[ROVERNET - UK] Rover Clubs North East USA.

[Glen Wilson]

S Manwell wrote:
> As Glen pointed out, RSTCA.com is another resource which is operated 
> by Glen and is primarily an on-line function.  I hope that I don't 
> offend anyone by adding that neither RSTCA, nor the directory is 
> presently functioning as a multi-service car club per se.
> --Steve Manwell
> Melrose, MA

Well, maybe slightly offended...

I believe that the Rover Car Club of Canada has organized some Rover 
activities in Washington State where some RCC members and even officers 
live. Aside from that, every Rover meet held in the United States during 
the past ten years was organized under the auspices of the Rover Saloon 
Touring Club of America. These meets were only made possible through the 
dedication and hard work of RSTCA members who have included Steve 
Manwell, Henry Manwell, Stephen Beer, Steve Hall, Garrett Bourque, Jose 
Scoseria, Dermot Harvey, myself and others. Dermot hosted a meet at his 
place of business. Stephen Beer graciously hosted two annual picnics at 
his home in the Hudson Valley. We also met once at the Rhinebeck 
Aerodrome in New York, once at Lime Rock Park in Connecticut, once at 
the Carlisle Import Show in Pennsylvania, once in upstate New York near 
Syracuse, once or twice at the British by the Sea show in Connecticut, 
once at the MGs on the Rocks show north of Baltimore, once at Steve 
Hall's auto restoration shop in Connecticut, and maybe one or two other 
places including San Diego. I didn't do all that, but RSTCA members did. 
The only major Rover event in the northeast that was independent of the 
RSTCA was the gala event that Dirk Burrowes hosted this past spring, and 
that would have been an RSTCA event, as well, had there not been 
internal disagreements regarding how it was to be funded. To his credit, 
Dirk moved that event ahead on his own and staged a wonderful event in 
both Massachusetts and Connecticut.

None of these events would have taken place but for the existence of The 
Rover Saloon Touring Club of America. No other Rover club in the world 
has organized a Rover meet in the Northeast or anywhere else in the USA 
except for the aforementioned activities of the RCCC in Washington 
State. This demonstrates the need for every nation to have its own Rover 
club. I would be thrilled if any of the "international" Rover clubs 
based in the UK would organize events or meet in a pub in the United 
States, especially since they have American members who pay a premium 
for the privilege of membership. Several UK clubs have been approached 
over the years about holding events in the USA, and all have rejected 
the notion out of hand. I know that because I contacted them myself. The 
idea of forming some sort of American "chapter" to organize events has 
also been rejected.

The simple truth is that a national club is necessary if you want to do 
more that just read about Rover meets. That is why the RSTCA should not 
be pooh-poohed for not "functioning as a multi-service car club per se." 
Especially by an individual whose personal dedication and hard work went 
at least 50% of the way to making any of these meets possible.

The RSTCA has always been a very loosely organized operation because 
only a handful of individuals actually wanted to take part on the 
grinding drudgery of organizing and running a club. Getting together at 
Rover meets and car shows is fun. All the stuff that goes on behind the 
scenes is pretty dull and tedious, sometimes even frustrating and 
contentious. Some months back, the handful of principals in the RSTCA 
reached an impasse on one issue, just about worked that out and then 
disagreed on a second issue. At that point, I registered the RSTCA.com 
domain and moved the website to that location. That seemed high-handed 
to some, and perhaps it was, but it seemed to me that the entire 
organization was going down. Several people asked to have their contact 
information removed from the website and to be disassociated from the 
club. I later offered to reorganize the club with a voting board of 
directors and transfer the domain to one of the other principals, but 
that offer has been rejected, as well.

So, yes, the RSTCA serves a limited purpose and does not function as a 
multi-service club, but the club survives. We're meeting again next 
month near Baltimore where we had ten Rovers in one place last year, and 
this year we are going to have a Rover category with three awards. 
Whoopee!  And a guy from Seattle just contacted me via the website 
asking if there are any other SD1 owners around. So, we're still here, 
such as we are...

If anyone else would like to help expand, reorganize or redesign the 
RSTCA, expand club services, and do more than simply write a check once 
a year, I'd like to hear from you off-list at glenwilson at rstca.com  I am 
extending that offer to anyone who reads this message.

Glen Wilson
glenwilson at rstca.com