Where does your club meet?

[Lee Mitch]

Someone in your close group must have a child or grandchild in the local schools. I would give that school a call. There are limitations when they would be open, but usually they charge just a utility fee if you are a nonprofit. As a former principal and district admin. I would have given any Model A club first dibs! ha!

[Mike V. Florida]

Originally Posted by TinCup

A lot of restaurants will have a small room that they will let you use as long as you eat there. Pizza Hut, Golden Corral, Western Sizzler are just a few.

We use Dennys.

[C26Pinelake]

I agree with the suggestion of the local Ford dealer. All the old Fords parked out front also attract interest to his dealership !
Good Luck !
Wayne

[mack4759]

Wow!

You guys gave me a lot of great ideas. I think we will start by approaching the local Ford dealership, then look at some of the nearby high schools, We contacted our city hall and they said the fire station was off limits, but we could rent a meeting room in the city hall building. If we rented after 5:00 p.m. it would be $200 a night and if we rented before 5:00 it was $500 for a four hour block! Sound familiar Napa Skip?

We are using the MAFCA booklet as a guideline to starting a club. It is helpful but doesn't give a lot of specific examples, but more general ones. Oh, for those asked, we are located in central Utah.

Thanks again for the suggestions.

Robert

[phaetonblue]

Our club meets in a small town at the local government civic center. The police dept. is located in that building and they rent the meeting room to our club for $15.00 a month. We meet on the first Tuesday of the month at 7:00. We usually have 60-70 members show up each meeting.

[Dave in Boise]

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We meet at a Fuddruckers.. They charge us nothing amd also give a % of our combined dinner $ we spend there to local charities, like the Foodbank, Rescue Mission, etc.. Nice place and friendly folks.

[Bruce in southern OH]

We meet in the South Point Chamber of Commerce, South Point OHIO, very nice facility, small kitchenette, everyone brings something to eat, always a good time, Bruce

[socalplanedoc]

Originally Posted by Gary WA

Local Fire Station usually have a conference room, that your taxes have paid for. That's where we meet once a month.

That's exactly where my small flying club meets. It works out great! lots of good parking and the firehouse crew even makes dinner (we throw in $5 each for that) and we clean up after..
They get a huge kick out of our meetings... had one last night, then stayed for awhile to watch Monday Night Football in their media room..
No one ever misses the meetings

[Aerocraft]

Our local club, the Naper A's, meets monthly in the town civic center for no cost. Gar Williams

[Chris in WNC]

do not have any regular meetings, they tend to be boring and pointless.
get together with your fellow club members only when something FUN is happening like a tour or a shop session. the nature of the event will dictate where to gather.

the directors (or officers) can meet as needed to do whatever they must- keep those gatherings to a minimum.

when I helped found the Jacksonville Model As we crafted our bylaws specifically to prohibit monthly knife-and-fork meetings at bad resturants. we also prohibited elections and any attempts at parlimentary procedure.

it makes the whole club experience more meaningful........

[gweilbaker]

Ain't no club but prop my hood and I have a quick meeting anywhere I park, no lie.

REALLY, 200/night, really? Our park district, local village, library and the banks all have conference rooms just for the asking. All I can say is, WOW.

[Jack '29 Sport Coupe]

Once a month at different restaurants, never a charge and usually some sort of a discount-----like free drinks or a set price for a select menu. Most restaurants are happy to get the business.

Jack

[FL&WVMIKE]

Originally Posted by CarlG

Is that where most of your members live?

Not yet.
MIKE

[Bigdave]

Originally Posted by mack4759

We are trying to start a new club, so finances are tight right now until we can get more members. We've contacted the local universities, some civic centers and public libraries, but the cost to rent a room will quickly use up the dues gathered.

We are thinking we may have to start my meeting at members homes. Changing the meeting place each month is somewhat cumbersome, but if we need to that's our next option.

Can any of you give us some more meeting place ideas? Where do you meet? Has anyone found a place where cost is low or non-existent?


Any help would be greatly appreciated. Starting a new club is harder than I thought!

Robert

Our club meets at a restaurant. We arrive an hour earlier than meeting time and have a nove buffet meal. No cost for the room. Hope tais helps

[RcT]

Originally Posted by Gary/IA

Here is something to think about. The club that I belong to has been in existence for 40 + years without a President, VP, Treasurer, Secretary, or dues. All meetings consist of tours or just driving the A's to a restaurant. When someone gets the urge to tour or dine just a phone call is all that is required. Every one is good about planning and guiding tours and we have many outings during the touring season. Some members have passed on but new ones seem to come along to keep the club going and help the newbies.

Not suggesting you do this but it has worked really well for our group.

Now this sounds like a good way to do it...
My experience with clubs, any clubs, be it car clubs or whatever, is that an elite group will form within the club, who have nothing but time, money and all the empty space one could ask for. Then sub-groups will form... a motor home group, a t-bird group or anything else they might have in common. Now this might not be the feelings of the entire club, but these cliques will always prevail on all decisions.

Money always is an issue. Money-making events that gather huge amounts of money, (and guess who does the bulk of the work at these events?) then how is it going to be spent... how about the club paying for you, your family, and your car, to attend national events ? And who arranges everything? Yep, that elite group of old timers who have been in the club forever and will not change a thing, because that's the way it has always been done.

Then, one day, the elite group decides to drop into your home unannounced to inspect how your car is progressing, and making sure you are aware of what you may have done wrong, or, in my case, I wasn't progressing fast enough for their group. That was the straw that broke this camel's back and I have never been in a club since.

So, Gary, I would say your club is the perfect way to go. Keep it simple, fun, and equal for all. I think it was Groucho Marx who said he would never want to be in a club who would have someone like him as a member... maybe that's me, too.

Richard

[mack4759]

Thanks everyone. I've copied all your comments so we can discuss them tomorrow. These comments both pro and con are points we need to consider.

Thanks again,

Robert

[[email protected]]

We have our own club house and engine rebuilding garage. and have had this for over ten years

[Tom Wesenberg]

Originally Posted by [email protected]

We have our own club house and engine rebuilding garage. and have had this for over ten years

This sounds like the best idea yet!