Third/Fourth Quarter 2017

What’s New!!! This has been a very big and busy year! Let’s talk about it.

Colleen and I did make it to Solvang this year, but at the last minute we had a change of plans and were unable to drive. So we flew the friendly skies instead. We had a wonderful time as always. The California Chapters did an outstanding job in every area of the GT. Just fantastic. We also had a fantastic Chapter Contacts meeting. As usual it was very spirited! We had 26 attendees representing 24 chapters or interest groups. A lot of the discussion was centered around the insurance that Hagerty provides our chapters. We are including an attachment about the two policies and what they cover. Please share this with your club officers. We think it will answer a lot of questions about insurance. We also talked about re-creating a document to help Chapters to put on a regional event. Larry Pitman our vice-chairman is undertaking this project and he would like to have input from our Chapters about what they would like to see, or if they might have some helpful ideas. Send Larry and email with your ideas.

Next on the list of topics is GT-43 in Richmond. Plan on driving. We mean it. We are spear-heading a movement to get people interested in driving cross country to the event. We want you to talk this up at your chapter meetings. If someone in your chapter is even remotely interested in the idea, send us the information. We are hoping to get interest from different geographical areas and make a network where you join up with others as they travel cross country. You are going to be hearing a lot about this, so put the bug in someone’s ear today. We have driven our A and Magnette to countless events. Sometimes it is solo, sometimes in a caravan. It can be done and it is fun and memorable. We have concentrated groups of members throughout the US. Portland/Seattle, San Francisco/Central Coast (Mike Jacobsen are you taking on the challenge?), Los Angeles/San Diego, Minneapolis, Kansas City, Dallas, Houston, St Louis, Michigan, etc, etc. You get the idea. Let’s hear from YOU!! Ben Nolan, NAMGAR’s registrar, wants to be first on the list! Ben lives in New Jersey and he knows a bit about traveling cross country as he won the long distance award this year. Email Ben if you want more information. Alternatively email Ed and Colleen for more information. Colleen and I will be the clearing house for this project. And remember, NAMGBR has their annual meeting right up the road in Gettysburg, PA starting the same day that our GT ends. This is a two for one chance. Talk it up with the B people in your Chapter and have double the fun.

Chapter and Interest Group Responsibilities

It is that time of year that we need to hear from our Chapters. One the responsibilities of the Chapter & Interest Group Coordinators is to monitor the health of the local chapters and interest groups. To do this we need some help from YOU and we need it pretty quickly as we have to submit this information to the NAMGAR Board in January. It is very important that we get the following information from you:

Review the Contacts Information found in the latest edition of MGA! and on the website. Please do this very carefully and let us know if all of the contact information is correct for you and your Chapter. If anything needs to be changed please email us and email our Internet Coordinators as well. We will pass the changes on to our editor.
Next we need to know something about the makeup of your club members. We need a count of the total number of club members and the number of members that are members of NAMGAR. Please submit those numbers directly to us. Since we ask for this each year, I have noticed that chapters are gleaning this information on their club renewals. If you haven’t made this modification on your club renewal form, now is a good time bring it up. If you are one of those Chapters who do not know who their members are, Ben Nolan, NAMGAR’s Registrar can assist. Let him know if you need a list of members in your area. Email the registrar.
We need to make sure that we are getting copies of your newsletter or other publication that is sent out to your membership. Copies need to be sent to both the Internet Coordinators (Peter and Anne Tilbury) and us, the Chapter and Interest Group Coordinators. Where your newsletters are sent is a CHANGE since last year, so please make sure both are correct and included. You may have a new newsletter editor. Make sure that your newsletter is getting to us. If you only have a printed format, email me to get my correct physical address. Please check with the person in your club that sends out your newsletter and make sure that both parties are included in your distribution. I have recently noticed that some of our Chapters have not submitted their newsletter. If you have had a change in the person that distributes your newsletter, please make sure they get this information.
One last item, that I want you to track is how many NAMGAR members became new members to your Chapter in 2017. I don’t need the numbers at this time, but we will use this information to determine the Chapter recognition award. Don’t know if a new member is or is not a NAMGAR member? Contact Ben Nolan, the Registrar. He knows.

Please try to send us this information by December 25th. We need this for our upcoming Board Meeting in January. Thanks!!

Upcoming NAMGAR Events

June 13-17, 2018 GT – 43 Richmond, VA
Make plans to attend this one! And plan to drive as well!

The Mid-Atlantic MGA Chapter and the Central Virginia British Car Club will be hosting next year’s GT in beautiful and historic Richmond Virginia. We’ve been to Richmond for the regional event a few years ago and they did not disappoint! This should be a good one.

Plan on getting a group together and caravanning to this event. And remember, NAMGBR is having their annual meeting just up the road (183 miles) in Gettysburg, PA on June 17 – 22. Check out of the hotel in Richmond and have a leisurely drive up to Gettysburg, with a lunch stop in DC. Worried about DC traffic? Not a problem as this is a Sunday! A real two-for-one opportunity!

Further information will be posted on NAMGAR’s website as it becomes available.

Annual Chapter & Interest Group Contacts Meeting
Join Colleen and me for our annual Chapter and Interest Group Contacts Meeting at the GT. Details to follow.

