RIP FCA-SE GA, TN and AL?

Well, everyone, my wife and I just got back from the Grove Park event, where we were the ONLY FCAs from our chapter there! Apparenly, our governors had a row with the Naples guys and the entire chapter and FOA pulled out. We are still on the SC email list, so we went on this information, having had an excellent time last year AND not thinking that the lack of GA buzz meant anything. Seems someone took their marbles and went home however...

Considering this event is: 1) a blast, 2) the only Ferrari event going on it seems, and 3) for a very deserving charity, would anyone like to step up and explain how we went from a co-sponsor to a boycotter AND do we ever plan on doing something on our own then? Chapter activites have been few and far bewteen I am sure everyone will admit. In fact, have we even had anything this year?

What gives guys?!?

 

Here's the event schedule for the FCA - SE region:
http://www.fca-se.com/upcoming.htm

If you don't see something in your area, contact the regional director and offer to help put one on! Any club is only as good as all of it's members make it.

 

I think its not so much that nobody wants to plan anything, its that nobody will ever show up to support things... The Sugo's gathering in Atlanta is what the FCA should aspire to, however its not just aobut the FCA any more... I think Ferrari Chat is really the new club. ... no dues etc...

 

Does anyone know how many dues paying FCA-SE members there are? I know when I planned the Valentine's Dinner at FoA in 2007 I got the understanding that money was tight by how low of a budget I was given. The dinner turned out fine, but it could have been a lot better with a little more money. I suspect sites like this are causing membership to fall which results in less funds to have nice events that people want to attend so less people want to join and so forth...

 

Frank raises a good question--how many memebers are there? Who knows? Likewise, who are our officers? What are they doing? How does one contact someone to put on events? Why is there no tie to Fchat? Why is there no bulletin board?

And here is one--is the reason no one is joining or staying in is because the F Club charges a lot and gives you back so little (compare Porsche)?

The list goes on and on.

But it is sad to see the official club of the world's greatest mark in the world's next great city have no events.

 

Next great city? Where does he live???

 

I can state for a FACT that FCA-SE did not boycott it. The Naples/Florida folks chose originally to separate themselves from FCA, and then only in the last month or two decided they wanted FCA support. Our North Carolina FCA chapter did support it, I know. I got emails about it. But it would be expected that the rather late "re-join" by the Naples folks had an effect.

FCA-SE also supports that very deserving charity with other events as well. I know that there is one in Alabama coming up this weekend where all financial proceeds go to the Special Ops Warrior Foundation.

My understanding is that FCA-SE is planning a somewhat similar major event in North Carolina for this fall. There are plenty of other driving, social and track events throughout FCA-SE's six states. The non-track events are often locally-oriented and don't necessarily make it into the published calendar.

 

There are about 300 member households over our six SE states. It has been stable for at least the last 5 years that I've been aware of that number.

Regarding budget, your Valentines event (and ANY event) could have ANY budget you wanted (!) as long as it would have been able to break even, or at least nearly so! I'm sure you'd agree that it wouldn't have been "proper" to take the small portion of the dues that the SE region actually gets from across our 300 households (most of it is held at the National level for the magazine, newsletter and other service expenses) and use it as a major subsidy contribution for a local event that only had 25 households participating. There's always a balancing act between what people are willing to pay and what it really costs to put an event on.

 

I am an FCA member from South Carolina. My wife and I attended the event at the Grove Park Inn for the second year in a row and were disappointed not to see our friends and acquaintances from the Georgia area. It really was a very nice event, lots of driving, golf, dinners, and late night bar hopping. We certainly hope to see more of our Georgia friends in the future events.

 

308inatl should give it way--I live in Atlanta. (although the 308 is now a 355 spider.)

Atlanta used to famously bill itself as "the world's next great city".

On a more substantive level, FCA has had, by it's own calendar, ZERO events in Atlanta, or GA for that matter, this year. That is BS!

It shows no planning on a local or regional level.

Why "elect" (does that happen and when?) officers if "local" guys are supposed to plan things?

And where are the educational materials then for the local guys to "plan"--budgeting, email lists.....!!!

