|
|||||||
 |
Drivers
Class for National Meets By John P. Myer President |
||||||
The Board of Directors at their October, 2000 Board Meeting, approved a Drivers Class to be included at National Meets beginning in 2001. This new Class will be open to all non-modified vehicles 25 years old and older that have not received a First Junior Award.
This new Class is designed to promote the showing and driving of non-modified vehicles. This will be a noncompetitive class that will not be judged, but will be evaluated by a team of AACA Judges as a driver vehicle.
The Club has adopted a plan to increase our membership and this Class should encourage younger persons and others to join our Club and show their non-modified vehicles. Recognition will include an oval AACA tab for mounting to the vehicle, signifying the vehicle as a Driver Participation Vehicle. This oval will be awarded at the Awards Banquet along with a 'Driver' tab. Each time the vehicle is shown and recertified, the owner will receive another tab. Upon receiving five of these 'Driver' tabs, a mounting board will be awarded to the owner for mounting these tabs.
The Driver Class will be featured at every National Meet except the Eastern National Fall Meet (Hershey). Pre-registration is required in order to enter a vehicle in each Meet. A reduced fee for entering this Class will be offered from the usual $17.00 fee. There will be no Driver Class at the Annual Grand National Meet.
The Directors also made a change in the eligibility for Historical Preservation of Original Features (HPOF) vehicles. Beginning in 2001, vehicles in this category that are 35 years or older may be entered in the HPOF Class to be evaluated by a team of AACA Judges. Previously, vehicles had to be 45 years or older.
We believe these changes will encourage more persons to enter and participate at our National Meets in the various locations around the country. A Committee has been working for over a year on this concept, and we believe it will be good for our Club. Please plan to support this new program at the National Meets next year!
 |
What Does
AACA Do For Its Members?
By Harold E. Henry Vice President , Regions |
I have often heard the comment that AACA does not do much for the ordinary AACA member. I have even heard the statement that we really do not need AACA because we do our own thing and do not appreciate AACA telling us what to do.
Let me answer this by saying AACA wants to help its Regions and Chapters in any way it can. We have an elected Board of twenty-one (21) directors who work very hard at finding ways to improve this hobby. We listen to our members at Roundtable discussions at various meets throughout our great country. Your elected directors are anxious to hear from our membership with concerns you have regarding the operation of AACA. One of the ways directors try to communicate to its membership is through the Rummage Box magazine that is published quarterly. This publication is sent to all newsletter editors. Each publication has articles written by your directors and other officers or members. This is one avenue your directors use to tell the membership of new changes or happenings in AACA. The reason this publication is sent to Newsletter Editors is that we hope editors will publish the noncopywritten articles in their newsletter. By doing this the Region and Chapter members can find out directly from directors what is happening. Sometimes the articles are on recent legislation, new technology, and new changes in our judging system or recent happenings in AACA.
Another advantage to our members is the special multi-peril insurance policy, which covers the AACA and all of its Regions and Chapters. The AACA and all members, officers and directors are insured with respect to their bodily injury and property damage liability while performing any activities on behalf of the AACA. This also includes those members acting on behalf of Regions and Chapters. The coverage is applicable for all locations of the insured in the USA, its territories or possessions and Canada. All events such as a parade sponsored or alleged to be sponsored by the AACA, are covered for liability for both bodily injury and property damage.
Some specific coverages included in the policy are: Liability for Products, Personal injury, Non-ownership auto, Fire legal, Advertising offense, Contractual, Non-owned water craft and Host liquor law.
For a nominal annual fee, AACA Region and Chapter officials can purchase liability insurance that protects their Region/Chapter directors, officers, and board members for suits alleging wrongful acts on the part of the local club.
Each February AACA holds its annual meeting in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. All AACA members are invited to attend. There are seminars for two days that members can attend to be better informed on matters such as legislation, specific restoration, publications, Regions and Chapters, information on specific vehicles such as Fords, Chevrolets, Chrysler and others. Members are invited to the annual business meeting where the directors give reports on their various responsibilities and the AACA Financial Report is given.
These are only a few of the services provided by AACA for its membership. It is not our purpose to get from our AACA members, but what can we do for Our AACA members.
|
Involving Our Youth in AACA By Fran Shore Junior Membership Committee |
The future of all automobile clubs is dependent upon the interest of people younger than most of us. The program, "The Automobile and Its Parts" which Doug Drake and Fran Shore do at each National Meet, is a positive activity to encourage interest in the hobby and it has been an effective program
Local clubs can promote the joy of the hobby through a variety of activities within their own shows, schools, libraries and youth organizations. The following is a list of several activities that can be easily done.
