Volume 5 Issue 1 January
2005
All about the people . . . and the car
that brings us together
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Note from the Membership Director
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DMC Email Contacts: Gaylon
Kellner, Membership |
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From your Board. . .
Following are excerpts from the mailing the board sent to the Delta Miata Club members in November.
Greetings Delta Miata Club members,
This is a special mailing to all of the members. We normally communicate through email, but we want to be sure all of you are updated on the status of the club, attend the Christmas Party, and be ready to enjoy 2005.
Our new logo
Please check out our new official logo (above). After much discussion and several attempts, we have come up with a logo that illustrates driving the Miata (sunrise, sunset, or just plain sunny?) in the Delta area (waves?) and still retaining the triangular shape and colors of the original logo. Many thanks go to Larry Meek on pursuing this issue, working with his contacts, and seeing the project all the way through. Our next phase will be to make available new signs, decals, hats, shirts, etc. for our members. We will be making this information available in the near future. Watch this web site!
Treasury Status
The treasury has a current balance of $959.03. Our income for the year has been $781.00 and expenses $858.64. The major expenses have been insurance, the annual picnic, and maintaining the web site. We are in pretty good shape going into the next year.
Membership Status
You all may be interested in some history of the Delta Miata Club. It was originally formed by Bob and Betty Retzer and a small group of Miata enthusiasts. The club grew to a total of 38 memberships by the end of 2001. Eight of these memberships are still participating in 2004. In 2002, the club added an additional 26 memberships and 28 renewed their membership, bringing the club to a total of 54 memberships. In 2003 there were only 14 new memberships added, but 38 renewals brought the total to 52. In 2004 there were only 5 memberships added to the club with 29 renewals, bringing us to a total of 34 memberships today. Several memberships have more than one member, so there are 51 active members. The club currently is just a little smaller than the original year of 2001.
2005 - The future
We hope to continue many of the things that we all enjoy – having fun in our Miatas and socializing with other people that love Miatas and enjoy touring the many roads in our area, meeting new people, and going to events by ourselves and with other clubs.
We also hope to make some changes that will improve participation and bring in new members. We all see lots of Miatas on the road. We need to reach out to these people, make them aware of our club, and get them to join us. Let’s enjoy the Holidays, but please start thinking about our 2005 needs.
Gaylon will be sending out an email soon requesting all members to 1) renew their membership for 2005, and to 2) volunteer to either lead a run, sponsor an event (it can be anything!) or “host” the monthly meeting (yes, we want to go back to meeting at least monthly). This does not mean you have to have the meeting at your house! All it means is that you will pick a restaurant (or location) near you that you enjoy going to. We could even do pot-lucks, picnics at a park, etc. This way you will not have to travel very far and the rest of us will have a good reason to go on a “Miata road trip” and check out a new place. Sound like fun? Our recent meetings have had between eight to twenty members, to give you an idea.
The runs can be as formal or informal as you like. Graeme has assisted us in the past by providing us with some excellent maps, but this is not a requirement. Some of us are known for missing turns and making u-turns. The DMC web site also has information available to help you lead a safe and successful run. Previous run leaders will be more than willing to help you get organized. The main thing is that we get together and have fun. We want to have the calendar filled up with at least one run a month.
We are also open for any suggestions (and criticisms). The first meeting in January will be devoted to setting up the calendar and developing our 2005 plan. It will be held January 11, 2005 at Mia’s restaurant in Brentwood. This is where we have been holding our more recent meetings and directions are on the web site.
This will be an act in progress. We hope to see you there.
Zoom Zoom!
Note from the Membership Director
(with comments by the Newsletter editor)
We held our Christmas Party Sunday, Dec. 12th at the Garlic
Brother’s Restaurant in Stockton. Twelve members attended and had a very
good time. The food and service was excellent and the atmosphere
relaxing. Thank you very much Diana and Larry Vanvekoven for organizing
the event. See pictures.
We had a lot of discussion on upcoming runs and events. The next
Delta Miata Club meeting will be held at Mia’s Restaurant in Brentwood on
January 11th, 2005. We plan to work on the 2005 calendar at
that time so please try to attend and bring lots of ideas.
After
the January meeting we will meet at Mia’s on the second Tuesday of every
even-numbered month beginning in February (same schedule as last year).
We want to meet on the second Tuesday of every odd-numbered month at different
locations volunteered by our club members. Please volunteer a place near
you and notify Graeme, our Web Master, or one of the officers so we can add it
to the calendar / web site.
