"It's all about the money!"

[Loren L.]

Can I hear an "AMEN" from the congregation/ *NM*

[Ronnie Robertson # 36786]

Amen... *NM*

[John D.]

Remember it is a guideline

I believe that the operable word is "guideline". As I understand a guideline it is a recomended action. Sounds to me like the individual chapters still can elect to follow whatever rules the individual chapters set regarding the charging or not charging of fees.

I think if the Board really meant to set this as a policy, then I would also think there should have been a membership vote on the issue.

[Patrick H.]

Re: Remember it is a guideline

John,

Save for our votes for Regional Representative, there is NEVER a membership vote on anything in NCRS.

Patrick

[Chuck S.]

Now, Patrick, It's Not Quite True...

That we NEVER get the chance to "vote" on anything except regional representative.

Don't you remember that survey NCRS requested from us back in the early nineties on whether we wanted to include advertising and late model parts coverage in the Driveline? I don't remember how the survey went, but everybody must have been overwhelmingly in favor of it.

[Patrick H.]

Re: Now, Patrick, It's Not Quite True...

OK. Once every eon. We're next up in 2090?

[Scott S.]

Re: "It's all about the money!"

Mike,
As Co-Chairman of the 2004 NCRS National, We welcome you to attend the Convention where your yankee dollar currently buys 1.33 dollars Canadian. Our committee has planned a great event with many activities. See your November-December Driveline for information.
Scott Sinclair #2379

[Michael S.]

Re: "It's all about the money!"

Thanks Scott! Hope to see you there, Ah!

Mike

[Dick W.]

Re: "It's all about the money!"

As I sit here reading all the comments (having just come back from the NW Regional) and being one of the "clowns that pays to perform", it never ceases to amaze me at the people looking for a "free lunch". The hobby is just another form of recreation. Like fishing, golf, sports, etc. What does one round of golf cost???

From 1985 to 2000 I helped with planning and hosting/co-hosting Chapter meets, 5 or 6 Regionals, and two National Conventions (two different chapters). The majority of the meets we were scared to death (ask Keith Biggers) that we would break even. And we did not always do so. You have to charge fees to pay for the meets. There "ain't" nothing free at the resorts and convention centers. As stated in a prior post, the judges meals can cost from $10 to $20 dollars for a very simple sandwich, fruit, cookie, and drink (a full compliment of judges I think is 168). You have to pay these prices as the facilities do not allow you to furnish food or drink unless they prepare/serve it. Rooms have to be rented for various functions. Audio visual equiment has to be rented, Indoor facilities start at $1,000 a day and go up from there. I could go on for an hour listing what has to be paid for. I think that you would be lucky if the budget for a small, no frills, Regional was under $10,000. A moderate sized National Convention $100,000+.

Money does not just appear to pay for these things. I do not like the costs any more that anyone else, but how do we do what the participants want with out costs???? Our membership does not like the motel parking lot Regionals anymore, so we have to pay for the frills.

Chapters use profits that they might make to provide judging schools, buy necessary supplies, donate to a worthwhile charity, etc. I do not know of any members that personally share the profits.

Where can you get several days of entertainment for the price of a registration? Been to the movies lately?

Where else can you find the camaraderie and making new friends, seeing old friends that you do at a meet??

[Mike Cobine]

Re: "It's all about the money!"

Dick,

I don't think anyone here is looking for a free lunch. But they don't want to pay $70 for a hot dog that everyone else pays $5 for, either.

If the members want better services, then let those using the better services pay the price. Those who attend the tech sessions, the classes, and have their cars judged can make the price of the event.

If you believe that ALL members have to bear the burden, then on the next annual membership renewal, send out a bill to every member for $100. That extra $60 should generate $60 x 50,000 = $3,000,000. That should pay for every regional and national during the year. Then each member gets in free.

If not, then send a bill out for more than $100.

But don't insult me that I want a "free lunch". Or that I am too cheap to pay for quality events. All I want is fairness. I believe most here just want a fair shake.

My previous Corvette weekend activities frequently hit the $200 mark or more for the event entry fee ten years ago. That was entry only. It didn't include lunch, hotel, travel, or anything. It was the entry. It allowed me to participate.

The workers got a free lunch, literally. They didn't pay to get in and lunch was provided to them.

It is a well-known concept of lettings those who play, pay.

And being thankful that some chose to work so that others could play. I can't imagine forcing the workers to pay the same as the players. I can't think of another organization that does.

And it is more than that. Those having cars judged profit from it. Any car sold with an NCRS award is sold for much more than one without. And the difference between one without and one with is a lot more than a $100 judging fee. So they can afford it.

> Where else can you find the camaraderie and making new friends,
> seeing old friends that you do at a meet??

I don't know about you, but if I had to pay to see friends, I wouldn't consider them friends. My friends let me in for free, they don't charge me $70 at their door. Many people lately mistake aquaintances for friends.

BTW, Florida Chapter Winter Regional is (was) a motel parking lot event. It was usually packed.

[Mark D.]

Hey Spinach er, a, Strinich

You are such a trouble maker. Where have you been since you started all this? You even got Dickie involved.

Regards,

Mark Donnally

[Dick W.]

Re: "It's all about the money!"

I know that Florida is/was a parking lot event. All the snowbirds wanted to get out of the North in the winter to do the car thing. But ask Ed Augustine and crew how hard it is to make the "numbers work". It takes many hours for the chapters sponsoring an event to just get a budget that you can live with. This is not so much about making money, but at least not losing any. It is extremely hard to police attendance at events as it is, but having different levels of registration would be a nightmare to enforce.

As far as friends, I am thankful for the ones that I paid registration fees to meet. Aquaintenances do not call, write, email regularly. I was blessed to be able to attend (and pay registration) the Welches Regional. Visited with old friends for hours. Renewed old aquaintenances.

Most events are, maybe, marginally profitable. A chapter cannot afford to lose much money if they are going to stay around.

I do not think that event costs have gone up anymore than anything else has. But the quality of the meets has greatly improved, i.e. locations, content, food, etc.

[Loren L.]

I think you'll find that your "workers"

ALSO paid the same registration as the car owners - and in exchange for possibly 8 hours of judging, a sandwich doesn't seem out of line. There probably SHOULD be a couple of washtubs of beer waiting for them at the end of the day........

[Loren L.]

Mike Cobine - in response to my note above,

you've sent me a quasi-rant about why should the workers Pay. Learn to read. Your exact quote above is "The workers got a free lunch, literally. THEY DIDN'T PAY TO GET IN and lunch was provided to them."

Simply put, my message says they DID AND DO PAY - sure some may do it for ego, but the vast majority do it to LEARN. You simply never know what you might see - like a 1953 Corvette with a metal hood......

[Dick W.]

Re: Mike Cobine - in response to my note above,

THANK YOU LOREN!!!