2013 Jan Feb Bulletin-1 - American Show Racer Association

PRESIDENT’S MESSAGEJeff AdairWell here we go again, or as Arnold says I’m back, so I can honestly say I have been there and donethat. Thank all of you who voted. To be able to keep this club alive and move it forward, themembership must get involved, if nothing more than to vote on each and every motion that is broughtforward to vote. It’s your responsibility and duty to vote and I hope all of you will take full advantage ofthis right.We have some new officers and some fresh ideas. You, as a paid member’s have every right to speakyour mind on those motions and ideas, but keep it positive and in a productive manner. Topics should bedebated pro and con, how else can we decide if these are truly good or bad ideas for our club.One of the first things that you will see different, is in your bulletin, they will now be sent directly toyou as a personal e-mail. We are asking everyone that has a computer to take an on line bulletin, this isbeing done to cut the costs of publication as yearly dues for many years have been far less than the highcost of printing. Those who get bulletins mailed through the post office will still be getting them, not toworry, it’s just that those on the internet will get them sooner. Another change is that we believe everymember should get the same full color bulletin with the same amount of pages and therefore there willbe no black and white bulletins. So help the ASRA, send in your e-mail address. At the rear of thisbulletin will be a current membership list, please see that your contact information is correct.Next we have an official ASRA Yahoo chat site for Paid members only, this site was started January2 nd 2013. The address is: OfficialAmericanShowracerAssociation@yahoogroups.com. If you have theability to join it please do. This way you can voice your ideas and opinions in real time, instead ofmailing your thoughts and wishes to someone to publish two months later. Bulletins are the life blood ofany club, yet the technology for much faster communication exists and could be a useful tool.Some of the things I would like you to start thinking and commenting on are, web site voting, it savesthe club lots of money and is a lot easier than having to mail your ballot in. The Giant Homer Club hasdone it for some time without any problems. All votes come in with members names and are easilyidentifiable as authentic. For those who want a mailed ballot they will still be available, should on linevoting ever become a reality.Another topic many fanciers are discussing is the judges, most feel it is imperative that we trainmore judges. Makes sense to me, a club that goes stagnate soon fades away. I don’t care so much in howit is done, but that it gets done, and a database is created. That way when a show is in need of a judgethey can go to the data base and get the information as needed.I still need a Historian if anyone is interested in the job. I have appointed Les Heisserman as District8 Director. Les is a Master breeder with immense experience, but has had health problems keeping himfrom being involved and active in the last couple years. He is on the mend and feels he can do the job.Thank you Les for stepping up.Jim Johnson stepped up as Publicity Director and is already doing a fantastic job, some are alreadysaying how did we ever live without Jim. James Clarkson came forward and will hold the job of ASRA8