Buick Homecoming 2008 in Flint

[BUICK RACER]

Just had a thought, how can we get us on the Forum to get together at the Buick Homecoming in Flint in 2008, I'm just thinking how many of you didn't meet each other, and how many of you I didn't meet, cause I was way too busy doing other "stuff" and so where you. We are planning on the 2008 being a laid back, kick tires and very few bus tours, as only one is planned to the GM Heritage Center, all other tours will be on your own, with info provided, in the goodie bag and/or Program. But my real question here, is something we've all talked about before, is how to get the forum members together to meet each other, in person, we've exchanged such details of life, etc, and many of us missed meeting in '03, it's mandatory that we meet somehow in '08. So since I'm the chairperson with our Favorite Truck Driver, Harold, I want to ask, what should we do? My first idea is that on the registration form, I add, BCA Forum name and that ends up on your nametag for the event, and then we pick a day and time to have a meeting, or we could do it every day at a certain time, Wednesday through Saturday, so we don't miss anyone. We are working on schedule of events, and I just happened to think we have discussed this for the last few years and haven't made it happen, I really want this to happen in '08! So let's hear your ideas.

[Guest imported_MrEarl]

Is there gonna be a bar set up? If so, problem solved. <img src="http://forums.aaca.org/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

That's a great idea re the nametags, or perhaps have a seperate and more visible/noticeable one. Just name the place and time(s) Roberta, we'll be there. <img src="http://forums.aaca.org/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" />

[Guest BJM]

I agree. It was something I really wanted to do at Rochester. I even walked by you while I was walking the show field but felt kind of awkward just sticking my nose in, as many folks have friends already around them. I met Old Tank (Willie) and his wife. I was in a meeting with Derek and I saw Bill Stoneberg and others I knew were ont he forum but again, without the (somewhat) formal situation of a meeting - I didn't want to just walk up and introduce myself feeling I would be interfering in something.

[Bill Stoneberg]

Hell, If you saw me, you should have just come up and said "Howdy". Thats what I did to Derek and GSJohn. I am friendly and wont bite.

A meeting or get together is a fine idea along with our names on our tags(in my case they are the same, so I have that problem solved). Figure out a time on Thursday or Friday and lets do it.

With our Yahoo groups in 2003 we met a restaurant in Flint and that worked out well too.

[Mr Buick]

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Hell, If you saw me, you should have just come up and said "Howdy". Thats what I did to Derek and GSJohn. I am friendly and wont bite.

A meeting or get together is a fine idea along with our names on our tags(in my case they are the same, so I have that problem solved). Figure out a time on Thursday or Friday and lets do it.

With our Yahoo groups in 2003 we met a restaurant in Flint and that worked out well too. </div></div>

It's a great idea!!! Yep, Bill came up and introduced himself, and I have never been the same since!! LOL LOL, just picking on you Bill! I would like to make it to the event, I guess we will have to see. It's friendship that lasts forever!

How ya been Bill?

John

[Mark Shaw]

Good idea. We had the same problem with the BrassBuicks group on Yahoo. Wearing a hat or shirt or just a special colored name tag might do the trick. But if somebody comes up with a keg & a meeting room at the host hotel, there would probably be a lot more than are really members of this forum.

[Centurion]

Roberta, you've prompted some thinking with regard to the 2007 National Meet in Seattle. As always, the struggle is to figure out the best time to meet in an already jammed schedule. I'm not intending to hijack your thread, but figure it's not too late to connect with one another in 2007.

Here's my thought for Seattle. It appears that most attendees are opting to participate in the massive Buick cruise to the XXX Root Beer Drive-In on Thursday evening of the meet. I'll be heading to the XXX early to set up parking cones, etc. I'll plan to reserve a couple of the outdoor tables for members of the BCA Forums, and these will be situated close to the order counter itself. I'll make the signs BIG, and we'll have extra nametags handy for forum members. This should at least ensure that we'll have an opportunity to meet.

[Bill Stoneberg]

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body"> Yep, Bill came up and introduced himself, and I have never been the same since!! </div></div>

Heck, not only did we introduce ourseleves, but we took over the whole darned table. Doing fine, working on getting a Riviera running for the Seattle show. How bout yourself ?

[BUICK RACER]

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Roberta, you've prompted some thinking with regard to the 2007 National Meet in Seattle. As always, the struggle is to figure out the best time to meet in an already jammed schedule. I'm not intending to hijack your thread, but figure it's not too late to connect with one another in 2007.

Here's my thought for Seattle. It appears that most attendees are opting to participate in the massive Buick cruise to the XXX Root Beer Drive-In on Thursday evening of the meet. I'll be heading to the XXX early to set up parking cones, etc. I'll plan to reserve a couple of the outdoor tables for members of the BCA Forums, and these will be situated close to the order counter itself. I'll make the signs BIG, and we'll have extra nametags handy for forum members. This should at least ensure that we'll have an opportunity to meet.

