I was asked to get involved and see if the issue could be resolved. I’m happy to report, that it was and the region/ chapter received a new member. I thought I’d share with you some lessons learned.

I called the region/ chapter President and found that the contact person no longer did that job and wasn’t very conscientious about forwarding leads, when he did do it. Next the sponsorship requirement was no longer mandatory, it was an old condition left on the application form.

With today’s competition for new members, our regions and chapters have go the extra mile to attract and sign up prospective members.

Make sure your contact information is current and your contact people are available and dedicated to welcoming new members.

Provide more than one contact reference.

When a prospective member shows interest in your club, send them copies of your newsletter, especially those that feature your events and activities.

When you write articles, make sure you convey the fun and enthusiasm of your club

Also send them a copy of your future activities and events and invite them to participate.

Make sure if they accept your invitation, they are greeted, welcomed and hosted by someone in your club at the first few events they attend. It is a little un-nerving to attend an event, as a stranger, and know no one.

Make sure you introduce the prospective members as guests at the meeting, and introduce them to as many members as possible.

If they have antique cars, mention what they are; there maybe someone there with similar interests

In my chapter we suggest to prospective members they attend three meetings or activities beore making their decision to join. It gives them a broader range of experience and no pressure on joining the club right a way.

Remember, getting new members usually takes some effort and selling, make it easy for new, prospective to join your club then work hard to keep them.

The objective of AACA National Meet Judging as stated in the “Official Judging Rules and Guidelines”, sometimes referred to as the Judging Manual, is to evaluate an antique vehicle that has been restored to the “same state as when the dealer received the vehicle from the factory”. AACA judges all makes and models of antique vehicles and it is virtually impossible for members of a judging team to be familiar with every component of every vehicle in a class. Therefore, proof of authenticity for purposes of AACA National Meet Judging is the vehicle owner’s responsibility.

Judges are required to “accept factory written proof of authenticity without question. Any feature, option or accessory shown in the original factory catalog, sales literature or company directives for a model year will be accepted for judging.” Verbal opinion of the owner and magazine articles, manuals and publications that are not factory authorized may be accepted or rejected by the judging team at the team captain’s discretion.

Before the Judging Team begins judging the vehicle, the team captain will introduce himself/herself to the vehicle owner and let them know that they are ready to start judging the vehicle. This is the ideal time for the owner to tell the team captain that he/she has documentation available for the team members to review and to suggest that the team take a minute to look at the documentation. If the vehicle is one that is not often seen on the judging field or, for example, if the owner is aware of the fact that he/she has had points deducted at a previous meet for certain components, then the vehicle owner should tell the team captain that and ask the team to review the documentation showing that the components are authentic.

Specific guidelines for judging antique vehicles are listed in Section VIII of the judging manual. Judges are required to follow these guidelines and documentation is required from the owner for any exceptions. The manual is available from AACA Headquarters or at every AACA National Judging School. The schools are open to all AACA members and vehicle owners are encouraged to attend one each year. Schools are conducted on the Friday afternoon before each National Meet and are usually held at the headquarters hotel.

Documentation is especially important for certain components that may vary from model to model or even from vehicle to vehicle. On some vehicles, radiator and hose clamps may not all be alike or may vary from model to model or even vehicle to vehicle. Documentation should be provided to the team captain showing that the vehicle’s clamps are authentic. Other areas that should be documented include trim/striping/moldings, decals, carpet, upholstery, tires, valve stems/\covers, batteries, spark plugs, spark plug wires, and tape/tubing. Class 27 vehicle owners should have extensive documentation available and should ask the team captain to review it with the team before they begin judging the vehicle.

Remember, National Meet Judging is not just the responsibility of the judging team, it is also the vehicle owner’s responsibility. The team will evaluate the vehicle based on the specific guidelines in the judging manual, but it is the vehicle owner’s responsibility to know what is contained in the specific guidelines and to provide documentation establishing the authenticity of any components that do not comply with those guidelines. In addition the owner should be prepared to document the authenticity of all other vehicle components. The result of these efforts on the part of the vehicle owner and the judging team should be a fair, honest and reasonable evaluation of the antique vehicle.

I think it appropriate to congratulate my predecessor, Bill Smith on his selection as the Meguairs Man of the Year. It is probably the single most prestigious honor in the car hobby and even includes a black tie affair ala the Oscar awards. It will be televised! Of course, behind every successful man there is a woman and I am sure Jeanne is basking in the glow of the selection as well. I know all of you will join me in congratulating the Smiths and wishing them a wonderful time in California as he accepts this well deserved award.

Speaking of the Meguairs Man of the Year, a previous recipient was Jay Leno. Jay has been gracious enough to share several phone calls with me on the state of the hobby. I have asked for him to be a part of an exciting new possibility for AACA. I can’t let the “cat out of the bag” yet but we are in negotiations on several fronts for a major new announcement for AACA.

I will continue to plead as others will also, for your support. We need more of you to step up and host a meet or tour. We know that the amount of work is hard for some clubs. However, we have had very small Regions and Chapters put on a successful meet. Your Directors and headquarters stand ready to help you in every way possible. You need to “get into the game.” Please do not stand on the sidelines, as the reward for becoming involved will pay dividends with your membership and ours.

For those of you that always comply with sending in your Region information, we thank you. Peggy Hoerner, in our office works very hard to keep this information up to date. Sadly, some of our groups refuse to comply with our by-laws and do not send the ORF’s in or other required data. It is very important for your insurance coverage to also make sure your members are our members. Please help.

Well, by the time you read this the shows and tours will be starting. Gainesville to Palatka. Seems like a short drive but there is a whole lot of activity in between! Get your car out and join us! Make sure you flag me down at any meet and let’s talk AACA! See you in a few……

William Phelps Eno was born in New York in 1858. At the age of nine while on a trip to New York City with his mother, their carriage became involved in a traffic jam that took over an hour to resolve. This incident made an impact on Eno and he spent his life working to improve the traffic flow. Eno wrote a treatise titled "Reform of Our Street Traffic Urgently Needed" in 1900 and became known as a world-renowned expert on vehicular traffic. In 1903, he published the first primer for driving titled "The Rules for Driving" and developed the world's first traffic regulations in New York City. In 1904, Eno designed the country's first real roundabout that became known as New York City's Columbus Circle.  Eno's reasoning behind the roundabout was that traffic would flow easier if everyone were moving in the same direction. Eno frequently traveled abroad in his work and developed the first traffic plans for several foreign cities including London and Paris.

Other traffic ideas developed by Eno include the stop sign, one-way streets, pedestrian safety islands, crosswalks, bus stops, taxi stands and traffic signal towers.  He is also credited for developing the ideas of "slow traffic keep right", "passing on the left only", pavement markings, the driver's license, vehicle registration, traffic cops, and issuing citations for traffic violations.  In addition, he produced the concept of a subway in New York City.

Eno's developments extended to include maritime and railroad operations, and eventually, aviation. In 1921, Eno established the Eno Foundation, a private, non-profit organization dedicated to improving all modes of transportation on ground, air, and water. The Eno Foundation still exists today and publishes books and reports on various transportation topics, including the foundation's journal "Transportation Quarterly". William Eno was one of the founders of the Institute of Transportation Engineers in 1930.

John Eno died in 1945 at the age of 86. His inventions have undoubtedly prevented many accidents and saved many lives over the years. Ironically, the father of traffic safety cared very little for the automobile and he never learned to drive. He had a chauffeur drive him wherever he wanted to go.