2006 | 2005

Governance Presidents Message March 2005 Dennis Rood January was a light month for activities until we hit the 4 th weekend. On the 15th Saturday morning a dozen volunteers showed up at Fordahl Motorsports for the annual Club Dues Invoice folding and stuffing party. It took about 2 ½ hours with everyone pitching in and Pizza and Cokes to fuel the activity. Thanks Greg and Jodi for letting use the shop again for this. I am always surprised when Leed's Gulick, Data Base Chair and stuffing party leader, gives us the monthly report of members on the books and members who have paid their dues. It would seem to me that $12 is little to pay to receive the award winning Spiel and mailings and web email on local and national activities. If you are not receiving your Spiel send Leeds a check for $12 and you will. Saturday morning, January 22, Vice President Dennis Coplen and I drove down to PRI to see the first official DE Instructors training clinic put on by Pat Hilyer, Steve Dowd and Jana Swan, Registrar. We arrived a little before 8:00AM to a large white tent, with coffee and pastries to start the day. Every manner of car was there from a 914 to a GT3 for the session. Pat, Steve and Jana did a great job of organizing and instructing the group. Steve Downing, Safety Chair, was there also for a few words. Pat had even prepared a note card size “Instructor Notebook” so that as an Instructor went out with a student, after the class room instruction, they could quickly check off on a number of categories to remind the instructor of changes and improvements needed when they came off the track. Things like feet and hands positions, steering/braking, specific, turn entry, exit, speed, etc. I met Tom Pritchett, there who volunteered to write an article about his experience as a “Student Instructor” that day. Look for his article and pictures elsewhere in this Spiel. Dennis and I had to leave late morning so that we could be set up for the banquet preparations later that evening, but from Tom's story it was a very good and safe day. Great job DE staff for putting this on. The Annual Awards banquet was a lot of fun for all who came out, 123 in all. We had terrific participation from most all of our advertiser's with donations. If you did not go you missed a great time. The board meeting on February 7 th will hear presentations from two candidates for our 2005 charity of the year. The board will decide from these or others if needed. The Awards Banquet raised nearly $1000 in raffle tickets for our charity fund. I really think this custom of contributing to a worthy charitable cause really helps our club feel a purpose, over and above just having fun. The goal is to find a charity that has some link to the Porsche Club in some fashion and where the amounts of money we can give will make a difference in helping the organization deliver their work so we feel a connection. I received a nice note from Julie Orme, from Montana, who said: “As I had time to reflect on the year 2004, Whistler made the top of my self improvement list. It took more than I can put into words to make the 1st trip all by myself. Fear of the long trip, and fear of not knowing anyone once I got there was quite evident. Right from the start people like you put some of my feelings to rest.” She also goes on to thank her welcome on the tour up on Friday and being part of the group, welcome at Whistler, three anonymous “Guys” who washed her car for her at the wash rack and Emmett Koontz and Steve Dowd for taking time to instruct and encourage her on the autocross on Sunday” and she would see us on Yakima tour in April. I say thanks to all of those who helped Julie enjoy this experience . Isn't that what our club, National and Regional, is all about?? By the time you read this we will be looking forward to driving season again with a tech session on March 12, Autocross and Skills Day on March 19,New Members Day on March 230 and first tour of the season on March 26 th . So make sure you have your new license tabs on, your battery is charged and your tires pumped up and ready for the road 'cause here we go for anther great year in PNWR. I will be attending the Zone 6 President's meeting in Portland on March 18,19 on behalf of our club so if there is any topic you want me to discuss, let me know. PS If you are someone who has a little time to help selling ads for the Spiel, let me know.