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AACA Grand Nationals & Hershey Car Show - Update 6/8/20


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The Board of Directors of the Antique Automobile Club of America (AACA) has faced many new challenges this year and has been forced to make difficult decisions because of COVID-19. Our primary focus has been service to our members, along with a deep concern for the welfare of our membership. As we begin to rebuild our activities calendar, we are pleased and excited to make the following announcements:
 
We have rescheduled the Annual Grand Nationals at The NB Center for American Automotive Heritage in Allentown, Pennsylvania, to August 21 and 22, 2020. This will include our annual Zenith competition. The 22nd will be the date of the show itself. We will send out an email to all those who register for the event with further instructions and information. Naturally, there will be quite a few changes. A couple of very important items to note is that the grounds at The NB Center will be available to current AACA members only and that everyone will have to sign a waiver of liability to The NB Center. There also will be no closing banquet, but we are working on a potential replacement on the field.
 
Any AACA member who would like to register for the Grand Nationals, please do so online at members.aaca.org. The limit on cars has been reduced to 600. You may also call AACA Headquarters at 717-534-1910 to request registration materials be mailed to you. If you have already registered, there is no need to re-register. Anyone who cannot make the new date can request a refund by emailing our registration chairman Pat Buckley at pbuckley@aaca.org. If the State of Pennsylvania does not approve our event by July 22, we will be forced to cancel it completely and as such refund in full all registrations.
 
Again, please understand preparation for this event is fluid, but we will communicate all details to registrants in plenty of time prior to the show. Also, we have called all the hotels on our original list to let them know about the date change, but please call your hotel and confirm new dates. There will be no Thursday activities. 
 
Additionally, we have previously announced that the Eastern Fall Nationals in Hershey, Pennsylvania, is planned as a car show only event on October 10, 2020. The Hershey Region AACA, AACA and Hershey Entertainment & Resorts are solidly behind this effort. We are all taking steps to ensure the show is done in a safe manner. This event is also fluid, but a plan is coming together and we believe you will be happy to have the opportunity once again to experience Hershey in the fall. Chocolate World is now open! As stated above, we can plan, work, spend and do everything necessary to host you, but Hershey will also require approval by the State of Pennsylvania to be held this year. We are cautiously optimistic this can be done.
 
Starting in July, any AACA member who would like to register for the Hershey car show may do so online at members.aaca.org or call headquarters to request registration materials be mailed to them. If you have already requested registration materials be sent to you, there is no need to request them again. If a refund is necessary, it will be done in the same manner as the Grand Nationals.
 
We look forward to hosting these events and welcome your participation and support of the AACA and the antique automobile hobby. In the meantime, stay safe, stay involved in the hobby in any way you can and hopefully soon we can enjoy being together celebrating the history of the “automobile.”
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Thanks for the update!

Great job with the hotels! My reservations have already automatically been changed to reflect the new dates.

Both reservations now set for August 21. We did call the hotel to confirm the new dates. Thanks again

We are staying at the Staybridge Suites.

Edited by philip roitman (see edit history)
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  • 1 month later...

Bill, we do not have it and may not have it until the event.  If we get it early I will be happy to post. Yes, everyone who attends the event needs to sign the waiver of liability.  The owner of the property is trying to protect themselves and that is totally understandable.  They are doing us a big favor and should not bear any legal consequences.  We are doing everything in our power to protect judges and everyone in attendance.  We completely understand the responsibility we have to put on a successful show in these times and are handling it accordingly.  

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33 minutes ago, Bill Boudway said:

Hi,

Where can we see the waiver of liability that we'll be required to sign for participation in the Grand National?

Required for judges?

 

Excellent point, Bill.  Naturally, such things are written by

lawyers, and even if they are well balanced, they tend to

favor the party that is being protected.  One thing to watch out

for, increasingly common:  any provision about paying THEIR

"reasonable attorneys' fees." If there's a problem, you'll pay their

lawyer to work against you.  Will they pay yours?  No!

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Of course the waiver is supposed to favor the NB Center...they the ones that are asking to be protected!  Definition:   First, understand why a company would require that you sign a liability waiver. The two main purposes of a release of liability for a company are to: Document in writing that you have been warned of potential risks. Remove their responsibility for injuries that arise from ordinary negligence.

The facts are that even with this signed document a person can sue.  The waiver is just another tool for their lawyers.  The club is responsible for this event, we should bear the liability if there is any.  We have done everything we can think of to host a safe event within reason.  The NB Center should NOT have to bear any responsibility.  Waivers of liability are standard across the board and if someone feels that they are inclined to sue we will respectfully ask them to stay home. 

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--But there should not be any provision about

paying someone else's attorney fees.  A contract

should not be presented to attendees with no time

to review it in advance, no time for another lawyer's

perusal, and ostensibly no chance to modify it.  

A proper contract is negotiated and therefore represents

fairly the rights of both parties.  Any contract can have

lines or paragraphs struck out or modified by the signer.

 

Fairness.  Honesty.  Respect for both sides.  Grace.

These are qualities to cultivate.

Edited by John_S_in_Penna (see edit history)
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In your opinion John, in your opinion.  Telling someone else how to write a waiver for their own property is ridiculous.  We will not let anyone tell us what to do with waivers for this club.  Think about it for a minute, I as a business owner would not want to deal with frivolous lawsuits and a deterrent is to put a clause in about a litigant possibly having to pay for legal fees  is a very legitimate way to have people think twice before suing for some ridiculous reason.  If you have a valid reason to sue and the other party is negligent you will win (if your attorney is any good) so the issue of paying fees is moot.  The clause you refer to comes in to play if you lose.  Maybe if this world would not have so many lawsuits we all would not be in these kind of positions.

 

If this clause is in the NB Center waiver we will have no issue with it, it has been used for decades, it is not a recent phenomenon.  Period.

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18 minutes ago, Steve Moskowitz said:

We will not let anyone tell us what to do with waivers for this club. 

 

Remember, the club works for the MEMBERS.

So does the office staff.  You want to represent them, too.

Of course the NB Center should protect itself.  Balance.  

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That comment, not phrased well meant that when we (AACA) have waivers we do not let others tell us how to word them...just like the NB Center has the same right.  AACA is representing our members to be the best of their ability from the Board, staff and even myself.  End of story for me.  

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John, 

Please read what Steve wrote.  In this society of sue happy idiots, I would write the same thing in my waivers!  It basically keeps out the riff raff!  If you have a legitimate reason to sue, the cost should have nothing to do with your thoughts to proceed!

Dale 

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