 

~300 members at $150 per year equals $45,000. Where does an FCA-SE member find an accounting of how that ~$45,000 is spent?

 

Are you a member? You haven't filled out your profile so I don't know your name. We would LOVE to have you as a volunteer and make sure you have the resources to put on whatever event you have in mind. Just send a PM to me or Charles Claussen (atlantaman).

.

 

Why does the FCA-SE donate any money whatsoever to a charity anyway? IMHO, the dues money should be used 100% for the enjoyment of members. If a member wants to give money to some charity, that's for them to do...not an auto club like FCA-SE. So who at FCA-SE makes the decision to give part of the dues money to some particular charity? I know that I've never been asked as to whether or not I want some of my dues money to go to some particular charity. I give money to my church as well as other charities that I want to support. The dues I pay to FCA-SE are given to help with Ferrari related events and activities...not to go to some charity some FCE-SE officer finds worthy.

 

Look any of your Prancing Horse magazines or www.ferrariclubofamerica.org for the contact information of the FCA National's treasurer -- the budget/expenses should be available to any current member on request. (And dues are still $135/year, not $150.)

 

Dues money IS kept in the club for the members. We have FUND RAISING CHARITY EVENTS - and the surplus from those events of course go to the particular charities they benefit. Had you been told something different than that?

 

OK, that's still ~ $40,500. I think I will request an accounting just to see where that money goes...

 

Nothing other than your post above about the FCA-SE supporting "...that very deserving charity..."

 

Frank: Examples of specific charity events are the one that started this thread (details are at www.FerrariCup.net) and the "sticky" at the top of this section (http://www.ferrarichat.com/forum/showthread.php?t=193821). These type events where a charity benefits are always clearly advertised that way.

By the way, we do have two Georgia folks coming over for that latter one. Long drive, though!

 

We meet every week somewhere and have a good group of people that seems to be growing every week. No matter what type of event you have or where you have it, someone will not be happy about it but we try to do fun things. Most days we drive for a while and then we end up somewhere. It's a little different than what most people like to do at events when they all just stand around and look at the cars.

I also think Ferrari chat has replaced groups like the FCA. They haven't really adapted to the younger Ferrari owners who like to drive their cars every week and do things much more often.
I'm not sure what the solution for them would be without some major changes.

 

Sorry about that... I can see how it might be ambigous if you didn't already know how it works.

 

+1, well said Frank. If I may add, as a member I get the FCA newsletter, and there is never anything happening anywhere close to Atlanta, or even Georgia for that matter. All the other sections are filled with every event possible, how is that possible? Could Georgia be the least active state in the US?

 

Hi Stephane... I hope you read a little past that since then and found the reply which clarifies that's not the case... just a mis-understanding.

 

Mark--correct, FCA should join the light age.

Frank, correct, $41k should go a long way.

Yes, GA seems ridiculoulsy inactive, considering population, weather, FOA.

Mike, I am a member, and PM'd you. Do you really believe that an ordinary schmoe has the same ability as an officer to put on anevent? Right, I can see it now!

Our officers should be doing this or they should not be officers.

 

Guys, we do like to do local stuff, and Charles works really hard on the track event in Savannah in November, I know, I've seen it, and he does nearly if not all of it himself. If it were not for Mike, some of the events we did in SC would not have happened. I'll tell you another thing, most if not all of the volunteers are building businesses, raising families, well, living life. That's not to make an excuse, but to point out the reality of it all. It's not that easy, and it's really difficult to find folks willing to invest the time it takes to put on an event. You get all the blame if it goes bad, but I love the events, and we've put together some really wonderful times. I also think alot of the money may go to the national event, which I will attend in July. Imagine driving MoSport. Get off you ass and hit the national event! LOL!! Unless you have been, you just have absolutely no idea what you are missing. They are all first class in every way. I've just cleared my calandar and I am signing up tonight!!

 

What makes you think the officers aren't ordinary schmoes? These AREN'T paid positions -- we're ALL volunteers who love the cars and getting together with others who also love the cars.