About the Hesitation of Some

[FactoryD]

Joe, your thread is closed for comments which I think is a shame.

My opinion, if it's to be heard, is that everyone is getting too much information. If anyone is afraid of a financial commitment in joining a car club, I believe we have sent the wrong message. Maybe those people should not have been at, what was clearly labeled as, a business meeting.

Now, that's not to say I'd like this to be a secret society or anything. It's just that there is obviously two sides to a club. There's business and organization, and there's enthusiasts. Both are essential to us.

We need to, as Hal said, appoint people to have some responsibility in the club. We don't need to air every last detail of it to everybody. If someone wants to be involved, that great! I have faith that they will find a way to be involved.

Sure, it's great that our underlying cause just happens to be charitable, but, our members shouldn't feel obligated to donate anything to any cause. If the underlying tones of charity are there or not, this club is about LX cars and friends.

I just think we need to keep business separate from the fun.

That's my $0.02 and nothing more.

[DaGeezer]

My 2-cents too

Stuff happens. People are running way hard just to keep up. Those two factors combine to make scheduling things other than work and family a real challenge. As well, regardless of how you communicate, certain people will find a way to focus on that means/device and solicit you.

Thus, if what we'd like folks to do - in the small amount of spare time they have available - seems too much like their "regular life" or a PITA, they'll opt out.

I heartily recommend that, whatever the club choses to do, it be done with all the enthusiasm, planning and joy possible - BUT - remain optional and without undue pressure to paticipate/contribute. Otherwise people won't.

I love my Charger and each day drive it through Eden here in AZ. Many thanks go out to "fullofit" and the others who drive this organization ahead. Been there, done this - and well understand what it takes.

This Tucsonan will particpate to the extent allowed by a very busy life.

[BobF's 6POINT1]

This Tucsonan will particpate to the extent allowed by a very busy life.

This Tucsonan Phoenician will particpate to the extent allowed by a very busy life

[fullssassy1]

Joe, your thread is closed for comments which I think is a shame.

My opinion, if it's to be heard, is that everyone is getting too much information. If anyone is afraid of a financial commitment in joining a car club, I believe we have sent the wrong message. Maybe those people should not have been at, what was clearly labeled as, a business meeting.

Now, that's not to say I'd like this to be a secret society or anything. It's just that there is obviously two sides to a club. There's business and organization, and there's enthusiasts. Both are essential to us.

We need to, as Hal said, appoint people to have some responsibility in the club. We don't need to air every last detail of it to everybody. If someone wants to be involved, that great! I have faith that they will find a way to be involved.

Sure, it's great that our underlying cause just happens to be charitable, but, our members shouldn't feel obligated to donate anything to any cause. If the underlying tones of charity are there or not, this club is about LX cars and friends.

I just think we need to keep business separate from the fun.

That's my $0.02 and nothing more.

I understand what and where Chris is coming from , there are some people and Joe knows it as well as I do who just want to know when and where the next meet is going to be.

They don't care about by-laws or insurance or liability or any of that fun stuff and that is perfectly OK.

I know as a top manager in my company I do not relay to my staff every single thing that goes on in the business, that is just bad business so I agree with Chris that we need to keep business separate from fun but still give everyone a voice for ideas and what nots....

I also realize once the club structure is set in place this will be the direction, it was never the intention to put business out there for all to attest to but you have to start somewhere and I hope people do not get scared off by all the formalities because this group rocks

And that is my $0.02 and nothing more...

[HalV48]

We are dealing with the usual club start up issues.

Some don't really care about anything except meeting and playing. That's not unusual. Some are concerned with more than that.

Scenerio; We are at G.A.M.E. and drifting and doing burnouts. It's an official club function, well documented on internet forums. We are on Intel's parking lot, not G.A.M.E.'s. Someone loses control of their car and there is damage done to property or even worse, someone is injured. Now who is responsible? The person doing the damage, Intel, G.A.M.E., AZLXClub, or all the above. Do we need an insurance policy for something like this happening? I'm not sure. Incorporation can take personal liability out of the picture. Doing charitable work as a club is a great idea. Toys for Tots is one of my favorites. SpeedWorld has club days.

A club is an organization. Organizations have responsibilties.

If you don't want to be part of a club, then do what has been done in the past. Just post that, Hey I'm going to pavilions, ya wanna come too.

In this day and age it is better to know what's going on, instead of waiting till something happens.

I understand that there are forum members who want nothing to do with bylaws, elections, dues, etc. Then they should not join the club, and not show up at club functions. Simple as that.

If you want it to stay the way it is. Don't call it a club and do your own thing. We have had pretty good turnouts doing our own thing.

I'm playing devils advocate here. So no personal attacks, just voice your opinion.

Still in Sacramento till the evening of the 9th.

[ICLOSEM]

We are dealing with the usual club start up issues.

Some don't really care about anything except meeting and playing. That's not unusual. Some are concerned with more than that.

Scenerio; We are at G.A.M.E. and drifting and doing burnouts. It's an official club function, well documented on internet forums. We are on Intel's parking lot, not G.A.M.E.'s. Someone loses control of their car and there is damage done to property or even worse, someone is injured. Now who is responsible? The person doing the damage, Intel, G.A.M.E., AZLXClub, or all the above. Do we need an insurance policy for something like this happening? I'm not sure. Incorporation can take personal liability out of the picture. Doing charitable work as a club is a great idea. Toys for Tots is one of my favorites. SpeedWorld has club days.

