[Jeff Hamlin]

I’ve been a member since the 80’s and focus on the idea of the club’s Preservation of Oakland and Pontiac history which is what keeps me aboard. I’ve never gotten caught up in politics and/or cliques; and could care less what one feels about a particular Pontiac I may be driving.
I’ve always been one to wade through the BS and gravitate to what I enjoy rather than allow one part of a situation to become my only focus and prohibit me taking part in an otherwise enjoyable club/hobby.
The changes I’ve seen clearly seem to have been a necessity, and as with any large organization, there will always be some who feel it’s not enough or one-sided. This is something I’ve dealt with in a club of 70; so I can only imagine what our directors hear and deal with.
POCI is an ever evolving club and I look forward to change. I enjoy the NEW look and style of our newsletter. It has become a vital tool and I like reading it. I know the newer/late model Pontiacs always seem to get met with some resistance, but they are the future of this club so I welcome them as with anything that will keep this club moving forward.
I would only suggest we put a bit more emphasis on the historic entities this club has access to before they are gone.
i.e. pre-war Oaklands & Pontiacs. I would like to see a segment that captures these rarely seen cars. When I first joined the Pontiac Circle,
My first intent was to always discover, visit, and examine the old iron at any show local or otherwise.
As years passed it just becomes the normal course of evolution that we see less and less of these treasures. It would be great if we could pursue some of these with articles, photos, etc on the cars and the owners of restored and un-restored (survivors). Making contact with these and allowing them to be shared with our members is something I’m sure wouldn't be easy but very much of interest. I know it has been stated if you send it in we would love to show it but possibly reaching out now and then for a special feature may bear some fruit?

Keep up the Great work and I look forward to what POCI has in store for the new-year.

[Deadhead]

Well, I just think that there is a lot of misguided thinking here if the organization wants to grow. Dayton is a fine city, but I am talking degree here. To attract people you have to provide things that are exciting and appeal to those who are not already members.

Here is my response to the letter. I will remain a member, but I doubt seriously that I will have the stamina to make further efforts to revitalize the organization.

Don,

I am very pleased with your decision not to include me on the POCI board. It is not about me. It is about the future of the Pontiac hobby.

POCI's emphasis on the "affordable" is a big part of the issue. Lasting memories and repeat customers are not built on the cheap. People do not go on family vacations that they remember forever to places that are cheap. They go to Disney World, Vegas, Lake Tahoe, San Francisco, Hilton Head, Vail etc. Places cost more because they are worth it. Supply and demand you know. People do what they have to do to have these great experiences. I doubt seriously you are going to find much enthusiasm for Witchita, KS. That is not a destination that typically inspires visions of lasting memories. Not to mention that your argument of the board deciding to go where the members are is a perfect example of why these types of places are better. Lots of members are concentrated in popular destinations. Perhaps Detroit or Pontiac Michigan would have been a good idea for the GTO 50th anniversary? This is not rocket science. You want more members? You provide something attractive and or useful. Not just to existing members but to potential members. Think about how incongruous your argument is. People spend tens of thousands or even hundreds of thousands of dollars to restore and maintain these cars, and then they don't have the money to spend on a vacation in a great venue? That makes no sense. If you want to be cheap great. But do not relegate the rest of us to that. Please. I do not waste time on the cheap and going to places that are not excellent. Neither do the vast majority of other families going on vacation.

My contribution to the Pontiac hobby is daily helping people repair and restore their cars with my knowledge. I take the time to share the process of all of the different areas of restoration I have learned. I do this daily. I do not simply show up at a convention once a year to postulate on the virtues of Pontiac and what my shiny car looks like since last convention. It is not all about the convention. Because of modern technology we are able to gather and share information continuously. POCI is failing big time in this area. They are not helping people actually work on their cars and stay enthusiastic daily to a great degree - or at all as far as I can see at the moment. Tech is seriously lacking. How many tech articles have been in Smoke Signals in the last year? How many helpful replies to tech inquiries on the POCI web site? It would bring people back again and again if they saw it as a source for help in their restoration and maintenance. If people need affordable as you claim, then helping them to do more on their cars themselves would serve that need and make it so they could better afford to travel to the convention.

