BMW CCA: It Is What *You* Make It

[GFOConnor@xxxxxxx]

Lately there has been yet another onslaught of posts in which the writer
typically includes a BMW CCA Chapter affiliation in his/her signature, yet
that writer refers to the BMW CCA in the third person.  For instance,
following are excerpts from two very recent posts:

< ... Furthermore, i think that CCA, especially Los Angeles is ridiculous.
They
won't even let me run with a HMS bar and Harnesses - and I am an
experienced A group driver.  ... When will CCA wake-up. >

< ... Seems the BMW CCA Florida Suncoast Chapter
would rather have boring driving tours, an intertube float down a cold ass
river, and social events instead of driving schools.  > 

For those of you out there who are active in your local Chapters, you know
well how much work goes into planning a successful and safe event, be it a
Drivers School or "an intertube (sic) float down a cold ass river".  For those
of you who seem to find it appropriate to sit by the sidelines and wonder
aloud why your very own Chapter doesn't do the things you would like to see it
do, I respectfully suggest that you get off your ass and dance.  Go to a
meeting and let your voice be heard by those elected office holders who are
apparently not meeting your expectations.  Then follow that up by volunteering
to assist in setting up whatever type of event or proposing whatever
administrative or operational revision you would like to see.  Then follow
_that_ up, in turn, by actually 
seeing your initiative through.

I rarely make the time to read any of the BMW lists these days because I
choose instead to spend my 'BMW time' by helping out at the local Chapter
level.  I find it unfortunate that when I do manage an occasional skim of this
Digest, I find these types of posts where the writers seem to think that the
BMW CCA is some entity other than *us*.

I encourage those of you who are interested enough to complain here (and
anywhere other than at your local Chapter meetings) to constructively redirect
that energy into your local Chapter.  I would venture to say that most Chapter
Board members would agree when I say that your Chapter can always use more
help, even from those with differing viewpoints -- in some cases, *especially*
from those with differing viewpoints.    

Gerry O'Connor
Manhattan Beach, CA
'88 535is / '83 633CSi / '72 2002tii
BMW CCA - LA  /  NMA  /  SAE 

PS  I welcome any comments on the topic, but please do send them by private
email (preferably to BMWCCALA@domain.elided) regardless of whether you also choose
to post.  Like I said, I don't often read the lists these days.  

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