A club is an organization. Organizations have responsibilties.

If you don't want to be part of a club, then do what has been done in the past. Just post that, Hey I'm going to pavilions, ya wanna come too.

In this day and age it is better to know what's going on, instead of waiting till something happens.

I understand that there are forum members who want nothing to do with bylaws, elections, dues, etc. Then they should not join the club, and not show up at club functions. Simple as that.

If you want it to stay the way it is. Don't call it a club and do your own thing. We have had pretty good turnouts doing our own thing.

I'm playing devils advocate here. So no personal attacks, just voice your opinion.

Still in Sacramento till the evening of the 9th.

I couldnt agree more. some people will be more involved than others. but being in a club any club at that does have responsibilities dues meetings ect... but it is still a simple task not as complicated as people think it is

[BobF's 6POINT1]

I guess I'm one of those people that's halfway between. if I didn't have a wife and kid I'd be doing car stuff all the time. As it is, she's not interested in doing car stuff more than once in a while and if I break away for meets every weekend we'll be going to see the lawyer before long (J/K, or maybe not).

I have a huge interest in helping and hopefully I can put some of my talents to work for the cause. There will just be some things unfortunately I can't make it to.

[ZMagnum]

I guess I'm one of those people that's halfway between. if I didn't have a wife and kid I'd be doing car stuff all the time. As it is, she's not interested in doing car stuff more than once in a while and if I break away for meets every weekend we'll be going to see the lawyer before long (J/K, or maybe not).

I have a huge interest in helping and hopefully I can put some of my talents to work for the cause. There will just be some things unfortunately I can't make it to.

I'm in the same, less powerful, boat as Bob.

[Junior]

This deserves more than the couple minutes I'll give it now, but here's a few thoughts.

It seems to me that things were just fine when we'd do it casual. We've had a number of great events that were organized by one or two of us, and pulled off perfectly - CC got the Catch-22 event set up and executed; Ella's Speedworld send-off was great; Bob did the Rumble at least twice, and they were terrific; we had a nice time at the Fox and Hound, and would have even without the sponsorship (though I truly appreciate having Moore step up for that!). Lots of track days. There are a bunch of great events that I've been to that were from the hip. People stepped up as needed to make them happen.

It also seems that the more organized we are, the more organized we need to become, and it's exponential. If we're an organized club, we need positions; if we have positions, we need a charter; with a charter we have liability; with liability, we need insurance; with insurance, we need dues; with dues, we need accountancy... on and on to what?

I understand that the larger the event, the more complex it becomes. The event at G.A.M.E. was absolutely great. One-of-a-kind. Or maybe it was five-of-a-kind - it was two memorials, a car show, an open-house... I understand that there was a lot more work getting that one together, and I appreciate the work Joe put into it. I also know that if we're going to have events like that one, we need the structure, so that's where I drop off my arguments, and decide to roll with it. You guys go on and I'll support you.

I'm a lot more laissez-faire with these things, but without folks like Joe (and fatchance and Hemeee, for example), the epic events wouldn't happen, so drive on!

[HISH1]

Uh Oh, I guess by me missing the meeting Sunday,(sorry,birthday celebration) I missed out on some controversial issues. Someone will have to fill me in,

[Junior]

Uh Oh, I guess by me missing the meeting Sunday,(sorry,birthday celebration) I missed out on some controversial issues. Someone will have to fill me in,

No controversy, just lots of things to work out. Sorry we missed you (I barely made it myself!).

[fullssassy1]

I couldnt agree more. some people will be more involved than others. but being in a club any club at that does have responsibilities dues meetings ect... but it is still a simple task not as complicated as people think it is

I also agree, my point is not that it is complicated but it is time consuming, it is no easy task to put all this together, as fulls wife I can understand what Bob means about the "lawyer"...jk

One thing I do know, we have a strong force we have some very good heads out there things will move forward and we will have many good times

[ICLOSEM]

Okay,
I just want to take a moment to say I will have more to say on all of this later. First I will need to sit with Erik and get some items worked out.

I will part with this,

The first order of business today is...fun, it should always start with fun, it should end with fun. that is what brought us here and that is what will keep us here.

I wish you well,
all the best,
now drive on
full

EXACTLY AND ONCE EVERYTHING IS WORKED OUT IT WILL BE EVEN MORE FUN

[CHARGERSHED]

Reading through this thread, I now understand how Dr. Frankenstein felt at the "awakening" of his creation... "What the hell have I done?" I believe we are at a cross-roads of a sorts...

I never intended to start a formal club... I have been a member of several Car clubs in the past and was kind of turned off by that whole experience( the last was the Pontiac-Oakland club international, at least thats what it said on my window sticker and quarterly "newsletter"). One of the reasons I wanted to get some corporate sponsers was to enable anyone to enjoy an event, without having to pony up dues and such to belong to some entity. I agree that the liability issue should be addressed, but I think we could do it on an event by event basis...


I'm out of time here at work and would like to talk with Joe and discuss his vision for where we want to go and how we want to get there before I post anything additional... Plese feel free to post your opinions on this subject as I would like as much feedback as possible...
CS

[1sicsrt]

Well the G.A.M.E. event was the first time I had a chance to meet and hang out with everyone and whatever it takes to keep doing the same type of thing and having a great time with awesome people and awesome cars I'm down.

-Josh

My daughter made me put hammer time in there.