</div></div>

Brian, great idea for '07, I'm glad you jumped on this, cause we need to do this, and have for sometime, as we talked about it for '03, and again, and again.For '04(didn't go) and '05 - '06.

3Jakes, I met Derek, cause he walked by and stopped me, we didn't talk long in MN, but at least we made contact, would have like to have met him near his cars, I saw them, but he wasn't there. and sorry you didn't hang out and introduce yourself to me and whoever I was with, cause we are all Buick buddies, you meet a couple of my friends, then and know the world, sort of.

Bill is another story, but we've rendezvoused several times and now that he's on the BCA BOD will do some more!

The '08 will be a very fun meet, we had another committee tonight before our Chapter meeting and we are making good progress, I believe, should be a very fun event, with lots of opportunities to kick tires, and I guess I'll have to find a kegger, since there's a thread in this thread, that "beer is good food" to quote several other Buick events that I attend every year. Thanks for the input, looking for more ideas, of course.

PS: Our main goal in '08 is to make new friends, see their cars, renew friendships with old friends and see their Buicks, and just have a grand ole time, doing what we like to do, walk and talk Buicks. Eh!(for our Canadian Friends) <img src="http://forums.aaca.org/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://forums.aaca.org/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

[Mr Buick]

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body"> <div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body"> Yep, Bill came up and introduced himself, and I have never been the same since!! </div></div>

Heck, not only did we introduce ourseleves, but we took over the whole darned table. Doing fine, working on getting a Riviera running for the Seattle show. How bout yourself ? </div></div>

Been doing well Bill, trying to hold off the snow!!

[Guest imported_Thriller]

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body">3Jakes, I met Derek, cause he walked by and stopped me, we didn't talk long in MN, but at least we made contact, would have like to have met him near his cars, I saw them, but he wasn't there. and sorry you didn't hang out and introduce yourself to me and whoever I was with, cause we are all Buick buddies, you meet a couple of my friends, then and know the world, sort of.</div></div>

I guess that goes to the name tag / identifier concept...I didn't know it was you except that someone else happened at the same time to holler our your name...of course, if there hadn't been just a couple of us that posted our mug shots before the meet....

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Bill is another story, </div></div>

That's for sure...I met him as well in Rochester and we did get a chance to spend a bit of time chatting...staying at the same hotel helped.

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body">"beer is good food" </div></div>

You got that right, although it seems to me Lamar prefers belly buttons with a bit of lint in them <img src="http://forums.aaca.org/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://forums.aaca.org/images/graemlins/smirk.gif" alt="" />

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Eh!(for our Canadian Friends) <img src="http://forums.aaca.org/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://forums.aaca.org/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" /> </div></div>

I resemble that remark...I don't think I use it that often myself, but I could be wrong.

Personally, who all did I meet? Hmm...Bill, Roberta, John with that wonderful GS, Mr. Fixitupandtakeitonatour Shaw, Tom (previously met though, along with a number of the Gopher State / Fireball crew), Barney Eaton, the Texas crew, and I'm not sure who all else (I should have made this list closer to the time of the meet - please don't be offended if I met you and forgot you from this list).

As for Flint, right now I don't know whether or not we'll make it. We are tentatively planning a trip to the east coast for 2008...if it works out, perhaps we could time it with Flint and drop in for a day or two, but I don't see having a car there. I guess time will tell. Plans are well in place for 2007 though, although I didn't sign up for the XXX.

Brian - I'm assuming there will be a hospitality room...it could be as simple as "reserving" a table with one of those signs you're now working on for forum members. It wouldn't take a whole bunch of organization, or self-identification (especially considering many have registered and it isn't on the form, so it would be a logistical headache, unless perhaps a coloured dot or something for the name tag on arrival). That could be fun.

Anyway, as usual, I've blathered on long enough. I'm sure I don't type nearly as fast as Willis.... <img src="http://forums.aaca.org/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

[manikmekanik]

Roberta,

How about a brightly-colored, yet small, because other groups may want to do the same), sticker reading AACA/BCA forum member, to stick onto BCA nametags.

Or even an additional name tag to hang from the event tag, with forum members' user name, since that's how we'd recognize one another. A tag could be posted with a sticky here, and the members could print thier own to display at all events, bringing us that much closer, more often.

I'm a member of the BCA/Reatta division, we regularly meet at events, (as do most other judging-class groups), but are easier to identify, by a car or logo apparrel. Some of us wear Reatta pins on the nametag for easy I.D.

Personally, I'm not too hard to identify, with a unique voice, and the ever-present convertible seat-belt tan line! (I call it my "Naked water polo stripe" my bride calls it my "Beauty pageant sash tan line"). It was recently re-discovered when we got home from the 100+ degree, (and 100+ MPH) topless ride home from Rochester - 2006 BCA National meet.