Okay, I went out on a limb, and searched the 2003 Roster for people who may live in the Albany NY area, and sent them an inquiry to see if there was enough interest in a local chapter. Since this was a manual search I just included areas I recogonized in and around Albany. That may mean some eligible people did not get these inquiry's. Also it definitely means people in Mass, and Vermont who may have found a chapter in Albany a viable option did not get an inquiry. I apologize if I missed anyone and assure you it was not done on purpose. Meanwhile, in the event there are any such people here, I would welcome you to respond to the inquiry. I have posted the text of the inquiry below for your convenience. Again, I apologize if I missed anyone who I should have sent an inquiry to, and I look forward to working on a local chapter this year with you. The text follows: Hello, from a fellow Buick Club of America member. I am writing to you today, along with 39 other members of the BCA in and around the Capital Region, to inquire if you are interested in forming a local chapter to the club. As you may know, there are several chapters in New York, none of which are very convenient to us. There's the Long Island chapter, and Syracuse, along with several between Connecticut and Massachusetts. However, there are 40 of us within one hours drive to the Albany area, and 40 members would make a nice sized chapter. Of course, there are many more potential members as well. I tried to get to more shows and cruise nights this year than I have in the past, and I was surprised to see the number of Buicks at each show. I can't remember where I heard it, but someone told me that Buicks are the fastest appreciating collector vehicles in the USA right now. I hope it's true and speculate that it may be so because our cars have been so under appreciated and under valued for so long, yet they appear to be among the most reliable cars ever produced. However, I am getting ahead of myself here. Right now, if there are a minimum of 10 of us with interest in a local chapter of the BCA, we can petition for a Charter. The only obligation for this is that each individual must be a currently active member of the BCA. Of course if we do start a chapter, we as a group would have a few more responsibilities, to ourselves. Things like selecting a name and a board of directors, as well as a policy statement, and various other organizing aspects of such a venture. This of course is part of the fun of a Local. There are other things that would be fun as well, like caravanning to other local shows, meeting potential new members, gathering for a picnic, or a cruise excursion to some local attractions, and maybe traveling together to a Regional or National meet. This list could be endless, depending on the exuberance of the members of the Local. So here is my proposal: I would be glad to set up an initial meeting before the end of the third week in February for those interested in such a group. This meeting, depending on size, could be a Meet and Greet dinner, or lunch, or even less formal as a get together in my home in Glenville. Since this would initially be a working meeting to formulate a petition for a chapter, it does not have to be a long one. Thereafter, if there is sufficient interest, I know where there is a stunning car collection in Schenectady for our second meeting. While not as formal as say the Saratoga Auto Museum, this collection is simply fabulous in its historical aspect. Many cars are from the teens, and this meeting would take quite a bit longer to conduct as there are roughly 30 cars to be inspected, along with hundreds pieces of memorabilia. I would be glad to arrange this visit as well and would try to set this up for a Saturday. However, keep in mind that it is not free. The last time I went the curator charged $90.00 for access for the day regardless of the number of people attending. I imagine it is more now. So wed have to find an equitable method to fund this activity. The best part of this place is you can bring your family, including kids that are old enough to respect the mans property. You can see and touch the cars, but just like us, no one wants to see anything damaged. I would endeavor to set this up for no later than the third week in March. After these two meetings the desires of the members would rule. I have listed below three ways to contact me. Please feel free to do so if you want to join up, or if you want me to remove you from this list. No obligations or pressure from me. I just think it could be a lot of fun. At this point you may be wondering how I got your name. For the record I found your address information in the 2003 Membership Roster issue. Besides your address, I took your BCA number and the e-mail address you had listed. I realize that some may no longer be interested in the Club, so I apologize for this intrusion and I would be glad to strike all your information from the address book I created for this letter. Naturally, in todays society, you may be concerned about what I planned to do with the list I created. Let me assure you there are no plans to share the list or any information unless you want it to be shared. In this regard, I would like to know what information you want me to delete, and I would be happy to add anything I dont currently list. I look forward to your response, and to a Capital Region Local. Very truly yours; John De Fiore 3757 53 Harmon Road Glenville, NY 12302 E mail: jld1972@empireone.net Phone: 518 384 7807
New BCA Chapter in Albany March meeting The February meeting was very good. We have a nice mix of people with varied interest in the cars, from modified/ hot rods, to antiques and classics. Our petitions are in for requesting a Charter. Till then... Our next meeting will be Sunday March 20th, from 1 PM to 5 PM. We will be meeting at the NYState Museuem in Albany NY. This event is free for both entrance to the museum and parking. If you would like to join us please do by all means. There will not be much business discussed at this meeting because of the size of the display. If you haven't been there in a while, you may know there is a permanent display of fire fighting trucks and equipment, plus an exhibit concerning 9-11. One of the temporary features is antique ambulances. So, feel free to join us if you are in the area. If you want further details please contact me off list at: jld1972@empireone.net Thanks JD
