Guidelines for 928OC Event Support

pcar928fan;16242 wrote: Jarrod,

When $2800 is roughly 25% of what you will bring in over an entire year, then I think a bit of accounting is not to much to ask for... Now, "full disclosure", well perhaps we can look in to that and alter it. It is a matter of showing members who have given their money to the club just what their money is being spent on. Dinner for guys who did attend an OCIC or shirts for the OCIC...whatever it is I think the members ought to be informed and the only way that can happen is if the organizer of the event chooses to inform the club of the expenditure.

As for embedded costs like a required $28 membership fee. I suspect most clubs only let members participate fully in their signature event. An OCIC would be the signature event of the 928 Owners Club. Is it not reasonable to request that attendees be members??? A PCA Parade will allow you to walk around the parking lot to look at the cars, but to be an "event participant" or to enter the Concours or the banquets you will be REQUIRED to be a member (or the assigned affiliate member...ie the spouse/family member) of the club to participate. I personally think that is a good idea and shouldn't require any serious effort on the part of the organizer.

People sign up, then they pay...each family will have ONE $28 fee that will be sent to the OC and they will either then have an existing membership extended by a year or they will be a new member with a one year membership. The membership chairman will have the list of attendees and he will check the records to see what gift that person should receive. A renewal gift or a new members packet. He will then send that out. The only thing the organizer will need to do is provide a list and a check...

This is all still evolving. And that will continue as it does with all organizations. We just want (as a board) to continue working towards being a financially viable club that can help its members with the Tool Loaner Program, Roadside Assistance Program and other programs that cost money and need volunteers.

James,

I have no problem with embedding a membership fee into the registration. Makes sense. You could tier the fee for members vs. non-members, the difference being the fee tacked on to join the club for non-member registration. That way everyone participating is a member, just as you desire.

As you say, $2,800 was indeed a significant amount of money for the club. That said, the board approved it, nobody forced them. They could certainly approve less next time.

I still don't see the point of getting a full accounting POST FACTO. No one has answered any of my questions posed earlier. Again I ask, what do you plan to do (or even better, what CAN you do) with financial results you get after the event? What if there is a big profit (yeah, right) or a big loss (more likely)? What's the board going to do?

If the board just has to have financials...and the club has successfully sponsored events without them for what, 15 years or so...the time to get financials is BEFORE the event. A proforma budget can illustrate the size, scope, and possible monetary needs of the event and its planners.

Look, I think much of this argument is the club's own fault. The way these OCIC's have been run has been misleading. For many years, I had no idea the club itself did NOT put the event on. I was quite surprised to find their only involvement was allowing use of the name and supplying a small monetary sponsorship. And this being the club's "SIGNATURE" event, as you say. It was, and is, that in NAME ONLY. The club insists that it have no involvement in actually putting on the event, and that the organizers bear ALL risk - financial, liability, planning and otherwise (I learned that real quick when I initially volunteered to be treasurer for the 2012 OCIC - but that's another story) Until that changes and the club starts putting these things on, I don't see where organizers owe the club anything other than a "thank you".

JW

JWise;16244 wrote: James,
I have no problem with embedding a membership fee into the registration. Makes sense. You could tier the fee for members vs. non-members, the difference being the fee tacked on to join the club for non-member registration. That way everyone participating is a member, just as you desire.
JW

+1

Drop the goofy 'add a year onto a member's membership' business and tier the fee.

Add a tier for non-members who don't want a membership so that the producer, who's taking the risk here, can attract as many attendees as possible. I can't think of a reason not to allow non-members to participate, except in the formal car display. (BTW 'The PCA does it' is not a reason IMHO.)

Or better yet, let the producer decide how they want to handle the entry fees.

JWise;16244 wrote: I still don't see the point of getting a full accounting POST FACTO. No one has answered any of my questions posed earlier. Again I ask, what do you plan to do (or even better, what CAN you do) with financial results you get after the event? What if there is a big profit (yeah, right) or a big loss (more likely)? What's the board going to do?

If the board just has to have financials...and the club has successfully sponsored events without them for what, 15 years or so...the time to get financials is BEFORE the event. A proforma budget can illustrate the size, scope, and possible monetary needs of the event and its planners.

Look, I think much of this argument is the club's own fault. The way these OCIC's have been run has been misleading. For many years, I had no idea the club itself did NOT put the event on. I was quite surprised to find their only involvement was allowing use of the name and supplying a small monetary sponsorship. And this being the club's "SIGNATURE" event, as you say. It was, and is, that in NAME ONLY. The club insists that it have no involvement in actually putting on the event, and that the organizers bear ALL risk - financial, liability, planning and otherwise (I learned that real quick when I initially volunteered to be treasurer for the 2012 OCIC - but that's another story) Until that changes and the club starts putting these things on, I don't see where organizers owe the club anything other than a "thank you".

JW

Couldn't agree more.

