Georgia Fiero Club Forum
All Things Fiero => Club News => Topic started by: 88_4mula on January 12, 2011, 09:58:04 am
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It has been mentioned that we should do something about the format of our club.
The Fiero being a classic one of kind (two models) it is 20+ years old and is a dying breed.
After seeing the Triumph Club's turnout for the Polarbear Run each year, we need help.
Pat talked with the ex-leader of the now defunked Kappa Club (Pontiac Solstice).
We should invite them to join our club.
Collectively the two cars would make a great New and Improved club.
Pontiac Sports Cars of Georgia <PSCG> or something there in.
And maybe the new members would be willing to come to meetings, go on outings, pay dues, or even volunteer to hold an office or be a board member......
After all the trouble finding people to hold offices this year we need some new blood.
Just think about it.
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You can vote your opinion here (http://gafieroclub.org/bbs/index.php?topic=672.0).
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Well. here's my 2 cents...
I don't see our club as being THAT decrepit. If we feel that a merger with the Solstice club is appropriate, why not explore merging with the GTO club, too (if there is one, that is). But GTO owners probably see themselves as "muscle car" drivers, and wouldn't want to hang with the poor old Fiero guys. The need for a support network in the form of a car club for our cars is almost a necessity because of their advanced age, as opposed to the Solstice being "modern" and possibly still under warranty, not failure prone because of high mileages and prehistoric GM engineering. And will they be any better at setting up events ? Again, I don't think the events put together in the past are stale or poor. The events have been excellent and appreciated by the other club members who participate versus organize. But, maybe it's time for an "all Pontiac club", I'm open to possible change.....
Tom
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Even though I broached the subject with Kim, I have mixed feelings about it. The GFC has been around since the mid 90's and has survived pretty good. I believe RFTH is the oldest continuous Fiero exclusive event in the US. Daytona is just 1 year behind us. The KAPA club has only been around for a few years and is now pretty much defunct. They had a strong and passionate following for a while, and I don't know what happened that they just fell apart. The folks I've met when we've done joint events were a great bunch of people.
Merging with the Solstice and Sky would require identifying them in the name of the club. That would mean there is no longer a Georgia Fiero Club. We certainly couldn't expect them to be a part of us and remain in the background. The Sky isn't Pontiac, so should they be excluded?
We could ask the KAPA club if they would care to join with us. I am registered on their forum, or we could have Kim start a thread to see how they feel about it.
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How about if we invite them to join with us, but keep our name?
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IF we decide to merge, given the advantages of more help in running the club, we should position ourselves as The statewide club, maybe something like Peachstate Pontiac Club (with Saturn Sky mbrs included).
Tim S.
Re: Polar Bear Run!
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check out the thread on pennocks about the upcoming daytona show and this same problem. some pretty strong feelings and arguments stated. look on " general fiero chat " page 2 of daytona #15.
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I would like to see a All Pontiac Club for Pontiac's older then 1990. Would that mean we would have to develop a new charter?
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linda one things for sure as charlie said we would lose the georgia fiero name and i don't think other than the solstice that any of the larger pontiacs would care to run the dragon or other rfth courses the way we do. its apples and oranges, we are the red-headed stepchild and proud of it, thats why we drive fieros instead of other more refined automobiles. we're scavengers and not concoures material. what do the solstice people talk about at their meetings, nothings ever broke or do they talk about their last visit to the dealer to get the oil changed. now i would to have a solstice or a " 65 " gto but i would have to have at least 1 fiero to stay in the georgia fiero club. i voted yes initialy to merge but the more i think about it i have decided to change my vote to "no". i think that we would end up with two different factions in one club. i think we would be better off trying to make a more concentrated effort to people who actually own fieros. the activities that we do evidently don't interest a lot of fiero owners around the atlanta area. if we could find out what it would take to get these people that drive fieros but won't join the club maybe we could make some changes.
end of chapter one
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Dewey after reading your post I have to agree.
Like you I would prefer if we did not let the members of the Kappa Club join us.
But I think we should still invite them and anybody else who owns a 2 seater to join in on some of our runs.
I do not want to change our name.
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Well, it's official. We have to keep our name for another year, because I just renewed the club's charter.
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Aside from being GM 2 seaters, I see other things in common. The Saturn Sky or Saturn per se, used some of the Fiero technology in its body panels. I think the Saturn Sky has more in common with the Pontiac line than any other GM line of cars. I wouldn't want to see them excluded from any joint ventures. I believe it would only serve to make some Solstice owners drop out, too.
I also see a lot of things in common with the KAPA group and the Fiero group. People just aren't participating in the events. Putting the two groups together would make a larger overall group, but probably wouldn't bring in more Fiero people or more KAPA people. There are those out there that don't want to attend a meeting or to help with an event. They only come around when they need help or advice. I've seen it with our community and I've heard it from the other people so both clubs have very similar situations.
Even with that, I'd really like the officers to sit down with the KAPA club and see if we can develop some joint ventures. We've been doing the same things year after year. They have a different focus. We could participate in their events and they with us. It would have to be a two way street. We can't just expect them to run with us and we don't go to their meetings or events.
If we did decide to do some kind of merger, maybe it could be the Georgia Fiero/PeachState Kapa Clubs. We would each retain our identities in the name, and we may also be able to remain as separate entities.
Whatever we do, we cannot be successful and grow if no one comes out. Each member needs to try to make contact with other Fiero owners and try to recruit them to come to meetings. Explain to them the benefits we offer like finding parts at reasonable prices and Fiero friendly mechanics at honest rates, and hands-on help from club members. It isn't necessary to join and pay dues to participate in events or to suggest activities. The Fiero doesn't have to be a show car. We do other things besides going to car shows.
I would really like to see come kind of interaction with the two clubs, but I'd also like to see each club retain its individual identity, too.
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charlie maybe this isn't quite in line with the thread but i have been in touch with a fiero owner on pennocks thats looking for some parts, he's from marietta, i tryed to get him to come to the meeting saturday but he said he can't make it. hes looking for some back lit gauges and needles for a project he's working on. hes looking for these as donations and in return he'll make the first few people testers for the project. hes trying to change things over to l.e.d. s. i told him to post to the forum but he said it wouldn't let him register as a member. his name on pennocks is " msweldon " . heres a chance to pick the brain of one of those people who live right here with us but isn't a member.
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Why don't we invite the Kappa Club to our February meeting to see if they are even interested in joining us.
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I sent Kim an email and asked that she call me, but she hasn't responded. I'll try posting something on their forum.
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heres a chance to pick the brain of one of those people who live right here with us but isn't a member.
OK I'm not a member (yet; again; plan to re-join when I can afford it ;-) but I'll throw in my 2 cents.
I have mixed emotions about an actual merge. I really think the Ga. FIERO Club should remain just that. Anyone can join at any time they don't have to own a Fiero. Joining would give them the ability to help run the club. But one of the cool things about having one mark in a club is that all the cars look alike (for the most part) when you go on a run or in other club activities. Would we put the Fieros in front & the others behind? :P Or randomly mix them up?
But if the members feel that a merge would liven things up, or more importantly "save" the club, then it might be the thing to do. I could probably get more work with a larger club database. I have a KILLER paintjob done on a Solstice in Forza; would LOVE to put it on a real car. ;D
~ Paul
aka "Tha Driver"