NG Needs Committee Members

[Lori]

I'm really sad to say that at this year's NG, Bob Melton told us that he needs to step down from his role on the Committee. While I didn't have a chance to talk to him about it, I do know that he sold his car and has a great deal of family commitments that are making it more difficult for him to help out anymore.

With that being said, we have three Committee spots available at this time, and really need people to help us fill them.

On-Site Assistance - This person is pretty much dedicated to on-site help. They would be filling Bob's shoes, which includes running the car show (don't worry - I print everything and bring it) and tallying all the votes. It also means finding judges, leading caravans, helping with registration, and just making sure we have extra hands when we need them. Sometimes it also includes proof-reading the handbook before we publish (it'll be PDF instead of print), if that's something the candidate is good at. Total dedicated time is probably about 30 hours or less.

Sponsor Liaison - This role was filled for NG15 and proved to be very helpful, so we're looking to fill it once again. It includes reaching out to sponsors, discussing the benefits of sponsorship, making sure that all submissions are made on time (ads, prizes, etc), and answering any/all questions/issues on-site. The perfect candidate would have a relationship with different vendors, and outgoing personality, the ability to write a sponsor package (most of it is done, but you'd need to edit then I can proof), and the ability to communicate well via phone and email. Total dedicated time is probably somewhere around 50 hours over the next year.

Marketing - I SUCK at marketing for this event. And I have zero time for it, between my own business and the event itself. This has long been a point of contention for me. So I need someone who can get out there, spread the word, make enthusiastic announcements, get people excited, and really promote what we're doing. New for NG17 is a real dedication to contacting other clubs and possibly getting them to come out, as well as convincing people that we're not just 3/S's anymore. This position could probably include two people if there are two that would be interested and able to work well together. Total dedicated time is probably going to be 100 hours or less, depending on how much effort is put into finding new groups and new places to advertise.

Graphic Design Person - We really need someone who can help us out with designing posters and other print materials (primarily posters). I have no idea how long these things take. We wouldn't need a ton of them, just a couple, but we need someone who can really put something together that we can pass out to advertise this event.

You should know up-front that these, as with all NG positions, are on a volunteer basis and it's important that Committee members actually attend the event. That's where a lot of the hours come in. Alan and I will do as much as we can, but we need extra hands sometimes. It's definitely not a situation where you'd be working the whole time you're there. We're looking to make A LOT of changes for NG17, which means we need a lot of help. If you're interested, please PM me or email me (lori at 3sng dot org). Be sure to let me know what you'd be interested in and why you'd be right for it. It's important that if you agree to do this, you really be able to do it. For NG16, I was unable to hold up my end and we really paid the price. PLEASE give this consideration before stepping forward.

One last thing... As I said, I was unable to hold up my end of the deal for NG16. I take full responsibility for the numbers (or lack thereof), and plan to make it up to everyone. That being said, if the group should decide that I need to step down and let someone else give it a shot, I'm happy to do that and to help the next person. Please feel free to start a thread or email your comments to me. I'm also happy to stay. I said a long time ago that I'd stay until the end, and I plan to do that, if you'll have me.

[Boost4VR4]

I think with the age of the platform and the new choices for vehicles, it is difficult justifying some of the expense to gather as a group to these types of larger events. What type of possibility is there to have each State Chapter organize with the members to gather members to go, or to handle all the marketing, costs to the NG, scouting locations for the NG, working with local organizations, etc. A way to distribute some of the work load so it is a lot easier for the NG committee. That way you talk to each state chapter head about all of the things related to NG. I know it's hard to gather folks, but there are strong presences in the MN3S chapter, 3SNY, STL3S, etc that have fairly strong membership that could take on a lot of stuff.

I don't know the back history on any one particular chapter, or if this was tried before, but I would have to say that working with many members and sorting out everything for NG is a lot harder than working with a leader of each state chapter that has done all of the legwork.

Hope this helps.

[NOMIEZVR4]

joining with the dsm shootout would be the best thing for the NG

[Lori]

joining with the dsm shootout would be the best thing for the NG

Unfortunately, that's not an option. We've tried it, recently even. However, we did join with another group this year (10/10ths for Road Course) and plan to do the same with another group for next year (yep - got that done today!). Some of these groups just aren't interested, others are happy to do it. I'm not sure I really understand some of the responses I get. I would think they'd be happy to get a group in, but DSM Shootout just didn't want to talk to me.

[Boost4VR4]

Unfortunately, that's not an option. We've tried it, recently even. However, we did join with another group this year (10/10ths for Road Course) and plan to do the same with another group for next year (yep - got that done today!). Some of these groups just aren't interested, others are happy to do it. I'm not sure I really understand some of the responses I get. I would think they'd be happy to get a group in, but DSM Shootout just didn't want to talk to me.

I strongly believe that if we can get chapter presence in front of the groups that you are trying to contact, meaning, say the Michigan 3S/Ohio 3S crew goes to events local to them that have folks that are dedicated fans of the DSM shootout, that we'd be able to get more buy-in so to speak and it may be easier to get answers that are more desirable.

