Hello is anybody out there?????

Captain Neon · October 27, 2009, 11:02:27 PM

Greg-

Ballots aren't even due until the end of November so there's no ballots to count yet. BTW, I sent mine in on Monday. I sure hope they decide to list write-ins this year... ::)

plym_46 · October 27, 2009, 09:46:39 PM

So the short answer is, NO there isn't anyone out there! Any of you non entities know who won the election??? Maybe the ballots have't been counted yet. Obviously it won't be important enough to share through this media.

Captain Neon · October 27, 2009, 09:29:49 PM

I had a similar situation when I was in the Rocky Mountain region. I volunteered to set up a website. Once I set it up, it got one mention in the region's newsletter, but with the wrong URL. I pointed it out, but it wasn't deemed important enough to be mentioned again. I think I was the only person who ever actually looked at the website after the first few months, most everyone before that were buddies looking it over to give me some criticque. Roster only included people's phone numbers. While I was not in attendance, they had a long drawn out discussion at one meeting whether or not to publish e-mail addresses in their roster. Very few people in the POC seem to have any interest in making use of the Internet to communicate within their ranks or to promote the organisation and its events.

IMHO, attempts to grow the POC by growing membership within current regions is a counterproductive measure. More often than not, it seems, folks lose interest in the POC because they do not enjoy the activities of their regional group for any of a number of reasons. Too often, like most organisations, the folks involved in the leadership get complacent and comfortable, and eschew change. "We've always done things this way and the current membership likes it that way."

It seems to me, that it makes more sense to get people to join the national club and as areas get more people then regions can be set up from these members. It may even be a good idea for some larger regions to consider having a friendly split or at the very least forming sub-regions with a certain degree of autonomy. Very hard to get people to show up for a regional meeting where they may not know any one, and even harder if they have to drive some distance to get there. No wants to spend a Saturday only to be disappointed with the destination.

Pandanom · October 25, 2009, 09:52:50 AM

I do not mean to criticize the management here, I am thankful for what is here, but I know it could be much better. I belong to several groups and no one's format or site is as primitive as this one.

Here is a link to a site I have watched grow because the owner, Everett Barnes, has done the necessary work to make it an extremely useful site, and he makes money at it. There are sections on this site that tell of the steps he took to improve and grow the site.

http://www.thesamba.com/vw/

Again, I mean no disrespect to anyone, especially considering I could not do better myself lacking the knowledge to expand a website. I would like to see more participation here and to see that happen I believe would require some serious work on the site itself.

Cliff54 · October 07, 2009, 01:10:32 AM

I stop by from time to time but to tell you the truth I spend much more time with the Chevrolet Truck group from www.stovebolt.com because there are members there all day and most of the night! (I also own a 1959 Apache)
Plus I see threads here that get very few hits!

I belong to the Lone Star Region here in Texas and most of the members DO NOT even know about this site! So I guess that its a Technology gap and..........
One day the 4-6 Cylinder club is going to have to join up the the CUDA croud or THIS Plymouth Owners club will wither on the vine!

Anyway ... thems my thoughts!

Cliff Ward

www.cliffrobin[delete this bit 6a6f373551992][insert an at symbol here]hotmail[insert a dot here]com

chetbrz · October 06, 2009, 09:54:00 PM

Hi Pat,

Sorry I just had to ramble on. I am glad I sparked some amusement for your morning coffee.

Are you going to Hershey again this year? I will be stopping by on Friday to cruise the venders and drop off a transmission for someone. If you are around it would be great to say hi again.

Chet?

36 Ply · October 06, 2009, 09:29:21 AM

Chet-

I'm sitting here with my first cup of coffee, and it's like you read my mind. Your sentence that states "Of course my choice would be advice free from club doctrine or political viewpoint" is right on the money. I would be willing to (and always have) help a neighbor or friend with a car problem, regardless of year, make, model, stock, modified (doesn't matter). A good friend, some years younger than me, has a '67 Camaro. It's 5 years older than he is, so it's an old car to him. He likes my Plymouth and I like his Camaro.

Also, your statement "any Plymouth that's not in the crusher......" Exactly. When I croak, someone who has deep pockets will have an easy restoration of my '36, even though, with an electric fuel pump, and a '42 generator, it's not stock.

Regards,
Pat O'Connor

chetbrz · October 05, 2009, 10:26:31 PM

Greg,

It would be really nice if the candidates for POC office checked into this web site from time to time.? Maybe a post to present their positions on the POC and where they see this club 5 to 10 years from now.? Maybe just to say hello and meet some disconnected members.? What is the future vision ??

As you know I came up to the Maryland National meet and it was the first POC National meet I have ever attended.? I was a little taken back by the lack of attendance from the general public and I expected to see a larger turn out of POC members.? It seems like it was the best kept secret of 2009.? ?Our local Virginia show at Sully Plantation draws about 450 cars of all makes and models and also hundreds of spectators.? It?s a great time.? So my question is.., was the show only for the Plymouth owners who attended ???

Just as an aside, I recently had a sit down chat with the new president of the company I work for.? I mentioned that I tinker with antique automobiles.? He asked what cars I have and I mentioned my 1929 and 1948 Plymouths.? His response was why Plymouths ?? After spending a little time educating him on the history I think he came away with a slightly different attitude concerning my particular area of interest and the brand.? I think that is what Plymouth meets should be about.., education, camaraderie, and just plain fun.? After all it?s a hobby.

While I am rambling on.., one more thing to ponder.? There are some very knowledgeable folks on this site but it would be really nice if the Technical Leadership of this club checked in every now and again to share some wisdom and offer some advice.? ?Of course my choice would be advice free from club doctrine and political viewpoint.? ?Just good sound technical advice.? ?Any Plymouth that?s not in the crusher is worth the time and effort to help the owner keep it on the road, modified or not.

That?s my 2 cents??

Chet?

PS to Jim B?,? Is there anyway to pay for more then the a yearly membership.? It?s a real pain to renew each year.? How about a Paypal account so we could do this online.? It seems like an administrative nightmare to mail paper and sort through the mail, go to the bank and make a deposit just to post a $25.00 renewal fee.? Even the tolls in the north east are on EZpass.

plym_46 · October 04, 2009, 06:12:25 PM

I kow what you mean Todd, thattoo has been discussed here, to no real avail. But I would think that if someone had any real passion for the agrument either way, they would do what they could to post a comment. Perhaps it the passion that is missing.

TodFitch · October 04, 2009, 04:50:16 PM

Well, to reply to your post I clicked reply. Waited for 1.5 minutes for a time out. Then hit reload and waited another 30 seconds before I got this form. Basically that inhibits me from making very many posts on this forum for any topic.

I suspect that the lack of traffic on this forum is more based on the painfully slow response of the system rather than the lack of opinions held by the forum members.

plym_46 · October 04, 2009, 03:43:16 PM

Just wondering (perhaps it is a telling reflection of health of the club) why there is so little response to a discussion about the up coming club elections and the proposal for some possible changes to attract more members. On this board porposal to the candidates to open the judging classes a bit has had 145 reads and 9 responses. 1 by an actual candidate. I will say one of the others did reply via email. The third is conspicuous by his absence.

So if this kind of thing doesn't get a rise out of the membership what does???

On another Plymouth commuity board, one post has had over 900 reads and nearly 90 responses, the other 410 looks and 30 responses, and most of those were from non POC members. 1300 to 145

Perhaps what is needed is a code blue call, charge the paddles......................clear!!!!