<VV> Communique

[Arlette Pat & Carl Kelsen]

G’day everyone,
I am reading with concern, some of the negative comments posted on Virtual Vairs about the latest edition of our much loved CORSA monthly magazine. 

Being a foreign member it will be at least another week, or perhaps two before I finally receive my copy. I can never remember my pass word to view the online copy! So I will have to wait to see where this magazine in print and see what it is like for my self.

Nobody likes change, least of all me. But I guess change is what happens whether we like it or not. The new editor ‘Don’ must be given a chance to develop his style and approach. Having said that I do like many still hold real concerns.

As well as being a very proud Corsa member, I am also a charter member of the National Impala Association. Our new editor Don has also taken up the editorship of the National Impala Association and I understand he has had a long time involment with a Pontiac car club.

Last year (2017) I travelled from my home in Australia to the USA and attended the 2017 National Impala Convention in Sprearfish, SD. At that convention I did meet our new editor Don and heard him give speeches primarily introducing himself. I had communicated with Don via email prior to leaving Australia and have to say that Don’s understanding or appreciation of the siginificant cost and diificulities foreign members face to attend these conventions was poor. Added to this Don preferred to communicate via Face Book rather than email. I actively try to reduce the time I spend electronic screens rather than increase it, so I can live without Face Book.

After seeing Don and hearing him speak in person I am of the view that his approach to this editorship of either the Corsa or National Impala magazines will be very much commercially based. That is it will be based on what provides the greatest financial return. In my view, to Don it’s a business first and a hobby at best second.

Perhaps this is how it has to be to survive, but if the passion is not there, then readers will quickly pick up on this and loose any interest. My impression of Don was not that he is a real ‘car guy’ and certainly I was left questioning how much he really cared about Corvairs.

Nevertheless I have NOT offered to do the job, have NOT submitted articles for some time and for this reason perhaps I should NOT complain. 

Hopefully over coming editions Don will develop his own style, learn a little more about Corvairs, CORSA and its worldwide membership. Hopefully Don will then begin to understand that CORSA is a very different club to almost all other car clubs.

In the end I did not find Don very welcoming but I am prepared to give him a year or two to settle into his new job. My membership of CORSA and the friendships I has made with fellow CORSA are simply to valuable to loose.

Regards to all from Australia (down under)
Carl L. Kelsen
1965 RHD Monza convertible




Sadly I have to say that my intitial impressions of ou