There were no more names received as nominations for next year’s
officers. Graeme formally nominated the people that have volunteered and
the group unanimously agreed. For 2005, Larry Meek and Irene Stolberg
will share the position of President (Note:
12/20/2004 update. After later
discussion, Irene & Larry decided Larry would assume the primary role of
President and Irene would take on the duties of VP/Secretary -- Graeme).
Connie Kellner will continue to be the Club Treasurer. Graeme Kinsey has
agreed to continue as our Web Master and Gaylon Kellner has agreed to be the
Club Membership Director.
Don’t forget to send in your $25.00 to renew your Club Membership for
2005 so that we can keep our activities going, our website supported and the
fun and social benefits of our club alive.
Please send your check, payable to Delta Miata Club, to Gaylon Kellner
at 2479 Crocker Way, Antioch, CA 94531. Thank you very much to the
members that have already paid. We look forward to an exciting new
year.
Several
people have already volunteered to lead runs next year. We look forward
to ‘The Mystery Runs’ in January and March. Check our calendar of events. You may
want to check the web site for information on the ‘Miatas
in Moab’ event in May, 2005. Several members of the Delta Miata Club
plan to attend and there may be a caravan of Miatas from various California
clubs headed East. Clubs from all over the country are attending.
A special thanks to Graeme for leading the scenic run from Brentwood to
the Garlic Brother’s Restaurant (only one U-turn?). It was much better
than “boring” Highway 4.
Gaylon Kellner
Other notes:
We have printed the new window stickers and they are $1.00 each. We are including a set with each new/renewal membership this year. They feature the new logo. Each additional set will be $2.00. The Club paid for the initial printing of the new logo window stickers.
We’ve
missed some birthdays as our activities and newsletter were a bit quiet, but
let’s celebrate some recent and some upcoming BIRTHDAYS! (If I missed any, please let me know -- Graeme)
Membership Report
We’re
starting the new year and membership renewals are coming in, but they need to
come in faster! Without the support of
our great members, we can’t cover our expenses (website, insurance, picnic,
door plaques, decals, etc.) Please send
us your check today; it’s a small fee to pay for a whole year of continued
Miata fun. Yes, you can come on most
events without being a member, but someone has to foot the bill. . . thanks!
Event Highlights:
Recent Events
Angel Island Run
Graeme
led a hardy group on a run to Angel Island.
The dry run had superb weather and was enjoyed by all. The actual run set a record for the number
of stops to put up or drop tops, as the rains came and went. One stop was in the driveway of Skywalker
Ranch, of Star Wars fame. (pictures)
Annual Holiday Luncheon
We also
had our holiday luncheon, which was filled with good friendship. (pictures)
Don’t forget these neat
events coming in the near future:
·
January 1st –
Delta’s caravan to the SAMOA Hangover Run. This looks like a
fun run that ends up at a famous eatery in Williams. (info)
We have two Mystery Runs – a
Mystery Run is where you show up with an adventurous spirit and discover at the
driver’s meeting what the event is.
They’re planned events but the info is kept secret (well, sorta. . .)
·
January 23rd –
Delta’s Mystery Run #1. Graeme’s leading a run
somewhere. . . he has it all planned
but it’ll be a surprise until the driver’s meeting! (info)
·
March 12th –
Delta’s Mystery Run #2. Larry’s leading this one
somewhere. . . also a surprise! Join the group for lunch in Lodi and then
heading into the . . . oops, almost told!
It’s a secret (but bring quarters. . .)
(info)
Check the calendar for other events also, including events sponsored by other clubs that we thought you might be interested in.
Website Notes
Our newsletter hasn’t had much news lately but now we’re starting a new year and we’re refreshing our website. Stay tuned for updates! It looks like a great year coming up. We already have several Delta events on the calendar and we haven’t even had our “official” planning session! There will be a lot to do in 2005 – which translates to a lot of news for our newsletter! Keep them articles comin’ in, folk!
Graeme
Hey everyone –
just to let you know, we will publish certain articles at a members request
even if it is not related to club events or news. These articles can be either items for sale (generally Miata
related) or they can be for other important events. If you, as a Club member, wish something published, please send
it to the newsletter editor.
Don’t forget to
check your drain tubes by the side of your top, to make sure they are clear so
that water can run through them and drop out the bottom of the car rather than
backing up and flooding your carpets. . .