<VV> CORSA is broken

[airvair at earthlink.net]

All the talk about what needs to be done to keep CORSA in business reminds
me that it really revolves around what we all get from CORSA.

What I find most important with CORSA are (in no particular order):

A) club event insurance

B) the CC magazine

C) The CORSA annual convention

D) the many friends and personalities I've met at the conventions

E) the parts swap meet and vendors' area at the convention

F) the personal contacts developed thru CORSA

G) the tech and historical articles and information that can be had thru
the CC and national convention

Note a pattern here? Everything but the first two items revolve around the
national convention. Granted, I live for the national convention every
year. I feel that anyone who hasn't been to at least ONE national
convention, let alone a regional meet (like the DACC Homecoming) hasn't a
clue as to what the national club is good for. Like one long-time friend
said to me once, the national convention is more like a family reunion than
a convention.

The personal contact one develops by attending the national convention vs
staying at home is comparable to the difference between living your life on
the moon and living in Manhatten. Or if you're a thirty-under something,
spending all your time on the internet or texting people. That to me is
totally devoid of the human contact that makes life 3 dimensional. The
younger generation is missing out on the richness of human life, IMHO.

The same thing can be said of swap meets vs eBay. Sure, I use eBay. But I
also appreciate swap meets. There is nothing like seeing a part "in the
flesh", holding it in your hands, and talking to the seller face-to-face.
EBay is good for bringing the most people to see your offering, but it also
lacks the feel of the swap meet. It's why the Hershey and Carlisle meets
will never die. And it's why the national convention is so important.

Then there's the tech info and guest speaker sessions. Totally invaluable.
Tech articles are fine, but there's nothing so personal as a meeting. Just
to be able to have a two-way conversation with the speaker is priceless.

So regardless of WHAT happens, CORSA needs to have the national convention
each year.

-Mar