<VV> Buffalo-positive but long winded.

[bub049 at comcast.net]

Back home in Frostbite Falls at 100 degrees....

I may never have frost here again.

I have read all the posts about the 2006 CORSA Convention and, of course, have to drop in my 2 cents worth.

The first convention I attended was 1974 in Chicago. I have been to quite a few :-) and even worked on hosting one (1977). I have also been on the CORSA board. 

Times have changed my friends. In the 1970's we could put on a convention that was way loose in organization and events and heard few complaints. Was it because it was a more laid back time, or was it because things were much less expensive, or was it because people were more understanding of what folks had to do to put together a convention?  Putting on an International CORSA convention is a horrible amount of work and it is done by volunteers. Key word here... VOLUNTEERS!!!  They have to deal with the logistics of site vs events vs function of space...etc etc etc. That is itself is a logistical nightmare. Then, you add the requirements mandated by CORSA and the seemingly improbable almost becomes the insurmountable and impossible. I have always admired any club that has had the internal fortitude to step up and host a convention, knowing full well that no matter what they do right, there are always a number of CORSA members that will complain. Actually, a lot of these folks compl
ain because it is their life-style, or their underwear is a size too small or something. Also, you will find that quite a few of the complainers have complained about many conventions past. It is too bad that the first CORSA mandate for a convention is that the host club needs to put "Remember, this is a convention assembled by volunteer CORSA members just like you." on the top of all documentation. Two years ago my local Chapter (Corvair Minnesota) thought it would be awesome to bid for the 2007 convention.  With my many convention attendances, I stood and made a couple of statements. One of which was  "Please remember back to 1977 when we hosted the convention. We were all 30 years younger and it was a still a horrible experience. Now that we are 30 years older, do we want to go through that again?  Remember, that no matter what we did, we had people complaining constantly and the complaint level has increased and gotten more vicious. "  Needless to say, after reflection, our clu
b decided that there was no way the "honor" of  hosting the national convention was worth the cost to the club and it's members.  
I believe that any club that stands up and is willing to do the huge amount of work and to take the crap from CORSA and some of it's members to host a convention should get all the applause we can garner. It makes me ill to hear the way some people have talked about the convention and have done so about the conventions every year. I love every convention I have ever gone to. Yes, some are better than others and some have problems, but each and every one of them is a fond memory. Without the host clubs, a wonderful time with wonderful folks and our wonderfuls cars would not be. I made an effort this year to seek out as many of the 4 Clubs volunteers and tell them what a wonderful convention it was and what a great time I and my family were having. Yes, we had issues with the hotel. Yes I had problems with the parking ticket affair. I had some difficulty with navigating around Buffalo at first, but I have traveled to and in many of the cities of the US on my job, and none of them wer
e easy to get around in. My point is that the 4 Clubs took the ball and ran with it. They hosted a convention and it was a great success. I and my family had a wonderful time, enjoyed the events, and took the little problems with a grain of salt. 
Thank you 4 Clubs for a wonderful vacation! And thanks especially to Mr. McClure for the piece of rope you gave me to tie the early glass to the roof rack. It worked perfectly!

Sincerely,
Bob Johnston
CORSA since 1972
Frostbite Falls, MN