To join AROCA or not to join AROCA...

[Pete Y]

Hi All..

This is by no means meant to be an argumentative or anti-AROCA topic I just wanted some opinion and some further info.
Basically, If I don't sprint (either MSCA or AROCA) then is there really heaps of a point being in AROCA?

Cross & Serpent is a nice magazine I'll give you that but there just doesn't seem to be the depth of activity of some clubs. For instance - why are there no register days? A drive and display with 20 105 series cars or something would be fantastic, but there's never anything like that. (FCCV for instance have regular register runs with excellent attendance.)

I don't know, maybe people don't like going for drives together anymore - maybe petrol's too expensive I see the spanish dinner and club nights monthly and so on but it all leaves me a touch cold I'd have to say. So far I can see the only benefit of joining as being eligible for concours trophies and getting a newsletter. I know this sounds all really negative but perhaps you can all fill me in a bit better.

Cheers
Pete

[Fast Eddie]

Hi Peter,
given we have been discussing another issue off line, i thought i would reply to this.  I am also Club VP and have been President of an other state's alfa club. 

AROCA Vic is one of Victoria's largest car clubs and certainly NOT a competition only club. 
We have a very strong social side with a few major events each year - SPETACOLLO ( our annual show and shine of ALL Alfa's run by the register Captains), Annual dinner and ALFESTA/CARNEVALE intermingled with various social drives, get togethers, quizz nights, dinners etc throughout the year. 
The committee works very hard (especially our social coordinators) to ensure a 50/50 mix as our competition side is certainly very strong.  This is an issues i am very familiar with from my time on 2 x state committeess. 

I am also curious as to which edition of the Cross and Serpent you are looking at, as you will see a great edition coming out niext week. (Mind you, you wont receive it unless you are a member .

Our website's main purpose is to update people on upcoming activities and will always be "out of date" when it comes to event writeups etc in order to keep the magazine as numero uno item of value.

I suggest, join up, attend the monthly meetings. If you would like ot make suggestions then feel free to present these to the committee via a committe member (or seek an invitation to attend).  If, after all that you are not satisfied with what the club offers - i will personally refund you, your $60.00.  but i will only do so if you then tell me what is missing from the club so that we can cover all bases as we need new members to keep the club viable.

come along next Wednesday to BELLS to attend the meeting and meet some fellow ALFISTI.  Then we can lead you doen the correct path.

Cheers

[Evan Bottcher]

Nice answer Ed.  Nice to hear from you again Peter - I did pass on your previous comments to the committee last time we talked about the social/comp balance in the club.  As Ed says we're working on it - and Rob and Deb the social secretaries have done a great job in the last couple of years filling up the calendar with social events.  Rob reported last month on a bunch of social events coming up this year.  Some of these are social social events like going out for dinner - you've said that this doesn't really interest you however.

I agree with your comparison with the Fiat club - as secretary I receive their magazine and I'm always impressed with the number of social runs they have.  It's definitely an area we can improve on - our register captain Damien has organised the last few single-handedly, I know Ed organised one last year but otherwise we need to convince more people in the club to stick their hand up and volunteer the time to run these events.  It would be great to see the registers themselves being more active - a number of the register captains aren't very active in the club at the moment.

I'm as guilty of this as anyone - I've had a couple of runs in my head for the last couple of years but finding time to organise them is a bit tough.  Maybe your 'poke' will get me started.

So join the club, and then give Mario (105 register captain) a big rev-up.  Maybe help organise a run yourself for the 105 register - you'll find a lot of people will gratefully help.  If you're interested I'll organise it with you (even though my 105 has been off the road for 7 years...)

Hope to see you next Wednesday 

[Pete Y]

Hi guys, thanks for your responses.

I wont be able to make it to the next two bells hotel nights, uni exams for jun and ill be in perth july; however if you can come to my Alfabb.com Melbourne drive day it'd be great to see you there. I know there are good people running the club - Ed your help especially has been invaluable and Evan too on alfabb etc - so I want to make sure I dont sound like im criticising what is obviously a popular and wellrun club i just want to check there is something in AROCA for me before I hand my cash over

Evan thanks for your response regarding getting on Mario's back - I will do that happily - good to see there is room for non commitee/register members to participate in the activity creation process. More official drive days also means more CH plates out, and from previous experience of car clubs, a CH day is always very welcomed. Personally I think things like register runs are fantastic and seeing cars out there is what stimulates public interest too. I would be most happy to help out or even solely organise register runs for 105 or any other modelcode!

Once again thanks for your input, I'll start saving for that membership!

Pete

Btw, the cross&serpent I have is the one from earlier this year with the red 147TI on the front cover - Hugh harrison gave it to me as a freebie

[Fast Eddie]

in case i cant log onto alfa.bb properly cos i cant remember it, what are the run details please?

good luck with exams etc.  hope to see you around soon

[Pete Y]

http://www.alfabb.com/bb/forums/showthread.php?t=26250

Jul 22 is looking the best at the moment, but let me know (on this forum if you like) what best suits you and which of the possible routes you like best. You dont need to be logged into Alfabb to view threads just to post on them. Hope to see you there. Would you be bringing a Sprint?

Cheers
Pete