Smoke in the Wires February 2017

Greetings from your “new” President:
I must begin by saying that I had (in my mind at least) entertained the ambitious idea of calling each of you
before the end of the year to introduce myself and ask what I can do to spur a renewed interest and
participation in club activities. As is obvious, we are already into the new year, no calls were made, and I
have accepted the bitter consequence of attempting this task with pen (or more accurately, laptop) at
hand. While this letter will go out to every PBCA member, I would prefer and will make every effort to
personally meet each of you before the end of my first year. Our monthly meetings would be a good
starting point. Failing that, at any club event, you would have no problem recognizing me, as I would be the
one with no LBC by his side. Contrary to some rumblings, I do actually own one.
As your new president, I am excited, humbled, and especially honored to be at the 'helm' (darn, how I hate
nautical terms) for the next two years. I continue to be impressed by the support, cooperation and genuine
friendship shared by the members of the PBCA and all who love British cars. After all, isn't ownership of a
British automobile a constant test of one's faith and inner strength?
Moving on to more important concerns, my new position gives me the added privilege of presiding over a
significant event in our club's history. This year, "Brits on the Bay" celebrates its 25th Anniversary. Under
the leadership of Tom Schmitz, we are expending enormous effort to make it as memorable and successful
as befits the milestone that it is. With this in mind, I am asking for every member's personal support to
help meet the added 25th Anniversary costs associated with the event.
A considerable portion of the show expense is covered by selling sponsorships. These can be in the form of
a standard $40 Class Sponsor or a "Major" sponsorship, starting at $100 and above. While we'd love to
have everyone sell a major, we also recognize that many of our patrons are not able to afford that amount,
nor would we expect everyone to push for that level. In my own case, I have sold to those businesses with
whom I have dealt for routine services over the years. They include vets, tire stores, and even some
doctors and dentists. So, for each of you, if you have become a 'regular' customer over the years, why not
make a casual pitch for the show? Who knows, you may get one or two with little or no effort. If you are
not comfortable doing this, which is understandable you might consider becoming a sponsor. Just one class
sponsor per member would contribute greatly to its success.
For the record, and in the off chance that not all members are aware of this, all proceeds from the show,
after expenses, enable your PBCA to provide the year's calendar of events, with very few exceptions, at no
cost to you. All the more reason to become a sponsor. In any case, as a volunteer, you can take pride in
the fruits of your labor, enjoy the festivities at the show, buy some raffle tickets on the always unique and
often 'gotta have' items donated by our talented members, and give me a chance to meet you personally.
I look forward to your support.
Regards,
Paul
Smoke in the Wires February 2017 Page 6