-
Ask your local library to permit you to use a display case for items about the hobby and coordinate it with books about automobiles.
-
Sponsor a program with a local Boy/Girl scout troop or youth club.
Do an "Automobile and Its Parts" program.
Teach some "how-to's" of car care with older youth.
Present an automotive history.
Invite the troop or group to attend and/or assist with a local or national meet or show.
Use young people to help prepare "goody" bags.
Have youth help to distribute fliers.
Permit young people to hand out meet plaques and/or awards.
-
Sponsor a school club approach your middle and high school assistant principal or guidance counselor about this.
-
Do a school assembly about the hobby and follow with a small display of cars. Use cars that youth enjoy; i.e.: sport cars and those of interest to youth.
-
Share a book list about automobiles with your members for gift purchases for children, grandchildren, relatives and friends.
-
Have a car art workshop at one of your shows.
Create a new car design, hood ornament, etc.
Design a license plate for your state or yourself
-
Have a young people's event:
a. Model car display
b. Old time movies
c. Slides or videos of and about cars, even modern ones.
d. A story time for younger children about automobiles.
e. Do an apprentice type judging team with older youth.
-
Make pictorial judging sheets and give to young people at local shows. Select about 6 cooperative car owners.
-
Give each child who attends a show a coloring sheet and perhaps a cutaway drawing for older youth.
-
Have a pictorial scavenger hunt at a car show for young people. They identify the "found" item by car number or name of car and class. Top of the sheet; The rule; Do Not Touch Car!
 |
Q&A
from the Library By Russell J. Fisher AACA Library Board |
|
The AACA Library and Research Center is a fantastic resource for participation in the antique automobile hobby. The library is used all over the world for retrieving information for your restoration or satisfying a curiosity. To help you further understand the library's purpose and function, a list of frequently asked questions has been compiled over the past year. The question that is asked most often is: How do I use the library? The library's normal operating hours are Monday - Friday, 8:30 A.M. - 3:45 P.M. A staff member will greet you and ask you to sign a guest book and make your request. The staff member will retrieve the information from the library stacks, which are located on both the upper and lower levels. You can look at the information at one of the library's reading tables and the staff can make photocopies for you if needed. For those of you who cannot visit the library in person, you can use a research request form. This form can either be mailed to you or downloaded from the AACA website. After completing this form, just mail it back. The librarian will do the research and send you a reply. If there are materials available for copying, an order form listing the items plus costs will be sent to you. Simply check off the materials you would like to have copied and return the form to the library with the proper remittance. The material will then be copied and sent to you. The second question is: Is there a fee to use the library? There is no charge to visit the library. The charges that would occur when doing on-site research would be for photocopies. On mail inquiries, there is a research fee charge as well as the charge for photocopies. The fee for this research is $1.00 for the first hour and $2.50 an hour after that, up to and including 10 hours. We have found that the average research fee is $3.50. Black and white photocopies by mail are $.30 while color photocopies by mail are $3.00. Onsite copy charges are $.25 for black and white copies and $2.50 for color copies. In addition, donations are always welcome. The third frequently asked question is: Can our region/car club tour the library? The answer is yes! Tours by regions, chapters and car clubs are welcome. We open the library and national headquarters on weekends for tours only. No research takes place at these times. The tour usually takes about an hour and is conducted by the executive director and/or the librarian. Several groups have planned car runs and included the library and headquarters on their itinerary and we have had groups come by bus. The fourth question is: What do you have on my car? What colors did it come in? Do you have wiring diagrams? The answer is that materials we have on hand vary from car to car. Our collection consists of sales literature, owner's manuals, shop manuals, parts books, photographs, color charts, wiring diagrams, some blueprints, books and periodicals. When a request is made, the research is done on the car and the patron is informed as to what the current collection holds on their car. We cannot tell where the car was first sold or the name of the original owner. The fifth question: Do you sell parts? We do not sell parts. However, we can sometimes direct you to a possible source. The sixth question: Is there a club for my automobile? We will check our sources and let you know if we can find an organization for your car. Of course, we assume that the AACA is your first club preference. The seventh question is: Can I fax you a picture? We prefer that pictures not be faxed. They lose too much detail and that can hinder proper identification. The eighth question is: Will you fax material to me on my car? The answer is no, we do not fax material. We will mail photocopies to you. This is for the same reason that we do not accept pictures that are faxed The ninth question: Can you do my research in the next hour? Requests are generally handled in the order that they are received. So, we probably cannot do your research within the next hour. However, as soon as the time is available, we will do the research and of course, there are exceptions depending upon the urgency of the request. The tenth and final question is: Can I renew my book here? The answer is no. Contact the Hershey Public Library for that is probably where you checked out your book originally. |
|
|
|
|
|
The
Regions Committee Needs Your Help
By Jeff Locke AACA Regions Committee |
|
About 12 years ago we sent out a survey form to every Region/Chapter President and to every Newsletter Editor we knew of. The results of this survey led directly to the creation of three very useful programs that have benefited a great many regions and chapters.
