In 2010 we will celebrate our 75th anniversary. There will be a Special Meet to recognize this event as well as activities and memorabilia to commemorate this phenomenal achievement. Since the beginning in 1935 when 14 gentlemen and one woman met to share the common love of antique cars, we have grown to be an internationally recognized organization with over 60,000 members representing 50 countries. There is nothing that says that bigger is better, but our growth has been remarkable and would certainly surprise our original founders.

If you could do it all again would you join the AACA? What makes you continue to participate with local and national events? What would it take to share your thoughts with a potential member?

This year I have served as your Vice President of Membership. This position is responsible for facilitating the Membership Roundtables that are held at each meet, working with you, the member, to identify ways to increase our membership and coordinate the staffing of the Membership Booths at Hershey. All of this is important and a lot of fun, but it is not my job alone; attracting and retaining members is the responsibility of all of us. There is no one person that
can build our membership or, who alone, represents the organization; it takes all of us working together to get ready for the next 75 years of the AACA.

Every time you welcome a person to your local meeting, say hello to someone at a car show or talk about your favorite car, you are representing the AACA. Do you realize how important you are to our future? You have direct access to people who might like to join our club. You can let someone know what we do, how much fun belonging to the AACA can be, and how he or she can join. Show someone our phenomenal magazine. Invite a guest to go to a meeting with you and introduce them to your friends.

Remember that the more you know about the club, the better you can be at generating enthusiasm and getting new members. Attend our Meets, visit the Library and the Museum (at least online) and participate on our tours. Better yet, volunteer to help with some part of the club ~ locally or nationally. Come to a Membership Roundtable or make a suggestion to a Board Member of something we can do differently to improve, or to get new members.

I need you, and the future of AACA needs you. Just like our founders when they started the club we also want to believe that the AACA will be around to celebrate its 100th anniversary and more. This isn’t just the responsibility of the Vice President of Membership. It is your job too! I hope to see you soon at a Membership Roundtable, a Meet, a Tour or in Kentucky next year for our Diamond Jubilee! Go get a new member and get ready for our future.

You’re excited, your Region has just decided to host a big event and everybody is talking about what attractions they’ll show off to the attendees and the tours they’d like to do. You’ve been selected to be Chairman of the Event by your club, a great honor. Then depression sets in. What about the ugly financial part of the event? You’ve never negotiated with a hotel or a big caterer in your life and don’t even have a clue how to begin! Don’t panic, it’s not so different from buying any big-ticket item. Both parties want the best deal for their organization. Good for one doesn’t have to be bad for the other.  Best value is not necessarily lowest price! But, don’t be afraid to walk away from a bad deal. Just like in buying a car, there are alternatives.

You’ve probably already reviewed the official AACA Policy & Procedures manual (on-line in PDF format in the Publications section of the website www.aaca.org). This document gives overall guidance (Section 4) for National Meets and Tours. You can print just this section if you like, for reference.

Start by estimating the realistic number of cars and attendees for your event.  Look at past club events in your area and similar national events. Call the tour chairmen from those events. There’s nothing like the voice of experience. Be conservative. Understand your upside and your downside numbers. There’s nothing worse than planning for 200 cars when only 75 actually attend. That’s a financial disaster! This is the most difficult part of planning the whole event. But if you are realistic and budget for the most likely number, then hotels and restaurants can generally help you with accommodating higher than planned participation. From a budget perspective, those attendees over your base budget break even level will put you in the profit column for your event.

Your attendees are your customers and they all have one thing in common. They all like to eat! That’s the main part of the socialization at any event. We drive our antique vehicles to get to those eating locations! You will probably have a sit down banquet as part of your event. But, it doesn’t necessarily have to be in the host hotel. Consider outdoor BBQ’s with a caterer. Church and civic groups like Lion’s or Kiwanis clubs have experience and facilities for feeding people inexpensively, and there may be other alternatives. As you look at facilities, don’t forget about handicapped access and the ability for the food provider to handle special dietary needs. Visit the Convention & Visitor’s Bureaus in the larger towns or the Chamber of Commerce in smaller towns. They know the pulse of their community and can make recommendations.

Your tour and attractions committees have been working hard on locations, so it’s time to get serious on the Host Hotel and alternatives. Look at everything from the eyes of your guests. They are Your Customers. They want a good value for their money and it’s your job to give it to them. So, with number of attendees and your requirements in hand, start visiting the Event Directors at the primary locations. Shop around. Don’t accept the first offers. Economic times are tough right now, which is to your advantage! Ask for discounts, you’re bringing in business. Ask for complimentary rooms for hospitality or meetings or club merchandise sales. Play hardball. Check multiple hotels and towns and play them off against each other, if necessary.

