People Power

I have been an advocate and cheerleader of our many volunteers for several years. This year we have
had even more members step up and help out! Clearly, in order to organize and host over 100 separate events, it takes some peoplepower. As we are at mid-year, I want to share an update on what our volunteers are doing for the Club. It’s your Club and we want all of you to enjoy the fun and of course help out if you feel inclined to do so. 

ORPCA’s Autocross Team layout courses, set up and take down cones, implement safety procedures, keep time, manage standings, train and encourage new drivers, and do it all at the break of dawn. This is a hardy, knowledge-heavy group of dedicated people who produce one of the strongest autocross organizations in the Pacific Northwest. If you have not participated in autocross, you should. You will be introduced to the sport by some of the best and probably become a better driver. 

Our Social Committee and volunteers organize our monthly dinners, scout locations for future events, and plan the new-member orientation as well as the holiday party. They also monitor tickets for each social event, help prevent allergic reactions, and are on the lookout for all mobility needs. Have you tried one of the new Road and Fork events? These small-scale, intimate, elevated experiences are the brainchild of the Social Committee. Cheers to this team! 

Drive Team volunteers scout routes and roads, lead drives, curate drive groups with leads and sweeps, check out potential stops for restroom breaks, maintain a large library of routes, handle oodles of pre-and-post drive logistics including insurance and follow-up reports. The drive team works closely with the Web Team to ensure that all drives (70+ this year) are listed and described accurately on our website and that registrations open in a timely manner to keep it easy for members to join in drives throughout the year. 

The Membership Team orders and distributes name badges and anniversary pins. Name badges are key, but only one element of the many tasks involved in the Membership purview. Team members are master spreadsheet and database gurus. When questions arise around membership dues: what’s included, when and how to pay, this Team jumps in and clears the confusion. Additionally, Membership and supporting volunteers staff our tents and booths at public events to encourage new members to join and answer all questions relating to ORPCA. 

Our new Community Outreach Committee is currently a small group of volunteers strategizing on how to serve others. This team guides our charitable giving efforts as well as finding opportunities to enhance our image and reputation in the small towns and cities we pass through on our drives. We will hear more from them as the year goes on. Please be sure to check out the June Anzeiger message from member Wendy Wells regarding this team effort. Your input is needed; remember, it’s your club and you can help guide the future. 

Web Team, oh geez, what don’t they do? The Web Team, together with Social Media and Member Email, are the heartbeat of your Club. These people guarantee that you know about drives and upcoming events, and that you can register for events. They maintain lists of who is attending, handle cancelations, provide instructions, share information, and announce changes when needed. 

Northwest Passage Team, a stand- alone, perpetual group, handcrafts an epic journey every spring and then does it again a few months later in the fall. These people know their stuff and are quick to adapt to conditions and unexpected events like road closures due to weather and those unfortunate seasonal fires that pop up in our part of the country. While on the tour they are alert to pitfalls like rocks on the road that may take out tires or create other hazards. They and the event they organize are an example of planning success on every level. 

Your member newsletter, Anzeiger, is produced by a team of people, but mainly the editor and editorial support team. They are joined by a small group of experienced proofreaders, and many member contributors. Anzeiger is a big monthly project that showcases our many events and entices members to participate in future events. 

ORPCA’s Board Members are a classic working board. This group of people, along with numerous chair-people, manage the behind-the-scenes workings of the organization. That means everything from finances and calendar of events to interfacing with the national organizer, outside clubs, advertisers, sponsors, and kickstarting many sub-committees that make up the greater ORPCA organization. They are the hands that guide the other teams and committees and try to stay in the background. 

While I have not listed the names of everyone on the above teams, the list is long. I want to thank the entire unnamed list of people for their efforts, commitment and sense of fun for all that they do. I hope you thank them too! I know that after many events, some people will drop a short line of thanks to the organizer. You may not realize how good that makes them feel, but trust me, a little thanks goes a long way. If you enjoyed reading an article, had a good time on a drive or one of our multi-day tours, please give a nod and a thumbs-up to the organizers and volunteers who made it happen. It’s your club and it is 100% volunteer run.

Let’s Drive!

You can reach me at [email protected].