First, we expanded the Friday President's Dinner at the AACA Annual Convention in Philadelphia in February to include spouses or guests, if desired. This created an immediate increase in the number of club Presidents or representatives, at this important dinner. The real benefit was increased communication between clubs and the AACA Board of Directors.
Second, we created a video program that has been converting the AACA Films (16mm) to video cassetter to make it easier for the regions and chapters to borrow from the AACA Museum Film and Video Center and use for their meetings, etc.
Third, we established the Regions/Chapters Officers Training Seminar at the annual meeting. This seminar has always been well attended and serves as a clearinghouse for good ideas among the meeting officers attending. At the seminar we give out a manual to the attendees. There is also a two hour video available on loan from AACA Headquarters or for purchase at $20. For those regions and chapters not having representation at the Annual meeting and this valuable seminar, we recommend that you contact AACA Headquarters, ask to borrow the training video (which comes with a manual that we want you to keep). Your region/chapter can purchase the video after viewing it if so desired. Either way you keep the Training Seminar Manual.
These valuable ideas all came its a result of survey forms returned to us (over 40% of the last survey forms were returned!). In this issue of the "Rummage Box" is another survey that we arc asking you to complete. Your comments, questions, ideas, and concerns will guide us in solving your concerns and problems and in the programs we develop for you. Only you can make this survey successful.
Please complete the survey form and return it by January 15th (so I have time to tabulate the responses prior to the February AACA annual meeting) to:
Jeff Locke
900 Taft Road
Chesapeake, VA 23322
You can fax it to me at (757) 421-4165 or email to: olcamut@pilot.infl.net.
| Become Familiar
with the AACA Policy and Procedure Manual
By Sharon M. Lee Chairman, Policy and Procedure |
Like any well-run company or sports team for that matter, rules to work or play by seem to make things run smoother.
Since being elected to the AACA Board, one of my responsibilities was to maintain a current version of the AACA Policy and Procedure Manual and submit revisions. The PPM is published annually to incorporate all the appropriate changes made during the year and distributed to each National Officer and the President of each Region and Chapter to assist members in their efforts to maintain the high standards of the AACA.
In performing these duties this year, I now have a better understanding of what AACA is all about. It is amazing what information can be obtained by simply reading the Policy and Procedure Manual. The Chairman of National Judges Training, David Wunsch, stated he wanted to "Get Back to the Basics." I think that would be a good theme for all new members as well as our seasoned members. The New Year would be a good time for all Region/ Chapter presidents to review the Policy and Procedure Manual. Our Manual has a concise history of AACA and describes the functions and responsibilities of the club's leaders. There are complete instructions on how to organize and host national and divisional tours, how to host a national meet and many other informative facts are also covered.
AACA has a strategic plan in place to increase membership and this can be accomplished. Your local Region or Chapter can begin by learning more about the structure of our organization. One way to do this is for local Regions and Chapters to send a representative to the Annual Meeting of AACA in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on February 9-10, 2001. The representative can get your club's copy of the revised Policy and Procedure Manual, attend the many informative seminars that are held at the meeting and report back to the members at large. The Legislative Committee will update you on what legislation is being proposed that can adversely affect all of us as antique car enthusiasts. An informed member is a proactive member.
I urge every member to start the New Year with becoming familiar with AACA. The best place to start is by reviewing the Policy and Procedure Manual. Informed members are better equipped to be team players. Be an informed member of AACA
Region/Chapter Name:
Geographical area:
2001 President's Name:
Address:
Phone:( ) Email Address:
How big is your Region/Chapter (count spouses also)?
Name of your newsletter:
Newsletter Editor:
Editor's Address:
Do you exchange newsletters with other clubs? If so, how many?
Is your newsletter entered in the AACA Newsletter Contest?
SURVEY
-
Have you used one of the AACA 16mm films at a meeting in the last three years?