While many may not agree with these ideas, I personally feel strongly about them and would not spend my time pounding the table on it if it was not important to me.

Best of luck going forward. I hope you are able to find success clinging to the old ways.

[bird72]

Seems ODD that someone would have to attend Board Meetings (air fare, room rent, food, etc) so one might be considered to be voted on it? In the age of electronics, and cheap home video conference hook ups for home PC's, this is an old fashioned kinda need. With their cash flow, the board meetings should be video and attend from far away. Sorry if this is possible and I am unaware, but from their sad dated website, I would be surprised. Just my two bits. It is EXACLTY that kind of vibe that has sent me away every time I have looked into the club. Big into rules, which is part of the problem. When rules trump human apsects, people will be turned off. I think all the answers POCI needs are in this thread already. Good luck to them. Let's revisit this situation in 2 years and see their numbers, which will be "bottom line" on change potential. This is sad, because this is EXACTLY the scale organization which will greatly help this Poncho hobby. I don't feel the energy needed, I feel obstructionist ego stuff. I still plan on joining, so I can see for real what it is beneficial for and help support, and if it ain't my thing, then I won't renew. It's all good and it's all choice.

[Old Blue 66]

Originally Posted by bird72

Seems ODD that someone would have to attend Board Meetings (air fare, room rent, food, etc) so one might be considered to be voted on it? In the age of electronics, and cheap home video conference hook ups for home PC's, this is an old fashioned kinda need. With their cash flow, the board meetings should be video and attend from far away. Sorry if this is possible and I am unaware, but from their sad dated website, I would be surprised. Just my two bits. It is EXACLTY that kind of vibe that has sent me away every time I have looked into the club. Big into rules, which is part of the problem. When rules trump human apsects, people will be turned off. I think all the answers POCI needs are in this thread already. Good luck to them. Let's revisit this situation in 2 years and see their numbers, which will be "bottom line" on change potential. This is sad, because this is EXACTLY the scale organization which will greatly help this Poncho hobby. I don't feel the energy needed, I feel obstructionist ego stuff. I still plan on joining, so I can see for real what it is beneficial for and help support, and if it ain't my thing, then I won't renew. It's all good and it's all choice.

POCI, like all car clubs is a voluntary organization. You donate your time to help run the club. There are plenty of jobs available to volunteer your time no matter where you live. You don't need to fly out to meetings.

One phone call to Paul at the POCI office will get the ball rolling. Trust me Paul and his wife could use some help I'm sure.

[Old Blue 66]

Originally Posted by Deadhead

Well, I just think that there is a lot of misguided thinking here if the organization wants to grow. Dayton is a fine city, but I am talking degree here. To attract people you have to provide things that are exciting and appeal to those who are not already members.

Here is my response to the letter. I will remain a member, but I doubt seriously that I will have the stamina to make further efforts to revitalize the organization.

Don,

I am very pleased with your decision not to include me on the POCI board. It is not about me. It is about the future of the Pontiac hobby.

POCI's emphasis on the "affordable" is a big part of the issue. Lasting memories and repeat customers are not built on the cheap. People do not go on family vacations that they remember forever to places that are cheap. They go to Disney World, Vegas, Lake Tahoe, San Francisco, Hilton Head, Vail etc. Places cost more because they are worth it. Supply and demand you know. People do what they have to do to have these great experiences. I doubt seriously you are going to find much enthusiasm for Witchita, KS. That is not a destination that typically inspires visions of lasting memories. Not to mention that your argument of the board deciding to go where the members are is a perfect example of why these types of places are better. Lots of members are concentrated in popular destinations. Perhaps Detroit or Pontiac Michigan would have been a good idea for the GTO 50th anniversary? This is not rocket science. You want more members? You provide something attractive and or useful. Not just to existing members but to potential members. Think about how incongruous your argument is. People spend tens of thousands or even hundreds of thousands of dollars to restore and maintain these cars, and then they don't have the money to spend on a vacation in a great venue? That makes no sense. If you want to be cheap great. But do not relegate the rest of us to that. Please. I do not waste time on the cheap and going to places that are not excellent. Neither do the vast majority of other families going on vacation.

