As the Fall progresses, we Directors of AONE have been busy planning for the future of the club. As you all know, running this club takes time — volunteer time, at that. Your club Directors are to be commended for all their efforts on behalf of the club. One of the most time- and fund-consuming tasks that the club undertakes is the production of the paper newsletter. First, it must be created — soliciting information, articles, photos, and ads; writing and editing; doing the paste-up; sending a finished product (already many hours per month invested) to the printer; picking up the 200 copies; paying the bill; and then more work begins. The 200 address labels must be printed and applied to all, along with postage, before another trip to the post office can be made.

For the past ten years, Dave Pratt has been doing this work by himself! In this digital age, it’s about time that we relieved him of some of that work. At our recent Board of Directors meeting, the Directors voted unanimously to go all-digital. This will result in having more information available, and more quickly disseminated, by using our web site (which Dave is also responsible for) and emails to get information about tours, events, and club business to our members immediately. After the December issue, we will no longer be producing the paper newsletter; instead, the web site will be updated as information becomes available and emails will be sent, giving members more immediate access to information. (If we do not have your current email address, please send it to our new Membership Chairman [see below] ASAP.) Dave promises to devote much of the time he previously spent cranking out the newsletter to making our web site an even more useful resource.

As you may know, the newsletter is the single most costly element of our club’s budget. Dave Pratt is also the Treasurer and has kept our club’s coffers in great shape by making calendars, caps, shirts, mugs, pint glasses, etc. available for sale. Our club dues are paid to National AROC, but part of those fees come back to our chapter for expenses (specifically, the standard $10 plus our $5 chapter "add-on", which still would have left us in the hole if many of you have not already been receiving the newsletter electronically). As we transition to an all-digital format, we will reduce the yearly fee that we all pay to National AROC by $5, so we see this as a win-win change. Starting in January, when you renew your AROC/AONE membership, you’ll see that your dues have been reduced from $65 to $60. Many clubs have gone to a digital format years ago. We believe that AONE is one of the best Alfa clubs in the country, but we will have an even better club — better informed and more up-to-date — by making this change.

Additionally, at our Directors meeting, we have divided and expanded our club activities into the following categories, with Directors signing up to be in charge of them, aided by assistants in some areas. (In business, we would call them "chairpersons," or "chairs", but, being a car club, perhaps we should call them "seats"?) Anyway, below are the new divisions and the Directors in charge, along with their contact information. Please feel free to contact them with any questions and suggestions, or to offer to pitch in and help!

Advertising Seat: Myron Barnett (617-641-0976, myron.ics@gmail.com) Assistants: Tom Ducibella (978-921-0125, tom@nanduce.com), Jim Miga (781-729-7567, j_miga@comcast.net)

AROC Liaison Seat: Brian Shorey (978-973-0879, bshorey@yahoo.com)

Competition Seat: Lou Shames (508-242-9944, fatdogvap@aol.com) Assistants: Kevin Redden (978-387-2416, kredden@alfamilano.com), Stephan de Pénasse (603-594-4204, stewen@myfairpoint.net)

Concours Seat: Frank Maldari (978-475-2846, fmaldari@msn.com)

Events Seat: Brian Shorey (978-973-0879, bshorey@yahoo.com) Assistants: Tom Ducibella (978-921-0125, tom@nanduce.com), Andy Kress (508-655-8079, aokress@comcast.net)

Membership Seat: Gene Durso (978-314-1224, gdurso@emdurso.com)

Merchandise Seat: Kevin Redden (978-387-2416, kredden@alfamilano.com)

Social Seat: Volunteer needed

Technical Seat: Frank Maldari (978-475-2846, fmaldari@msn.com)

Additionally, a motion was made, seconded, and approved unanimously to design and fund an annual award/trophy in memory of "Mr. Alfa," Fred Di Matteo, to be presented to the most deserving member of AROC at the national convention each year. Actually, this is being done already by National; however, it was felt that our club should be responsible for it. Brian Shorey will oversee this.

That’s all for now! Please give your club Directors and especially Dave a round of applause [Tom forced me to include this. — Ed.] for all the hard work and dedication they have given to make this club exist, and in so doing making it one of the best Alfa clubs in existence.

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