On the Road
From President Gene Jurick
Spring is here and I expect that summer is close behind. The weather we have been experiencing around the country – snow in April, for example – had me wondering if some of our beautiful Mercedes-Benzes would ever get out of the garage. But judging by the activity we are seeing at events around the country, everything is moving along very well … even the cars.
I had the opportunity to attend the Boca Raton Concours d’Elegance in February and the Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance in March. As it turned out, the weather was made for both events. The vehicles on display covered all automotive bases: There was something for every taste and included nearly every marque. In conjunction with the Amelia Island Concours was Cars & Coffee, which covered two very large sections of the golf course. The Mercedes-Benz Club of America section displayed some seriously nice cars. Josie Lesler, MBCA Enthusiast Committee chair, oversaw the section with a great deal of … well, enthusiasm. Meanwhile, Peter Lesler attended to judging business at both Cars & Coffee and the Amelia Island Concours competition.
Still in March, it was time for Tequila Rose, a Southwest Regional event hosted by the San Diego Section. Tequila Rose started in 1962 as a three-day weekend event in the Southern California desert. While it has taken place in several locations through the years, its current venue is Borrego Springs Resort in the Anza-Borrego Desert. Numerous activities were planned: golf-course putting, a gymkhana and a rallye. The desert is a very special place in the spring; flowers you don’t see just anywhere are blooming, emitting a wonderful desert fragrance all their own.
Membership development is high on the list of priorities for MBCA on the national, regional and section levels. Our members’ needs and desires cover a broad range of resources, activities and events. The Star magazine is possibly the one benefit enjoyed by virtually all. Other benefits include social and driving events, both on the road and to a lesser degree, on the track. Car shows also play a large role in many areas. Technical events and resources attract a smaller, but very active part of our membership. Adding to this list would be very easy. To achieve our goals in MBCA membership development, there are at least three strategic activities that we must adopt.
Address the desires and needs of long-term members in all areas mentioned above: This includes social and driving events, car shows and technical forums.
New members who may have joined the MBCA for any number of reasons need to be converted to long-term members. In some cases, a member may have been attracted by The Star alone, never experiencing MBCA activities that would otherwise prompt membership renewal.
At all MBCA levels, we need to work to attract potential members from all age groups interested in a broad base of activities. Effective marketing of events, activities and benefits will be an important part of this work.
This list is simply a summary of activities that must be considered as we develop a strategic plan to continually grow the MBCA membership.
StarFest® 2018, May 15-21, is approaching quickly. StarFest is MBCA’s premier national event that takes place every other year. There is more to do and see than one would imagine. This is simply a reminder to register while you can.
The year is filled with many other MBCA national events around the country. Legends of the Autobahn® is an all-German concours d’elegance held at the Nicklaus Club-Monterey during Monterey Classic Car Week. In September, Silver Stars & Golden Aspens beckons. This five-day driving event showcases the beauty and grandeur of the Rocky Mountains. All available spaces are filled, but a wait list is being kept.
These are just a sample of some of the things for MBCA members to do. Check out The Star, the MBCA website (mbca.org) and your local section newsletters for many other scheduled activities.
See you at StarFest!