Use your Visitor’s Bureau/Chamber of Commerce contacts for help. As you narrow down your choices, it is wise to have your assistant event chairman attend the final negotiations. Sometimes having a second person sitting with you can strengthen your position (two of you vs. the hotel person, since you’re on their turf) and has the added advantage that he/she knows the key parts of the plan if you get sick. Lock in your contracts early with written agreements to handle upside (and downside) so you’re not re-negotiating at the 11th hour when the hotel and caterers truly have you over the barrel.

Use similar logic when negotiating for lunch stops. Check menus and get a quote from the location/facility you prefer to use. If the quote is $30 a person when your budget is $15 a person, this does not necessarily mean you have to walk away. Make a counter offer with verbiage like this. “Economic times are tough. I don’t want to price this event so it is out of reach of the people we want to participate. What can I get for $12 a person?” At this point the supplier will see that you want to use his services and he is at risk of losing the business of a couple of hundred customers. He’ll find a way to fit into your budget. If he fails, THEN you can walk away.

With the food, accommodations, and host hotel prices locked down, you are free to handle the thousand other things involved in producing a memorable event!

AACA SCHOLARSHIPS

By JOE GAGLIANO
Chairman-AACA Youth Awards Committee

As we approach the latter part of the year, I thought it would be beneficial to remind everyone of the great scholarship opportunities AACA has to offer to our members and their families. December 1st is the deadline for submitting an application or nomination, so now is the time to request an application and begin the process.

Listed below is a summary of the scholarships which are available. More detailed information can be found on the club’s internet site, www.aaca.org and will be available in a future article in the Antique Automobile magazine.

AACA Scholarship

$1000 cash is awarded to an AACA member, child or grandchild of an AACA member in good standing for at least 5 years, who has been accepted to or is now enrolled in an institution of higher education.

Eligibility: The award is open to any member, child or grandchild of an active AACA member of at least 5 years in good standing who:

• Is entering any institution of higher learning leading to a diploma.

• Is now enrolled in such institution at any level.

• Has demonstrated an active interest in AACA through participation in its programs OR has shown active interest in the hobby of antique vehicles through restoration, preservation, or ownership of antique vehicles. It may only be awarded once to any individual
   

Deadline: Applications must be submitted by December 1st of the year preceding the AACA Annual Meeting in February.

AACA Young People’s Award

A $1000 cash award to a high school senior that is a member, child or grandchild of an active AACA member, in good standing for at least five years, who has been accepted into an accredited institution of higher education, i.e. a four-year college leading to a bachelors degree or a two-year vocational education program leading to a diploma.

Eligibility: This award is open to any high school senior, that is a member, child, or grandchild of an active AACA member of good standing for at least five years, who:

• Will graduate or has graduated from high school in the spring of the year before the award will be given. (i.e. graduate spring 2009, award in February 2010)

• Has received a letter of acceptance from either a four-year college leading to a bachelors degree or from a two-year vocational educational program leading to a diploma or is currently enrolled

• Has demonstrated an active interest in and made a significant contribution to the successful operation of an AACA region or chapter and / or

• Has demonstrated a long-time, active interest in the ownership, restoration of, or preservation of antique vehicles or automobilia.

Nomination: A nomination may be submitted upon receipt of a majority vote of the Board of Directors of an AACA region or chapter, as duly noted in the official meeting minutes of that Board of Directors’ meeting.

The Board of Directors of the AACA region or chapter should submit an official nomination form (available from AACA Headquarters or AACA website) which consists of typed document of not more than one page (one side of one sheet of paper) stating why it is felt the graduate nominee should receive the award,

Attach to the submission a copy of the graduate’s letter of acceptance to the institution of higher education and evidence (transcripts) of academic standing.

Deadline for Nomination: Nominations must be received by December 1st of the year preceding the AACA Annual Meeting in February.

AACA Student Scholarship Award:

The AACA Student Scholarship Award is a $1,500 cash award to a student currently enrolled in an institution of higher learning leading up to a degree in antique automotive technology and / or restoration.

Eligibility: This award is open to any student

• Attending any institution or higher learning leading to a diploma in automotive technology and/ or restoration and has shown an active interest in the hobby of antique vehicles through restoration, preservation, or ownership of such vehicles.
  It may be awarded only once to any individual.