My contribution to the Pontiac hobby is daily helping people repair and restore their cars with my knowledge. I take the time to share the process of all of the different areas of restoration I have learned. I do this daily. I do not simply show up at a convention once a year to postulate on the virtues of Pontiac and what my shiny car looks like since last convention. It is not all about the convention. Because of modern technology we are able to gather and share information continuously. POCI is failing big time in this area. They are not helping people actually work on their cars and stay enthusiastic daily to a great degree - or at all as far as I can see at the moment. Tech is seriously lacking. How many tech articles have been in Smoke Signals in the last year? How many helpful replies to tech inquiries on the POCI web site? It would bring people back again and again if they saw it as a source for help in their restoration and maintenance. If people need affordable as you claim, then helping them to do more on their cars themselves would serve that need and make it so they could better afford to travel to the convention.

While many may not agree with these ideas, I personally feel strongly about them and would not spend my time pounding the table on it if it was not important to me.

Best of luck going forward. I hope you are able to find success clinging to the old ways.

i

I know I m going to get slammed for this but here goes.

You put your name out there wanting to be considered for a board position. Yet you are not involved with the club at any level? That's he first area of concern. If you haven't done the time to play an active role within the club why in the world would they automatically give a high ranking position to someone who knows nothing about the workings of the organization?

Next. The quote they gave you in the decline letter states that you don't like the venue they choose to hold the convention each year which is what I guess you put in your letter asking for consideration. I may be wrongs about this but that's not something hays going to entice the committee to add you to the list. It's negative and the reasons they hold the conventions in the cities they do we're correctly told to you in the their response.

Last, and not certainly least. When they decline what I would consider an awful attempt to get an approval from the committee, you write this letter back slamming them all over the place.

I don't know you other than your posts here on PY, but putting myself in the shoes of any member of the committee says that you are not a good candidate and the decision was correctly made.

You may be a good guy, know quite a bit about the hobby in general and might run rings around me in overall knowledge about how to rebuild a motor, but I think your attempt to get involved was very self serving.

JMO.

Paul Weinstein
non POCI member
Very active Cruisin' Tiger GTO Club member
Co-Chair 2014 Indian Uprising All Pontiac Weekend

[Don Keefe]

Originally Posted by Jeff Hamlin

I’ve been a member since the 80’s and focus on the idea of the club’s Preservation of Oakland and Pontiac history which is what keeps me aboard. I’ve never gotten caught up in politics and/or cliques; and could care less what one feels about a particular Pontiac I may be driving.
I’ve always been one to wade through the BS and gravitate to what I enjoy rather than allow one part of a situation to become my only focus and prohibit me taking part in an otherwise enjoyable club/hobby.
The changes I’ve seen clearly seem to have been a necessity, and as with any large organization, there will always be some who feel it’s not enough or one-sided. This is something I’ve dealt with in a club of 70; so I can only imagine what our directors hear and deal with.
POCI is an ever evolving club and I look forward to change. I enjoy the NEW look and style of our newsletter. It has become a vital tool and I like reading it. I know the newer/late model Pontiacs always seem to get met with some resistance, but they are the future of this club so I welcome them as with anything that will keep this club moving forward.
I would only suggest we put a bit more emphasis on the historic entities this club has access to before they are gone.
i.e. pre-war Oaklands & Pontiacs. I would like to see a segment that captures these rarely seen cars. When I first joined the Pontiac Circle,
My first intent was to always discover, visit, and examine the old iron at any show local or otherwise.
As years passed it just becomes the normal course of evolution that we see less and less of these treasures. It would be great if we could pursue some of these with articles, photos, etc on the cars and the owners of restored and un-restored (survivors). Making contact with these and allowing them to be shared with our members is something I’m sure wouldn't be easy but very much of interest. I know it has been stated if you send it in we would love to show it but possibly reaching out now and then for a special feature may bear some fruit?

Keep up the Great work and I look forward to what POCI has in store for the new-year.

We are on the same page with that and there will be some features in 2014 that will cater to that very premise. If you are interested in the history of the early cars and the early years of the club, you will be in for multiple treats.