James and board, we truly hope the above are being discussed in a very timely fashion (now) so as to provide a definitive response.

As we are now well within the 1 year window for our event to be an OCIC (see guidelines) and well into organising the event time is very much of the essence.

Greg, et al,

I agree, most OC events do not make money, and we are always hopeful that a sponsor does not lose money. I know of one that did make a profit (and it was donated to the OC). I know some that lost money, and that was 'swallowed' by the organizers. There is no obligation for the organizers to provide any profits to the OC, or for the OC to supplement any losses by the organizers.

BUT - I still believe that a profitable event for an organizer is a GREAT thing, as that would mean it was well attended, and the attendees thought it would represent a good value, or they would not have registered. Just my opinion!

Unfortunately, I am in a situation where I can not communicate with the OC board via e-mail for another ~week. To some degree, perhaps, the 'accounting' aspect is there as a continuation of history. IF it is a big issue, as it seems to have developed into, perhaps the Board should take another look at it, as James has suggested above. I'm certainly not opposed to such a review. Should we put up a 'vote' for members on this issue?????

Gary---



Gary--
PS: PM's sent to Greg about a different issue

Interesting thread. We (the local Pitt group) just did a small 928OC event this past summer - the Pittsburgh Vintage Grand Prix gathering. It was the 4th annual. It is in a rebuilding phase after a few year hiatus, so still a small event, but growing.

We had hoped to get funding to offset food costs for the BBQ that was planned as part of the event, but that was not a permitted expenditure. We were able to obtain 928OC swag, for which I am grateful, and that was handed out to the gathering. The cost of the event was born entirely by us locals in Pittsburgh (split 4 ways, not big dollars by any stretch). Basically, we just made a local party out of it, and the 928OC aspect of it was not as big of a splash as it could have been. While we had the banner displayed at the car show at the Schenley Park, it was not hanging at my house for the BBQ - the BBQ was on us, not the club.

I am at a crossroads with respect to the 928 OC and what it has evolved into. I have become very active and involved in the local PCA, and that is an entirely positive and enriching experience. In fact, I have been actively promoting membership into the ARPCA for local shark owners, but I find it difficult to do the same for the 928OC. The issues raised in this thread and others like it are a big reason for this. What are the benefits? Frankly I am losing sight of them. (yes, I know about the tool loaner program; but I can get everything else from other sources).

We need to figure out what we want this club to be. Do we want it to grow? If so, let's come up with a better way - simplify the things that are roadblocks, such as taking heed of the points raised by Jarrod and Roger. I don't want to step into the middle of the sh!t storm - I have great respect for and believe Stan did a solid job over his tenure, James is still feeling his way and will do a good job, and I love Roger to death - but folks, there are good points here and we need to start making the Club something everybody with a 928 wants to be in rather than something we trying to peddle without the tools. Most members don't care about an accounting. They just care whether their club is legit and is growing (to Jarrod's excellent point). If the converse were true, then I would have dropped out a long time ago - I got valve stem caps for my $28 membership - who gives a crap? Not me. I am paying for relevance, not bickering and rules that keep me from putting on local events to promote my club.

Anyway, my $02. I do look forward to seeing everyone at Frenzy.

PS - just checked - last May (2012) I renewed membership for 2 years - to 2014. I attended Frenzy last September - did my membership renew for an additional year (to 2015)? Will it renew further by attending this year's Frenzy (to 2016)? These things have become quite confusing, and I'd like to know not just for me, but as a local 928OC "den mother" to be able to tell the locals of what the rules are. If membership is baked into the cost of the event, then I'd like to let those local shark owners know that, so that when they think about attending, I can let them know that they get the club membership too. Please advise since this is not at all clear to me.

I guess it's true. What ever you do can be misunderstood and misconstrued by anyone at anytime.

No we don't give a damn about a "full accounting" if we don't have any financial responsibility. In doing the first one (and second one) I submitted it publicly just so others could see what was spent on what but for no other reason than to give info to the community (so others could pick and choose NOT to spend all I spent!). It would be great if others would do this but *if* they get their nose out of joint at the suggestion then screw it, who cares really?!

So forget the FULL ACCOUNTING (I think I speak for the Board and any common sense members). Also, in my opinion, FORGET the $28 membership "donation" to your Club. Forget the horrible accounting burdens in "collecting" this from attendees for your Club and forwarding it on. All the embedding talk and surreptitious charging of fees has put me off this, expletive deleted. No we don't want a "tiered" strategy unless the organizers desire that. I think simple is always better when it can be achieved... It used to be a good idea and a great way for an organizer to actually do something good for the Club (and hence, its members).

Go with whatever suits you when setting up the event but you might please try to actually do something good for the community and the Club and us members. Maybe provide the Club or the community the financial info if you wish to share the info. Maybe try to be a more positive force in the Club. Maybe try to suppress the griping and bring some positive input to the discussion.

I'll look at the Guidelines piece again and put some revisions to the Board.

Marc