I think my initial post of this message was not let through MJB's system
because of its size. I am reposting in two parts. Part 1 follows:
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Hello everyone,
Before the rumor mill shifts into high gear, as it already has over on the
North American Spitfire member listserve, please let me post a letter I sent
to Howard Baugues, that club's President. With regard to the timing of
Vernon's letter, Vernon wrote that prior to his resignation, and then
decided not to alter it even though it would sit alongside his resignation
notice in the same issue of The Vintage Triumph, VTR's bi-monthly magazine.
I can't speak to the past about VTR's relationship with the various single
model clubs, to do so would be merely conjecture on my part. Instead, as
the appointed President of VTR, I've elected to look forward. The past is
the past, we have renewed momentum in VTR, evidenced by the fact that five
people stepped up to fill my vacated position of VP, Member Services! I was
amazed. But this is not a forum for me to pitch the virtues of VTR; my
point is that I choose to be forward looking with renewed enthusiasm and
VERY open ears. Like my dad told me, you have two ears and one mouth for a
reason... listen twice as much as you talk.
With dad in mind, I called a "President's Meeting" to take place in Valley
Forge and invited the Presidents of each of VTR's chapters and zones, AND
the Presidents (or their appointed representative) of each of the single
model clubs. I did invite 6-Pack's President, he could not attend, but we
had a productive telephone conversation in which we agreed to continue the
dialogue. A good friend of mine was fortunate enough to sit in on a similar
meeting held in England called "The Forum." It's a meeting of most Triumph
clubs in the UK where matters of common concern are discussed. That's what
I hoped to accomplish in the "President's Meeting." I wanted to hear first
hand what VTR could do for its chapter and zones and the single model clubs.
What VTR was doing right, could do better, and needs to get busy doing. It
was a great meeting, with lots of ideas tossed about.
Now, here's the letter to Howard, unedited and straight from the horses
mouth (that's me). It should put to rest any falsehoods floating around.
As always, if anyone cares to respond, and wants to do so privately, please
send me an email directly at bdischer@vtr.org. I think what's important is
that any dialogue be respectful. I will soon be personally contacting the
leadership of the single model clubs to discuss this matter. I'm hoping I
can engage them in constructive, mutually beneficial, idea sharing. Nothing
more. Admittedly, Corey Sherman's letter in the latest 6-Pack magazine was
disheartening, but ideally we'll get past that as well. Corey and I are
acquaintances, and we've talked in person and on the phone several times, I
look forward to chatting with him in the next few weeks to hear more of his
thoughts.
OK, enough of my rambling, here's the letter I emailed today to Howard...
(see Part 2 of this post)
Blake J. Discher
VINTAGE TRIUMPH REGISTER
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