details about it should be readily available and easy to find on the Reatta Div. website. Is that too much to expect from a club with hundreds of members?I brought this to everyone's attention TWO years ago. It was one of the platforms I ran on for the Director's position the summer of 2012.Good for Ronnie for getting the conversation going again. Unfortunately, history keeps repeating itself. Groundhog Day for the past 5+ years that I know of.There are pages on the Reatta.org site that haven't been updated 3 weeks shy of 2 years! And there isn't even a mention of who the new Director is (who was voted in last summer??). And Barney...that picture! Polaroids are so 1970s. Time to get a digitized photo posted. Alas, the more things change, the more they remain the same. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doity Posted June 26, 2014 Share Posted June 26, 2014 I tend to agree somewhat with Ronnie. I am a new member of the Reatta Division and while I am not exactly young (50), I too have no interest in judging and I have a nagging feeling that the club is kind of set in their ways and they like things that way. Look, I know that some of the 'old-timers' have put a lot of effort into the club over the years and also with helping people keep their cars going. God knows that I have been helped numerous times on this forum. I just think that some people take constructive criticism in the wrong way and I hope that is not how it comes across. I would love to volunteer for webmaster but I have little knowledge and there are obviously people on this board that know more about computer software and html than I do. It is good to get this stuff out in the open though as we need more people who own or who are interested in the Reatta to feel that they have a place to go and to belong. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DAVES89 Posted June 26, 2014 Share Posted June 26, 2014 So we have determined that a webmaster is the first step in this process. Anyone interested please email me at lemke1044@aol.com BTW I am the Director of the Reatta Division. And unless there is a flurry of write in votes the management team will be the same again for next year. That would be; Dave Lemke - Director Jim Finn - Assistant Director Ed Farnell - Treasurer Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jscheib Posted June 27, 2014 Share Posted June 27, 2014 I know many younger embers with Reattas seem to lament that here are not many more local/regional events, and I note the same for Riviera events in the Northeast. But, can I make a suggestion? I know it is extra money, but consider joining the BCA and a local chapter (or form a new one). Would love to see more Reatta and Riveria on local driving tours.John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barney Eaton Posted June 27, 2014 Share Posted June 27, 2014 Upcoming Buick meets from the June Bugle* July 13 all GM show in LA* July 27 Tinley Park Ill* July 27 Lutherville MD* Aug 7-9 Minneapolis MN Regional* Aug 9 Rockville MD* Aug 16 Milwaukee All Buick show* Aug 16 Plainfield IN* Aug 17 Wallingford CT* Aug 21-24 Dover OH Great lakes Regional ...always a good time* Sept 6 Turkeyville MI * Sept 12-14 Lake Chealan WA Fall tour* Oct 5 Cold Spring NY* Oct 8-11 Hershey PA* Oct 23-25 Daytona Beach FL Southeast Regional* Oct 26 Kempton PAThese are all Buick related events. You do not need to "show" your car to attend. If you get a group of Reatta owners together in your area you could park your cars together.Why not take advantage of an existing Buick event to gather Reattas. Some of these events have swap meets, some are purely shows and if you contact the hosting club they would arrange for the Reattas to park together. Go to this link for more details about the above meets and other later ones I did not list. http://www.buickclub.org/Calendar/calendar.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DAVES89 Posted June 27, 2014 Share Posted June 27, 2014 That is an excellent point Barney. There are reunions all over and not only can the Reatta guys get together, you can meet other guys with other Buicks. I know that 63viking brings up what show is near by him every year to have Reatta guys get together. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Posted June 27, 2014 Share Posted June 27, 2014 This thread got a little side tracked and that is OK.I would like folks to know the Reatta Rendezvous will be part of the BCA National meet on Thursday July 24.As a general rule the Rendezvous is for Reatta division members and is posted in the division newsletter with sign up sheets.Very often there are local Reatta owners who are not members of the Reatta division but come to the meet to view the BCA cars. Many of these folks hear about the Rendezvous from sources like this discussion site.These local folks are very welcome to participate in the Reatta Rendezvous.If you are interested in participating in the Rendezvous simply contact Ed Farnell at reattaclub@aol.com and he can give you the information on how to sign up.Jim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest CL_Reatta Posted June 28, 2014 Share Posted June 28, 2014 If you just want someone to keep the website updated I might be able to help, I had actually made a reatta website in high school for my html programming class term project. (I was going to make it reatta.com, but at the time that domain was already owned and the owner refused to sell, however it appears it is now free) I know I saved it to a cd and I might still have it somewhere if anyone is interested, I worked on it for about 6 months and it was fairly visually appealing, and I got a 100% so it must have been somewhat good lol. It's been about 8 years since then but with a cheat sheet I might be able to keep the current site maintained. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Machiner 55 Posted June 28, 2014 Share Posted June 28, 2014 If you just want someone to keep the website updated I might be able to helpWell, there you go. Problem solved!John F. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JalopyBob Posted June 28, 2014 Share Posted June 28, 2014 Yes that's the issue. Website forums are far too easy to get out of hand. Yet, if all the posters here were in a room together with a beverage of choice and the topic came up, we could hash it out in about 2 beers, er, 30 minutes (or longer for some of us). I am 50 years old and can not wrap my head around what it takes to update or maintain a website. It's already "up" so perhaps the last webmaster has crib notes and the hard stuff is done. Now, on the Kaiser Frazer Owners Club website, very little changes, and that includes a forum, so perhaps the real time work involved isn't as much as thought. I'll ask my friend about it, he is a website guru and is always creating websites out of thin air for his community's special events, they pop up, are utlized to convey information and pique interest, the event passes and it goes down I think. Let me check.In dog beers, Ive only had one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JalopyBob Posted June 28, 2014 Share Posted June 28, 2014 Here is the way that I see it as the dad to kids in their late 20's. They like some of our cars, but they want to do things their own way.They want to hang out with their peers and do things the way that their peers do, not the way that their dads and grandpas do them.They want to make their own mark on the world. It's great to extend a welcome to the young ones, and a few might become involved,but the majority have no interest in hanging out with "us old folks". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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