March 22-25, 2018 GOF South Mk LII
Classic MG Club Orlando, Altamonte Springs, FL

For those of you who don’t read Roman, this is their 52nd gathering of the faithful. What could be better than Little British Cars in Florida in March??!!! Entitled “MGs and Friends Forever”, who could go wrong? This family friendly affair has it all, including two car shows!! The host hotel is the Hilton Hotel Orland/Altamonte springs (407-830-1985). There are a limited number of discounted rooms so make your plans now.

For more information, visit the event website.

April 29 – May 6, 2018 MGs in the Dolomites
Lake Garda, Italy

Florida too boring? Got a little extra change in your pants pocket? I’ve got the answer. Ship your car to Italy for this annual event. Or just fly. Head to the South Tyrolean Dolomites and Lake Garda, Italy for this one. You are certain to meet a lot of new MG enthusiasts from all over the world. And you will have a lot of material to write a great article for NAMGAR!

May 9 -13, 2018
Texas MG Register Spring GOF

Every year, on Mother’s Day weekend the Texas MG Register hosts their Spring meeting in Salado Texas. Salado is in the center of Texas, equidistant between Austin and Waco. This is a fun event with participants coming from far and wide. For more information the Club’s website.

September 12 – 16, 2018
Southeastern British Car Show

Once again NAMGAR’s own Peachtree MG Registry will host this event at the Dillard House in Dillard, GA. This bi-annual show is always well-received. For more information as it becomes available visit the Chapter’s website.

NAMGAR GT Chapter Recognition Award

We awarded two chapters with the NAMGAR GT Chapter Recognition Award at the awards banquet at GT-42 in Solvang. The two winning Chapters were the Ottawa MG Club and the Michigan Rowdies. Both clubs had twenty-two points!! We were excited to give out two $100.00 gift certificates from NAMGAR and two certificates of recognition. Who will win next year? How do we determine the points?

Here is how we determine who the gets the award. The award is based on points in the following categories:

10 points for hosting a GT (for the past 3 years)
5 points for hosting a NAMGAR Regional event (for the past 3 years)
3 points for having a complete chapter profile on file at www.namgar.com
3 points for providing annual report to Chapter Coordinators including the number NAMGAR members and total number of members of Chapter by December 31st each year.
2 points for having submitted their chapter newsletter to NAMGAR
1 point for article submission of an event or activity to either MGA! or website (article must be published and does not include National and Regional reports on events).
1 point for each new NAMGAR member (as confirmed by the registrar). This is computed for 2017. If you do not know if a new member is a NAMGAR member or not, contact Ben Nolan, our registrar.

There are several things on this list that reflect on the responsibilities of the Chapter Contact. Do your part to help your Chapter accumulate points!!

NAMGAR Regional GTs – Something Your Chapter Might Want to Consider

Are there any events on your club’s calendar such as a weekend trip or a car show that could be expanded to become a NAMGAR Regional? Is it something that you might want to consider? What the heck, the more the merrier. If you’ve already done the planning for an event then you’re more than half way there. Having a regional just might fill up that motel or enhance your car show field. Contact NAMGAR Vice Chairman Larry Pittman for details and advice on hosting a NAMGAR Regional.

Chapter Newsletters

We enjoy reading your club newsletters. Please let us know when a new one has been posted to your website or include us on your e-mail list. Those using the British Marque News as your newsletter vehicle, please let us know when you’ve submitted one to the Marque News so we know to look for it.

Chapter Events

Post yours on the namgar.com Events Page

NAMGAR Web Coordinators Peter and Anne Tilbury provide a service on the NAMGAR web site to post your upcoming club sponsored events which might interest other NAMGAR members convenient to your area. Please use this FREE service to promote your MG or British car hobbyist event.

You may add your club events to the Calendar of Events by visiting namgar.com.

Renkenberger Spirit Award

This award is presented by the NAMGAR Board of Directors to a member of a Chapter or Interest group upon request of the local Chapter. The member does not have to be a member of NAMGAR. Each NAMGAR Chapter or NAMGAR Interest Group is eligible to nominate one of their members every three (3) years. As most Chapters have their annual planning meetings coming up this would be an appropriate time to suggest that your Chapter’s Board consider nominating a member for this award. Also our Interest groups can think about nominating one of their members. All Chapters and Interest groups have individuals that spend vast amounts of time and energy making their organization successful and this award is a very appropriate way of recognizing them. View the guidelines on namgar.com.

The award is prepared and sent to the Chapter Contact by NAMGAR upon receipt of the Chapter’s 300-400 word nomination submission to the Chapter Coordinators, along with a photograph of the awardee. These will be published in MGA! and posted on the NAMGAR website. It should be noted there is no cost to the Chapter for the award, which is provided by NAMGAR, and we do encourage each Chapter to use this award to recognize an outstanding member.

For more information on how to submit a nomination please contact the Chapter Coordinators.

Lastly, please share this newsletter with your Chapter and Interest Group members. We look forward to your response to our requests and hope you are able to attend the national GT or a Regional GT local to you. We also encourage each Chapter Contact to reach out to a neighboring Chapter to see if there are club activities that would be enhanced by including a larger pool of British vehicles.

Happy Motoring!
Ed Sass & Colleen Quinn, NAMGAR Chapter Coordinators