AACA Chapter meetings

[Guest Mark Golding]

Just wondering what other clubs do as for programs at your local meeting, It seems that our club just have all the political stuff like the meeting notes from the last meeting talking about the club's anual show and nothing else all year. Do all chapters act this way? I joined the local to meet and learn about how to restore and take care of my Antiques cars , But we don't even do that. Is there videos out by the club to be lent to chapters for meetings etc? What do you folks do at your local meeting. We do meet at a resturant have dinner each month then have the "meeting" But how much junk can you talk about month after month. I don't care what the club buys for the show , what the trophies look like I have seen them all before.

Just would like to have a meeting where I learn something , Any help for this club would be nice.

HELP!!!! <img src="http://www.aaca.org/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused.gif" alt="" />

[Bill Stoneberg]

Mark,

I figure out that I get out of a club meeting some of what I put into them. I belong to a different kind of car and fishing clubs and am amazed at the differences.

One fishing club, where most everyone is quiet, we talk about the next fishing day, the last fishing day and sometimes have a guest speaker. The other one, we run a guest speaker every month along with door prizes and a outing every other month or so. We also have classes for all ages and sexes. Definitly the better one and one I am personally more involved in.

Cars run the same way, one we have clinics on how to do brakes, oil changes, powder coating or whatever and everyone is more involved.

The other club runs one main event every year and then just goes out and eats every other month or so. Sometimes, they drive their daily drivers instead of the old cars. No one really wants to do much but they like it that way.

So, all I can say, is if you want it to change, get involved. If everyone else doesn't want to change, find another chapter or club and join that one too.

[Guest BruceW]

Our region has meetings January thu June, September and October. At other times, if any business is needed to taken care of, a meeting can be held at one of our many events. Our business meetings usually last around 20 to 40 minutes where committee reports, secretary reports, etc are presented. We then have some type of program.

Somtimes the program is a speaker to talk to the group. The speaker may be a region member or an outside person. The AACA has a Speakers Bureau with a list if speakers, however, I find it somewhat limited because there are only a few names spread out across the country. We have had local businesses related to the old car hobby and talk about topics such as tires and tire care, safety in the shop, etc. At one program we held outside, a restoration shop brought a trailer with one of their recent AACA senior award winning restorations for display and talked about many topics, including issues to consider and steps to take when having a restoration performed by a restoration shop. We also have had speakers on non-auto related topics if its a community related, historical or personal related topic.

Other times we may have a film or video may be shown for the program. The AACA Headquarters has an extensive collection of films and growing collection of videos that are loaned free of charge to the regions and chapters. Each Chapter/Region president gets a list of these every year. The films/videos cover topics from how to's to historical itens, past national tours, and car related comedies.

Still other times, we may have a program that involves the region members such as a how to, or a display. Our membership is a diverse group with lot of interests... even beyond antique automobiles. A few times we have had programs like a "Show and Tell" where members could show off there hobbies, collections, etc.

One program was held by a member that had a large collection of antique and many obsolete tools. He displayed the 50+ tools with each numbered and members tried to identify the use for each one on a sheet. The one with the most correct answers won a prize. It was not only informative but the members had lots of fun doin it.

Other times, we had era fashion shows where members with clothing related to their cars came modeled their outfits ans the members voted on the best.

These are just a few of many program ideas our region had done and there are many types of activities that can be done for a program.

Hope this helps.

[Terry Bond]

Tidewater Region has a monthly dinner meeting along with a program. We're long on fun - short on business. Our feeling is the board of directors is elected and empowered to handle the affairs of the club. Minutes of the meetings are in the newsletter so there isnt much need to cover business at the dinner meetings. Announcements of things of interest to the members are included such as parade and show info, tips, leads, acquisitions, intro of new members and guests, etc. Programs are varied and consist of auto and non-auto related. Hobby nights are always fun where people bring in something related to their hobby and then talk about it. AACA has videos and a speakers bureau that can be utilized. I just did a program here about the new AACA museum and if you are in PA thats close enough to get someone in to talk about that, or perhaps the AACA Library. Technical info is great, area historical info is always fascinating and next month we have a guest speaker coming from the Mariners museum in Newport News to talk about the civil war ironclad ship Monitor which has been partly salvaged and is being exhibited there. In the past we've had people in talking about vintage clothing, restoring cars and parts of cars, painting, antique collecting of all types including automobilia, history of cars like Franklin, Packard and Model T. Our own club webmaster does a great presentation on how the internet helps our hobby. Your local chamber of commerce may also have a speakers bureau, and its always possible to get someone from the local historical society to attend and talk about a museum or special event. Late in the year we always hold a silent auction of donated items - its an absolute fun evening and is one of our best attended events. It raises some money for the club too.

I think too many clubs have meetings that are far too serious. I get enough of that during the day at work-hobbies are supposed to be stress relief! Long on fun-short on business is the best approach to monthly meetings I think.

Terry

[Guest SalG (Sal Grenci)]

Here on Long Island we have 4 regions. The Greater N Y, Vanderbilt Cup and F. R. Porter and Peconic Bay. The first three I belong to. The GNYR seldom has any meeting activity, but the VCR and FRP regulary have guest speakers, member lectures, slides and a few AACA movies. The FRP had old slides from Hershey, Macungie and local meets from the early 70's this month. Last month I ran the covered dish dinner for the FRP (on a Sat. night) The VCR had a speaker from a local animal rescue group, complete with owls, snakes, and spiders in March and an auction in April. Each club tries to have an activity at least every other month. In the past we have had the county K-9 unit, a local PPG paint rep, several local village historians, once a fellow gave a lecture once called "sleeping on Long Island" it was photos and stories about gaves of famous people.

[JanK]

We do things a bit differently in the Wisconsin Region. We have an elected nine-member Board of Directors. The members elect the directors to three-year terms (1/3 change each year), and the directors elect the President, Vice President, Secretary and Treasurer. The directors hold monthly meetings to handle all the business of the club. Minutes of these meetings are published in the newsletter, and members are always notified about the date and location of these meetings, should they want to attend. Every February, we have an Annual Banquet which doubles as our annual business meeting.

The Board tries to offer, on average, one event a month for the members to get together. In the winter months, that may be a fish fry or a brunch, any excuse to get together with friends and talk about cars. For some of these events we'll have speakers, show videos or plan some other entertainment. During Wisconsin car season (May-October), we'll have tours, car shows, parades, picnics, joint events with other local clubs, whatever someone thinks would be interesting to the members that would allow them to drive a collector car at the same time.

Bottom line: The Board and the various committee members mix business and pleasure; for everyone else in the region, it's nothing but fun.

Jan K.

Wis Region