Things I learned from the International Meet

[Studedude]

Son O Lark offered to sell me the elusive Kohlrabi air cleaner for $3.00. I felt it was worth at least $10.00

You two are rubbing off on each other.

[Son O Lark]

Matt had the relic in his possession for about one minute when he placed it on the table. Less than 30 seconds later, a man stopped in his tracks and was drawn to the possibly last known piece of Kohlrabi. Coincidence? I do not dismiss the powerful nature and spirit of Kohlrabi.

[8E45E]

You two are rubbing off on each other.

Over this? Cab Over filter? - Studebaker Drivers Club Forum

Craig

[Green 53]

The AOAI board was not happy when the letter came out that this was a closed event and AOAI & ASC we’re not welcome unless they registered with Cornerstone. There were several members at the AOAI meet that belong to both clubs but were not willing to pay a second registration. Personally I was registered for AOAI meet but have belonged to SDC for 50 years and wanted to see my friends. I held off registering earlier as some health issues required attention. I paid $60 just to get in. Just not a good situation. Yes a full registration for AOAI was $115 but that included food and other benefits. Any SDC or ASC members were welcome to attend the car show at no cost. The vendors definitely lost some revenue.
Denny Lockmon. AOAI/SDC Liaison.

[J_Cole]

When did this change? I am planning on coming next year to South Bend's show with S2D but am not sure I want to pay $60 just to get in the door... I remember going as a kid and early adult in the early to mid 2000's and to the 2007 International event but don't remember paying an entry fee and definitely wasn't a member then.

[stude1964]

Why can't we all just get along? I also wondered why SDC and AOAI held different events, different locations. Aren't we here to enjoy the cars and each other's company? Strength in numbers, more visitors , more vendors, more stories. As for what someone pays for something- who cares? It's their money! The fact that they found a part they wanted or needed made for a good deal on both sides of the table. I try to guide folks to the good people in the club who not only sell parts but educate customers with their rebuild as well . Let's all try to remove the politics and check the egos and remember the real reasons we have meets . I know I had a great time especially meeting folks from the Forum, getting rid of some parts, finding some good stuff , judging cars and meeting a lot of new friends!
Rob in PA.

[bezhawk]

Times are not normal. a closed event during an international medical pandemic just makes sense. I did not attend because of previous commitments. However, If I were to pay the larger fee, I would expect it to be all encompasing. It should include entrance to all events, and the meal ticket for the banquet, It should include an ice cream social, bus trips to all the tours, and entrance fees for any museums. It should include the meet booklet, a grab bag hospitality gift pack. And a discount on the first purchase of a meet T shirt. I would pay 100 for if it was set up like that.

[Jane Stinson]

I spoke to Stephen Cade at length about the gate. I gave him my personal assurance that I would think seriously about his concerns and try to come up with a solution that everyone can live with. This typically means that no one is going to get 100% of what they want but we will endeavor to be as fair as possible. SDC cannot run the meet without the registration funds. If you register early, the price is $40 for a family for a week. That is extremely reasonable.

The problem comes when someone wants to attend the meet on their terms, at the last minute. A $5 or $10 gate during the week is not a feasible solution. It discourages registration altogether. If SDC can't at least break even on our meets and offer the host chapter an opportunity to make a profit, we won't have any chapter who will take the risk.

ASC and AOAI have decided to have their own meet in a different location because they believe it is more lucrative for them. It may be but the members of SDC should not be required to "make up" those registration funds that would be lost so that ASC and AOAI can enter free. Neither club pays any of the cost of the venue that the registration funds support.

This meet had a lot of issues to manage. There were advocates of requiring members to show proof of covid vaccination to enter buildings. This is not legal in Indiana. Others wanted everyone to wear a mask indoors. Many chose not to come because we were not planning to force anyone to wear a mask. Our members are by and large in an age group that have been vaccinated at an average rate of 93%. If we kept the meet to only our members during the week while the buildings were open, we were all free to breathe a little easier. The Indy Chapter did a fabulous job and I, for one, am grateful.

There are a lot of issues to ponder and it will take some time to craft a resolution that will be fair to everyone. We would like to be supportive of the vendors and after a career as a managerial accountant, I do understand their concerns. As the SDC Treasurer, I will be crunching some numbers and weighing options on their financial merit. As the International Meet Chair, I will be trying to weigh the interests of all the different groups as well as the SDC membership. When a proposal goes to the SDC BOD, it needs to be thoroughly vetted.

Please try to be patient. This issue has a lot of stakeholders to consider.

Jane

[8E45E]

Many chose not to come because we were not planning to force anyone to wear a mask.

Unless one is a truck driver, anyone from Canada did not have the option, mask or no mask. I would have been there had I been able to drive across the border.

Craig

[studegary]

Thank you Jane for the excellent response.

[Jane Stinson]

Unless one is a truck driver, anyone from Canada did not have the option, mask or no mask. I would have been there had I been able to drive across the border.

Craig

Craig is correct. Quite a few members from Canada were not able to attend due to covid issues. I'm not sure if it is the US blocking the way or the Canadian government requiring an expensive quarantine upon return to Canada, but either way people could not come. We missed you!!

[Son O Lark]

As for what someone pays for something- who cares? It's their money! The fact that they found a part they wanted or needed made for a good deal on both sides of the table.
Rob in PA.

The banter between Matt and I about paying over the asking price was in jest. The difference in price was only $7. I blow more than that on a Subway footlong. It was all in good fun.

[starliner62]

I drove a 61 Champ with a trailer, loaded with stuff, 700 miles each way to attend the meet. I was able to see friends that I had not seen in a long while, which was wonderful. My spaces were next to some great folks that made the long days much more bearable. I literally gave stuff away, knowing that I would never use them and sold parts way too cheap. I made enough to pay for my fuel and expenses, which was my goal. I forgot a lot of parts that i wanted to bring. I'll chalk that up to getting older and having a case of CRS.
Everyone was helpful and friendly. I also agree that the gate admittance was expensive and I was hoping for a larger number of attendees. I did have some things for sale that some brand X guys and girls may have wanted, but we had to load up Saturday morning for the nearly twelve hour drive home. All things considered, we had a great time. Will attend another International meet? Of course. Will I choose to vend at another meet? Maybe, depending on if I can remember where all of the rest of my stuff is.
Many thanks to all of the volunteers that worked hard to make this a successful meet.

[mbstude]

I think there may be more to the story of ASC and AOAI suddenly, simultaneously, having their meets away from SDC meets.

Up until recently, I had an incorrect understanding of how the ASC and AOAI national meets were tied in with SDC’s. I was promptly corrected.

One of the ASC higher-ups told me that, years ago, the SDC invited both other clubs to have their national meets in conjunction with SDC’s. My understanding is that this was an attempt to keep all of the clubs “together” and have more Studebakers in attendance at the SDC international meet.

When the SDC decided to revoke the invitation and change the rules, that is when both ASC and AOAI decided to host their own national meets at separate locations.

The result? A whole lot of drama and an increasing divide between the 3 clubs.

There aren’t a lot of Studebaker enthusiasts around, relatively. The powers that be need to stop hammering on the stake that’s driving everyone apart. It seems that money has become the focal point of SDC national meets, and Studebaker owners and their cars, an afterthought.

Everyone needs to pay to play. But there has to be a “friendlier” way of handling it.

[Green 53]

I don’t feel there was an attempt to avoid registering for the meet. Several just wanted to pay a fee to attend the swap meet but not participate in any of the other events s. It would not have cost the meet committee anything but given them some income and make the vendors happy. I paid my $60 just to see the swap meet and see old friends.