What an incredible feast Carol and Bill Biggs put on for our February, 2012 Valentine's meeting at their house. The No Name Car Club is grateful to the Biggs for opening their home to us and providing such a wonderful dinner. Plus, touring the garage was terrific! Thank you, Bill & Carol Biggs!
Presently we have $1915.65 in our general checking account and $2101.02 in our car show checking account.
So far only 24 people have paid for membership renewal.
Jim asked (via e-mail) that we join the two accounts - Neil motioned, Blue seconded and the vote was unanimous.
Old Business
Insurance
Colin Gilmore had asked us to look into the insurance policy that we have, which is the ball Neil Dolce took and ran with.
After sitting with our insurance agent, Neil commented that "It was like me trying to fly an airplane." Our insurance representative Russ said that he would come to our March meeting and explain the insurance.
Car Show - June 2
Neil elected that we only do one charity - Lake Family Resource Center. Basically, they bring people in from abusive homes and help them to get their lives back onto a friendlier course.
Secondly - the car show is going to be at Konocti Vista Casino (not all the attendees were aware of this).
Colin asked about why the Chamber was out. Essentially, Tony responded that, like so many other organizations, the Chamber’s budget was cut from the various agencies that support it. In order to remain solvent, the Chamber had to focus on activities that were in its core mandate that also didn’t create a loss.
The Chamber’s core mandate includes promoting and serving the member business interests in Lake County as well as acting as a welcome center for visitors to the County. Events like the Dickens Marketplace and the Car Show’s vendor booths were money losers for the Chamber and also didn’t necessarily generate a tremendous amount of good will or align with the Chamber’s core function - to promote business.
Much of the Chamber’s staff are volunteers, as well, and the Chamber is very diligent about requesting these volunteers’ time.
Tony had also mentioned that this event truly benefits the Lakeport Main Street Association which truly stands to be harmed by our leaving, but that we hadn’t experienced any outreach by this organization whatsoever. By the same token, we haven’t contacted them to see what they’re willing or able to bring to the table.
Four Car Shows
Joe Colabella said that the major car clubs in the County are all working together to promote four shows and our present problem is potentially having more cars. Truly, we feel there is a chance that our No Name Car Show could overflow the parking lot at Konocti Vista.
Neil continued that this is a free show this year. Neil will contact the people from last year who paid and offer their money back or to let them use this money as a donation to Lake Family Resource Center. There will also be a donation jar.
Joe joked that he, Neil and Tony would stand by the donation jar with no shirt on trying to attract donations, but Tony countered that they could stand by the jar but hide him and threaten people who don’t make donations into having to go visit him shirtless. Scary.
Neil contacted the boy scouts - they will have a pancake breakfast at our car show.
The gas pump is already on display at Konocti Vista - the casino will sell tickets and put them in the squirrel cage so there will be four months of ticket sales. Tickets are $1 each or 6/5. Neil will go collect the money once a month and use that money for a vacation in Florida. Just kidding.
The casino is also going to put on a barbecue for participants in the car show but promised to keep pricing very low. Ultimately, their goal is to get participants into the casino to try their luck at the machines or tables.
Also, the casino will block off vehicular access to the smoke shop so that those interested in going there won’t be driving through the car show.
The casino will also have full security all night as well as offering raffle prizes. Friday, June 1 the casino’s security will block off the entire parking lot in anticipation of the car show. Those who stay at the casino can rest assured that their vehicles and boats are under a very watchful eye.
Konocti Vista is also willing to help pay to print the posters and other materials and will advertise the car show to its own patrons the month before the event.
"This just might be a new home - it'll be a tough act to follow," said Blue Miller.
Rex mentioned that the car show was at Konocti before and there were issues but Joe mentioned that that was under previous management; the casino’s head honcho, Andy, was part of Hot August Nights and knows what it takes to attract and keep a car show. Blue Miller is also part of Hot August Nights in Reno.
Konocti Vista will add us to the radio adverts and put us on the movie screens the month before. They will also contribute to our newspaper adverts. Another benefit to having the show at Konocti Vista is that we have absolutely no permits or fees involved with the show.
Tony had wanted to have a drive-in movie featuring something like American Graffiti the night before, but after contacting the drive in folks it turns out that the theater may not even open the drive in this year. Sadly, the theater’s been urged to go to a digital projection system by Hollywood. The downside of this is that they usually take the movies they get and then just transfer them to the drive in after showing them in the theater. If the drive in has a different format, they can’t do this and the cost of upgrading the drive in is extensive, yet it doesn’t really make any money so there is no incentive to do so on their part.
There was discussion about wanting to have a sock hop on Saturday night. Rex really was pushing for a sock hop.
Neil recommended going with what we've got now and adding to that next year, but this is new and he doesn't want to push too hard.
There were some comments about the dumps that you have to pass on your way into the casino. Konocti is upgrading the house at the entrance and will put signs and posters on the road outside the casino.
They have room for 75 cars if we're at every other space but we think we will use every space which means we could have 100 plus cars. Presently the committee feels that we could get over 100 cars so now our biggest concern is having the show become too successful for its location.
Joe Colabella said we have to see because it's a free show and we don't necessarily know who will be coming in advance.
There was also disussion of whether to offer the person who wins the gas pump $500 instead of the pump. Colin said that we shouldn't offer just money as nobody's turned down the pump so far. Colin made a motion that we do a cash alternative. Blue seconded. All in favor.
“The formula is well established we're on our way,” said Joe Colabella, “This is the biggest boat and car show in Northern California.”
Kevin Ness jewelers redid all the plaques that we didn’t give out at last year’s show and did a spectacular job, even coordinating the colors of the plaques with the awards. Neil invited Kevin to our March meeting and asked that we make a contribution to the Lions club, which Kevin’s heavily into.
Joe asked if we could help with the Lions show and Joe said we'd help with their show on the day of and with organizing and such.
Colin said the best thing you can do is show up with your car.
Neil Dolce made a motion to donate $50 to Lions.
Joe and Blue upped it to $100 - Colin seconded. Motion approved.
Joe noted that suddenly all these walls have come down and things are really looking up. There are guys called the Wanderers in Hidden Valley who are talking about joining us.
Neil said there we 220 people on a master list that had come to our show in the past. Colin said that we called them for the show last year and that we can form a group to call them again for this year.
Neil asked for people to step up and be volunteers and passed around a sheet.
New Business
Showed off the flier.
Now we need help with swap meet which will happen the following day.
Joe Colabella showed-off am embroidered cloth example of what Lee’s Sporting Goods had done with our logo - it was beautiful. Darryl, at Lee’s, is able to do this new stitching for $50 on any garment. The new logo looks terrific (see picture) and can be put on anything just about. We need to know who's interested so we will wait till March.
Rex asked if we need to vote on the flyer. No.
Meeting adjourned at 7:11