What does this CLUB mean to me ??
I would like to open up a discussion of what this club means to all of us, why we feel it is important to be a member, what we look foward to as club members, and yes, lets even discuss the negatives some may feel, such as why I was a member and no longer am.
This CLUB was founded on several principles but first and foremost was the belief that to truely be a "club" there would never be 1 person who says all and controls all ... there would be a Board of Directors and all decisions would be voted on by this board so that no one person can dictate how the club will funtion. Furthermore, The Board members were to be elected into position by the members of the club but there in lies a problem - there must be people willing to step up and take on a leadership role to fill positions, and there must be more than one person running in order for it to make sense. If there are no people to volunteer for service when elections are supposed to take place then all that can be hoped for is that no one currently in a position wants to leave - and that my friends has been a problem throughout the history of clubs.
The club in the past has had problems with all of this which is part of its history - it can not nor should not be ignored - but it is the past and it is behind us. We can learn from it but at the same time we need to and have to move foward
Which brings me to thoughts of "Why should I join a Club" ?
... and the answer is because there is a group of people that share the same passion and love as you do, and that creates a common bond between us. From this common bond friendships are born that may never have taken shape otherwise. I have seen it and felt it many times over the years and it is contagious - its like a warm fuzzy blanket on a cold winter night. People across the country (even planet) have made friends with others far far away as well as in their own backyard - people they may never have given the time of day to otherwise.
In fact, just last week one of our members was married and guess who was his best man ?? Another Club member that he had never met before they both started attending BPG events and probably never would have met otherwise.
It has been said many times - Our cars are what brought us together but the friendships formed afterward are what KEEP us together.
So now we have a bunch of people that share the same interests and like to hang out with each other - why form a club ??
Several reasons come to mind - first and foremost is to find MORE people that feel the same way !! Its infectious and I know you've all felt it too ... you find someone who's interested in what you thought was crazy, but see there are others who think the same as you. Hmmm ... maybe Im not that crazy afterall ??!!??
The more people you find that feel as you do, the better you start feeling about your passion and an amazing thing happens - all of a sudden instead of being that whacko standing all by himself over ----> there, you are standing with fellow brothers and sisters who know how you feel and understand ... and guess what ?? its OK !! Your Wife or Husband or mother or father or best friend might not get it, but you realize that others do and it feels GOOD !!
It OK to like Buicks afterall. Its KEWL to want to put a 600hp motor in a 40 year old station wagon and try to drag the rear bumper off !! Its totally AWESOME that you spent 12 years of you life squirreled away in your garage late at night when everyone else is asleep, building what was once a dream and a rusty hulk into what is now a national show winner that has been featured in several car magazines ... and Its OK to go to sleep greasy and wake up under the car with wrenches still in your hand because the race is tomorrow and you WANT, no, HAVE TO HAVE that 11 or 10 or 9 second timeslip
WE UNDERSTAND !! WE LOVE IT !!! and WE LOVE YOU for doing it
That, my friends, is why we need this club and should do everything we can to grow this club - because we feel the same way and it feels MUCH better standing with a group who understands than it does standing over -------> there all by yourself.
As a club, we can then gather to have a nice summers picnic and share a meal together while admiring our cars ... or go racing together maybe even getting enough people together to rent out the whole track instead of having to share it with the imports or brand-X's. We can also present ourself to suppliers of goods and services we pay for and ask for a group discount due to our solidarity
As a club we can pool our resources - both financially and time wise, to achieve things we might never have been able to do alone.
Personally, As a club member, I look foward to finding and meeting others that share my passion for Buicks ... and introducing them to the friends I've already made in the club. This does not necessarily have to be in person - there are several of us in the 68/69 Stepchild nation who routinely bounce Emails off of each other and also stay in touch by phone.
I also take great pride in planning my whole YEAR around our club event - I can't wait to drive my GS almost 600 miles each way to attend and then usually beat the snot out of it a few times on the track as well (12 timeslips this year). It is also chance to see what others have been up to, to catch up on old friendships and make new ones, all the while continuously looking at some of the best iron that ever rolled out of Flint. The days at the track and the nights in the hotel parking lots are a time to totally submerse yourself in your passion and talk with others about theirs ... which usually ends up being pretty close to yours.
There are alot of benefits that a club can offer to you - and there are very few things that you are asked to offer to your club.
First is your financial commitment to ensure its success. Without your yearly contribution, it is impossible for your club to determine what it is financially capable of doing in the following year. We do not have some huge reserve to work from - we offer almost everything back, and even give non-members a chance to walk away with club money in the race program.
Second, is that you participate. We all understand that life gets in the way but if no one sends in articles, then there is nothing to put in the build sheet. If no one plans to bring their cars for the Car show, then we might as well stand around in the hotel parking lot ... and the same goes for the race program. If everyone comes to spectate then there are no cars to watch go down the track !!
Participation ... giving instead of taking ... being a part of the whole ... these are all qualities in the people behind the club that makes a club great.
Help make this your club, and help make your club -The BPG - GREAT !!!
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Please feel free to add whatever you feel like writing - good or bad, member or not. Lets once and for all air it all out and move foward
I, for one, would rather build than tear down
Thanks
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MOON' 
Originally Posted by ULYCYC
person tonight.
