<VV> Fwd: Director`s Comments in Communique

[Jay Pitchford]

>From the perspective of a young  whippersnapper (50) who just joined
CORSA in the past 90 days (and still hasn't seen the dang free
t-shirt):

a) I'd pay $75 for the membership to save the organization, provided
real changes are made to preserve the group. In other words, I don't
have the answers either, but research successful clubs and for
goodness sake's TRY SOMETHING. If it's just going to be more of the
same, I'm not throwing good money after bad.

b) I'm fine with an electronic-only version of the Communique. If I
want/need a printed copy, I'll print it in color at home. I've also
already asked my local chapter (Mid-Ohio Vair Force) to stop mailing
our rag to me to save postage and printing costs, since it's emailed
to me once a month.

c) I think VV has already been worth THREE year's membership at $75,
just for the technical advice, helpful hints and encouragement (not to
mention humor). If you are as non-technical as I am, it's not a
stretch to call it VV priceless. If surviving means putting it behind
a firewall, so be it, but make sure the website spreads the word about
what a fantastic benefit called VV awaits those who join. As a
suggestion, provide a free one week trial membership for interested
parties as a lure. If they're on for a week and see the depth of the
knowledge and expertise, they'll sign up to get the access and help.

d) I can't see myself driving to a convention unless it was no more
than 3-5 hours from my home (Columbus OH). If that means regional
conventions, I'm OK with that. I'd probably even take a frequent flyer
freebie and attend one further away just to meet some of the
characters I've chatted with on here, shake their hand and look at
their sweet Corvairs.

e) I fall somewhere between Garage Queen and daily driver. My Corsa
will be driven this winter whenever the road salt satans haven't been
out spreading their muck. I'm guessing I'll put 5k miles on her each
year, maybe a little more. I'm not hoping to recover my investment
some time in the future, but love to tinker with little bits of trim
and love cleaning and waxing her so she turns heads going down the
road. Having said that, I agree that in the future more people will be
collecting Corvairs and less will be driving them. That's reality. I
don't see any daily driver '66 Mustangs any more either.

As my exasperated father-in-law used to say to my (change-averse)
mother-in-law, "Any change is good". Now I know what he means.

Jay Pitchford
Proud New CORSA Member