More than once?
-
Have you used one of the AACA Videos at a meeting in the last three years?
-
How many times have you used Guest Speakers at meetings in the last three years?
What type of guest speakers have you used? (Ex: AACA Speakers Bureau, restoration firm/specialist, local historian, author, etc.)
-
What type of club meeting do you most often have? (Ex.- regular dinner meetings, regular monthly meetings (without dinner), tech session, picnic, etc.)
-
How many of your members, and spouses, attend your regular monthly meetings:
On the average? # Children (under 12)?
-
Do you hold a "technical session" of some sort at least once a year?
-
Do you hold a local "judging school" at least every two years?
-
Do you have an annual picnic?
-
Do you have driving tours (Ex: Sunday afternoon run)?
-
Do you have an annual overnight (or longer) driving tour?
-
Do you have any activities in conjunction with another AACA club?
If so, what type (Ex: combined picnic, combined meeting, car show, etc.)?
-
Which of your activities is the most popular? Why?
-
Do you have an organized program for young people (ages 12-18) ?
If so, what is the program?
If not what do you do to attract younger members?
-
Do you have an annual car show?
Does your car show generate any new members?
-
Have you ever hosted an AACA National Activity (Ex: National Meet or Tour)?
If so, what type and when last?
Did you generate any new members as a result?
-
When was the last article about your region/chapter in the local newspaper?
Did you generate any new members as a result?
-
What are the biggest concerns facing your region/chapter (Ex: attracting new members, etc)?
1 )
2)
3)
-
What would you like to see us do to help your region/chapter?
Please complete this form and mail by January 15, 2001 to:
Jeff Locke
900 Taft Road
Chesapeake, VA 23322.
Telephone number (757) 421-9028
Fax:(757) 421-4165
Email to: olcamut@ pilot.infi.net
|
|
Jumps
Annoying to All, Should be Avoided By John M. Hart Jr. Chair, Communications Subcommittee of the Regions Committee |
|
It's been a few issues since I had a chance to talk with the various editors and while I try to return all the e-mail you send, sometimes it just gets a little overwhelming. You will notice in this edition that there are three stories that "jump" from one page to another when there is not enough space on a page to conclude the author's article. Jumping is quite common in print media and in some cases cannot be avoided. That is not to say that is should be used as the norm since, in most cases, the practice is annoying to the reader and in many cases results in a story only being half-read. With the advent of the desktop and our ability to change type size, leading and kerning at the flick of a button, most stories can be "made to fit." For instance, most of the Rummage Box is in 12 point on 13 leading. This story is I I on 12. But in the event you have a long-winded columnist but with an article worth every word of printing, don't be ,afraid of the jump, just remember to use It wisely. And now for an answer to the many questions about the mistake in a headline no less, located on page 2 of the Summer 2000 Rummage Box. The article title "Your automobile has won it all! Now wht do you do?" Well there was an "a" left out of the what and it was a mistake. Even though the piece went through a spell checker and our editors here at Dunmore Publishing proofed the newsletter, as did others on the Regions Committee and National, it happens. And does happen to all of us all the time. Proofing is very important when putting together a newsletter and our goal for every edition is to be error free. And while that will not always happen, it is, and will always be the objective. |
|
|
Annual Meeting
Designed with Members in Mind |
|
Come to
Philadelphia
65th Antique Automobile Club of America February 9-10,
2001 Trade Show Watch for
registration in Antique Automobile |
What better way to beat the winter doldrums than to plan a trip to historic Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Better yet, plan that trip to coincide with the AACA Annual Meeting scheduled for February 9-10, 2001 at the Wyndham Franklin Plaza in Philadelphia.
This year's meeting, under new leadership, promises to be one of the best ever. As always, there will be an abundance of seminars on many hobby-related topics.
The Trade Show, a tradition now in its 14th year, promises to add new exhibitors that will provide members with specific goods and services that will help them become more knowledgeable about all aspects of antique vehicle restoration, maintenance and ownership.
In addition to all of the aforementioned activities, there will be National Judging Schools for judges of all levels; a First Lady's Brunch and much more.
If you are President of your Region or Chapter, look for your invitation to attend the Regional President's Dinner on Friday evening. We are planning to continue the exhibit of several antique vehicles in the trade show area.
Our National Headquarters staff will be in attendance with Club items for sale and to answer any questions you may have regarding membership or related matters.
And PLEASE, remember to bring your region or chapter banner to hang in the lobby for all to see.