If we leverage the chapters, we might be able to get more recognition and seriousness. If we have more of that and allow chapters to help with getting participation at NG, communicating more of the NG stuff to the local chapter boards, providing you with a one person contact for the chapter for everything related to NG, marketing the NG so it is more successful, getting the registration fees secured for you so you aren't caught juggling everything, performing the material printing for the chapters, just overall, distributing the load, then it makes the committee's job so much easier. I am not sure if this has ever been tried before and it's not on the table for negotiation, but I believe it ought to be.

[Lori]

I strongly believe that if we can get chapter presence in front of the groups that you are trying to contact, meaning, say the Michigan 3S/Ohio 3S crew goes to events local to them that have folks that are dedicated fans of the DSM shootout, that we'd be able to get more buy-in so to speak and it may be easier to get answers that are more desirable.

If we leverage the chapters, we might be able to get more recognition and seriousness. If we have more of that and allow chapters to help with getting participation at NG, communicating more of the NG stuff to the local chapter boards, providing you with a one person contact for the chapter for everything related to NG, marketing the NG so it is more successful, getting the registration fees secured for you so you aren't caught juggling everything, performing the material printing for the chapters, just overall, distributing the load, then it makes the committee's job so much easier. I am not sure if this has ever been tried before and it's not on the table for negotiation, but I believe it ought to be.

Just to be clear... Anything and everything is on the table for negotiation. I'm open to trying pretty much anything, as long as it doesn't end up being more work with the intention of being less. I'm definitely marinating on this idea. I spoke with Alan, who explained why DSM doesn't want to work with us, but honestly that's not even an issue right now. We have a group we're working with for next year, and the following year we may already have a location as well. I have to get busy on that stuff while I can, and now is the time to do it.

As for working with the chapters, I completely understand what you're thinking and why, and I'm not disagreeing with it. I'm just wondering if it's something we can coordinate in a way that would help us, and how we could do that. We'd have to get the participation from each chapter, which means contacting each chapter's president. Maybe we could do that through the regular attendees and ask them to do it. I'm not sure yet. Maybe there's a database somewhere that I don't know about. I have to look into things like that. Having them coordinate registration fees and the such might be way too much... Right now that stuff is pretty easy because people just log on and do it, but coordinating a caravan from their area, maybe getting membership interested in attending as a group, helping promote, stuff like that would be helpful. Some things are probably easier if I just do them (getting printed materials to them on-site - I just do it all at once rather than trying to split it all up by state, etc), but there's definitely some validity here and something worth investigating further. I've added it to my list.

[Alan92RTTT]

Since two people mentioned the DSM shootout I assume that you feel that joining with them in some manner would help the event.

Rather than make and assumption based on what I think, can each of you explain why you think joining with the shootout would benefit the NG?

[Boost4VR4]

Since two people mentioned the DSM shootout I assume that you feel that joining with them in some manner would help the event.

Rather than make and assumption based on what I think, can each of you explain why you think joining with the shootout would benefit the NG?

We aren't assuming anything. Many people show up to MOD from MN3S,WI3S, MI3S, etc. DSM shootout doesn't have just DSMs, there are EVOs, DSMs and I'm sure 3/Ses show up too. What is the problem with us and the DSM shootout?

[Boost4VR4]

Just to be clear... Anything and everything is on the table for negotiation. I'm open to trying pretty much anything, as long as it doesn't end up being more work with the intention of being less. I'm definitely marinating on this idea. I spoke with Alan, who explained why DSM doesn't want to work with us, but honestly that's not even an issue right now. We have a group we're working with for next year, and the following year we may already have a location as well. I have to get busy on that stuff while I can, and now is the time to do it.

As for working with the chapters, I completely understand what you're thinking and why, and I'm not disagreeing with it. I'm just wondering if it's something we can coordinate in a way that would help us, and how we could do that. We'd have to get the participation from each chapter, which means contacting each chapter's president. Maybe we could do that through the regular attendees and ask them to do it. I'm not sure yet. Maybe there's a database somewhere that I don't know about. I have to look into things like that. Having them coordinate registration fees and the such might be way too much... Right now that stuff is pretty easy because people just log on and do it, but coordinating a caravan from their area, maybe getting membership interested in attending as a group, helping promote, stuff like that would be helpful. Some things are probably easier if I just do them (getting printed materials to them on-site - I just do it all at once rather than trying to split it all up by state, etc), but there's definitely some validity here and something worth investigating further. I've added it to my list.

Each chapter has a user database. Maybe it means cleanup of those databases, but quite doable. I like the idea of collecting reg fees through the chapters because all you have to do is say how much it is going to be way way in advance and you talk with chapter presidents for their member log that paid and the money for the chapter. Also, it might be helpful if registration opened as soon as location os picked and insurance is figured out and race events are picked and tracks are picked. The problem with registrations being opened only a few months prior to the NG is it is hard to budget 3 months out when we don't know exactly what we need to budget for.

[Alan92RTTT]

What is the problem with us and the DSM shootout?

None from our end. LOri contacted them and they were not interested. The best we could do it just "showup and race". Sure its a cheap solution for drag races but I am not sure that its better than holding the drags during test and tune.