[Deadhead]

I am sure there are a good number of you who are members of this organization. Though that number is declining. I am interested to know everybody's thoughts on it. I applied for a board position there and am getting a run-around that is akin to something I would expect in a govt. setting. I am not looking to change the world here, but it looks to me like the numbers are unsustainable and without some younger (under 40) people coming in this thing is going to go the way of the dodo bird. I am not in the under 40 set, but I do remember it clearly.

The organization is asking for clues as to why the membership is declining, and I cited the bureaucracy as part of the problem as well as a website that was like an empty warehouse with a tech section where questions go unanswered for weeks months or never.

In thinking about the future of the organization, I was wondering if there was any interest or consideration pertaining to a collaboration with PY. This could be a benefit to both organizations as they seek to strengthen their membership and security in a world where magazines and private websites are increasingly under pressure. Not sure how this would work, but there is no way to know without some kind of dialog. There are strengths with both that could obviously benefit one another. Don't know if there is any 'history' here or not, and don't really care either. In interest of fostering the future of the hobby politics are not part of the equation - only a way to make sure we connect the knowledge with the need in keeping these bad boys on the road and shining in the sun at shows.

If folks share their experience and criticism here, it will also give them a better idea beyond the criticisms I poignantly illustrated in my re-application, which will likely land in File 13. But, that is beside the point. If they get a picture of what the problem is maybe someone more diplomatic than me will be able to help. I have just seen time and again that organizations die under their own organizational weight when that becomes more important than their original purpose. In this case that would be the joy of working on and driving Pontiacs not paperwork and parliamentary procedure.

The flood gates are now open!

[66bonne]

Bruce: Perhaps the lack of response after 45 views says something about the interest in POCI. Hope not and would like to see a lot of responses. I dropped POCI membership years ago mainly because there was little going on that piqued my interest. Granted my interest is primarily focused on the challenging ordeal of getting a big car Poncho to go fast, I saw very few articles in Smoke Signals dealing with outside-the-box performance.
It would be a suggestion of mine that POCI broadened its horizons, especially if they are to attract the attention of the next generation {BTW: I received an Email recently from POCI to rejoin. I probably will if for no other reason then to support the hobby.}

I agree that the organization needs a shot of youth and disappointed to learn of your tribulations in trying to achieve this. I have a feeling that at that level of POCI leadership there are those who wish to maintain the status quo and thusly, their own positions.

I really like your idea of a collaboration with PY and would be willing to bet that PY would be willing to listen to the idea. There are probably many on this forum that have no idea or limited idea of what POCI is and what they do.

Have to run but I will be following this thread.

Thanks, Jim

[PMD1969]

I had joined 10 years ago and then let it drop after just a year due to the politics. Seems things haven't changed.

[65WJ]

my .02
I have attended a wopping 2 POCI shows Bowling Green Ky and the Co vention this year in Dayton
I do not have the funds to show up on Wednesday stay until Saturday to see the cars.
I drove the 2-3 hours on Saturday Morning. by the time I arrived at both shows the swap meet was closing down and to me at least 60% of the cars had allready left.

Now for me the best show for Pontiacs is The Tri-Power Nationals in Norwalk Ohio.
I can make the drive in 5 hours and all the cars are still there Saturday.

Does not take a rocket scientist to figure which show I prefer to support.

patrick

[mike nixon]

Since I sit on the BOD of POCI I'm watching this with great interest so come on people and voice your views. Since no new Pontiacs are being produced the hobby is in the attrition stage and young people are what's going save our beloved cars and the hobby.


Great post Bruce!

Mike

[Tunas73TA]

Funny this comes up

I just renewed my membership after a one year lapse, but it wasnt for lack of effort.
I received a few email reminders to renew, but I couldnt remember my password.
I responded to the emails asking to renew, but never heard back. I finally found my original login info and renewed for 2 years just last night.

I was poking around the site after this and saw the facebook link...
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Ponti...9537?ref=br_tf

No updates since December 2012!

Of course there is a current alternate Facebook page with more info, but why have a dead facebook page at all?

This is the current one
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Ponti...269105&fref=ts

The rest of the site looks like it was done by the ACA people..very old and clunky.
Tried to update my profile picture and never could...


Also agree that collaborating with PY would be awesome!

[Andre]

I've been a member since 1991. I think that POCI was the king in the days of print. However it did not evolve to the internet age. Many clubs have not. Whether or not that is because "this is the way it's always been done" mentality, or for some other reason, I don't know. I still get my Smoke Signals. It takes about 10 minutes to go cover to cover. Occassionally interesting cars, but limited. Last POCI convention I attended was Greenville S.C... wheneverthat was.

[Deadhead]

Originally Posted by 66bonne

Bruce: Perhaps the lack of response after 45 views says something about the interest in POCI.

Exactly.