Nomination:Nomination for the award will be accepted from any faculty member from the school or university of attendance

Deadline for Nomination: Deadline for nominations is December 1st of the year preceding the AACA Annual Meeting in February.

The applications for the scholarship awards may be obtained from AACA Headquarters and / or the AACA Website. Please promote our scholarships. We are very proud to have these programs and encourage AACA members, their children and grandchildren to pursue them.

Notes from National Headquarters

By Steve Moskowitz, Executive Director

Make sure you and your Region/Chapter members have your email addresses on file to receive our monthly publication the AACA Speedster. We are able to give you important information on a very timely basis. Make sure you open these emails and click on all the links.  Also, this is not spam so make sure your computer is allowing it to get to you!
 
The club has lots of new merchandise so check out our store on the website. www.aaca.org continues to be one of the best kept secrets in our club. Tons of new items to commemorate our 75th Anniversary and when they are gone, they are gone! There is also a wealth of news and information about the club on our website. Our Forums provide a great way to learn about all things related to the antique car hobby and to build friendships. You can even sell cars or parts but buying may be more fun and it is all for free on our site.
 
Speaking of merchandise, please let us know if there is something you would really like to see us produce. The new items are from two piece rain suits, playing cards, diecast trucks, figurines, etc! See our new line of Muscle Car clothing items!
 
Make sure you keep up with all the changes in our Library and Museum. Their links are on our website as well. Lots of things are happening with both organizations and there is a wealth of great and important information on their sites. Our premier AACA Librarian, Chris Ritter has our library well ensconced in the 21st Century. You will be able to listen to podcasts and keep up with him on Twitter!
 
We have a unique perspective at headquarters as most everything club related eventually passes through our office. One thing is very obvious to us; those Regions who really want to grow and add membership find ways to do so! Inspired leaders all around the country have proven that clubs can grow even if they have been stagnant in the past With the four free memberships provided each year, a new half year membership and a benefit package that is not remotely matched by any car club in the country, there is no reason for AACA not to be increasing our ranks in large chunks. We know of a club gaining 100 new members by joining forces with a non-AACA club. Obviously the memberships of both of those clubs are very progressive. Your Region and AACA need an aggressive campaign to grow and provide activities to keep the enjoyment of our hobby at a high level. Make a personal commitment to make this happen in 2010!
 
As always, we are only a phone call, letter or email away if you need anything or have any ideas for us. Thanks and as always stay healthy and be happy in the greatest hobby in the world!

The AACA’s Biggest Secret?

Have you checked out the AACA Web Site? It’s amazing to me that we have so many AACA members that own computers, but who have never been on our web site, especially our AACA Forums. There is an amazing amount of history on the web, the AACA Site, included.

Photo Courtesy of Old Cars Weekly

Just recently, a very interesting topic was posted concerning the Barney Pollard Car Collection. This message began with an innocent question from a gentleman who had recently purchased a 1934 Auburn, purported to be from the Pollard Collection. As usually happens on our web site, comments and interest started to come in, along with even more questions about the famous Mr. Pollard. Other members began posting that they too had bought one of the Pollard cars. Eventually, Steve Moskowitz, AACA Executive Director, admitted that a upcoming Pollard story was in the works for our AACA Magazine. Steve had also contacted Mr. Jim Dillon, Mr. Pollard’s grandson, and that’s when the fun began. Jim’s remembrances of his grandfather made for interesting reading, as he related family history, along with some close personal aspects that only a family member would know. Another story was added by another member concerning the Henry Ford/Barney Pollard relationship. This in turn led to a “link” to another web site, The Jalopy Journal! The “short trip” to the Jalopy Journal finds Jim Dillon again. This time we hear about the Ford/Pollard relationship, that included a disagreement over government contracts during World War II. The War effort was using a lot of steel, including any scrap metal available. Of course, any old inoperative cars setting around (sound familiar?) were expected to be turned in to keep our military supplied with tanks, jeeps, and ships. Since the Ford plant was nearby, Barney was expected to send his “scrap cars” to the Ford Foundry.

Jim Dillon’s words: “Long story short, my grandfather had many Fords in his collection and so he took over only Fords, one a week for a few weeks and then he stopped. Ford never turned him in (to the US Government) as he figured my grandfather would only continue to bring Fords.”
These stories, the fire of 1976, and more are just a click away on your personal computer on the WEB!

Remnants of the April 1976 Pollard Fire
Photo courtesy of Old Cars Weekly!
 

Links to this article:
www.oldcarsweekly.com
www.jalopyjournal.com
www.aaca.org