And I totally agree with Andre. The magazine does not have enough info in it or cars to grab my attention longer than that, and that is really just a waste. I'd like to see a convention in a place which is actually a destination with a purpose and or some attractions that are a little more exciting. No offense to the inhabitants of any of the prior or current venues, but they don't compare with some of the alternatives. You might get a lot more excitement in Vegas, Austin, or Orlando than in Dayton or Kansas for example. I am not suggesting these as locations, just for some perspective. How about Pontiac Michigan or Hershey or some other car mecca. While we may all come close, for our companions, it is not all about the cars for 4 days. Hard to beat Norwalk though for sure.

My thing here is that I have met a lot of Great POCI members, most of them older guys, who I relate to better anyway. I have gotten some invaluable information from them, swapped parts back and forth often for nothing but postage and enjoyed swapping stories and info with them. Nearly all of these have been guys I did not meet in any on-line setting. My only concern is that they stay connected to the bulk community, which now seems to be in cyber space. Probably a lot more than I know about since I do not do anything on Facebook and next to nothing on the other social media outlets. If the connection does not happen, then a lot of knowledge and great times in the hobby could be lost.

If nothing comes of this discussion, then that will say a lot.

[63 Pontiac]

I can't comment on the politics because I've never been directly involved but I will throw in my 2 cents about the website: It sucks.

Seriously though, the website is the front door to an organization and POCI's is cumbersome, antiquated, and has no sex appeal whatsoever. How are you going to attract new people with such a bland, boring website? The members only section for the classifieds is such a pain in the arse to use that I don't bother going there anymore and no potential member can access it. Why not spend some of the membership dues money on a good website designer and bring the website into 2014.

Ok, I lied. Why is POCI clinging to the ridiculous idea that they support GMC truck enthusiasts? I don't know of a single GMC owner who would ever come to POCI for GMC info. It's time for POCI to admit GMC inclusion was a mistake and end the façade of being in the truck enthusiast business.

[Old Goat Racer]

A couple years ago I gave up on POCI after 27 years. I sold the whole 27 year collection of mags to someone. Not enough racing in the club to suit me Or the knowledge to set a race up. JMO.

As for young people getting interested, most kids can't afford the hobby.

So what will happen to all the cars?

[Simple Man]

Years ago, the POCI convention was held in Grand Rapids MI, about 2 hrs away from me. I'm not a member of POCI, but I wanted to check out the show cars, and the swap meet. I DID NOT want to partake in any POCI members functions, like seminars, meetings, meals, trips, etc, just the swap meet and the show cars.

I EMailed the person in charge, explained what I wanted to do, and asked him if he could tell me where those two venues would be located.
He EMailed me back, and said , while they couldn't keep me away, they would like to discourage me from attending, since this event was for POCI members only. Now, I'm pretty sure the vendors in the swap area didn't care if the person spending money with them was a POCI member or not. I also think POCI missed an opprotunity to show a non member what the club was all about, maybe get a new member signed up. It gave me a bitter taste towards POCI, never got interested in joining after that.

I'm a member of the Studebaker Drivers Club. We haven't had a new Stude since 1966. But they actively go out after new members, have great forums online, and a great website. And the national newsletter, Turning Wheels is first class all the way. We also have an aging membership. But there are plenty of younger members who get interested , and join.

They also have national conventions in every part of the country. West coast, east coast, midwest, north, south. But they come home to South Bend every 5 years. How many times has the POCI convention been held in Columbus the past 10 years?

[David Holmberg]

I lost interest in the POCI until Mike Nixon got on board.
Mike has done a great job of trying to move it in the right direction, if you have any ideas please post them here or PM Mike directly.

[stevep]

I was a board member of POCI for 18 years and I was the president for 1997/1998. Things had gone wrong for a few years but current president Merle Green is working very hard to make things right and he is succeeding.

Bruce, please PM me!!

[ornjcr8]

Been a POCI member for a year and yes the first time I used the web site I was really thrown for a loop, very hard to use. I really like Smoke Signals, read it cover to cover and yes, it takes about a half hour to do it. Went to two Pontiac shows this year Dayton and Norwalk, what a difference, I wish Norwalk was once a month.

[Old Blue 66]

Originally Posted by Andre

I've been a member since 1991. I think that POCI was the king in the days of print. However it did not evolve to the internet age. Many clubs have not. Whether or not that is because "this is the way it's always been done" mentality, or for some other reason, I don't know. I still get my Smoke Signals. It takes about 10 minutes to go cover to cover. Occassionally interesting cars, but limited. Last POCI convention I attended was Greenville S.C... wheneverthat was.

Well said. Thats because the median age for a POCI member is on the higher end. Most car clubs are really. As the cars age, so does the interest in them and the people who like to keep them.

I think the older crowd still believes in the science of paper and hasn't been able to keep up with the web. Go ahead and blast me but thats my feeling.

I dropped my membership after the convention we had here in St Charles a year ago. But because Im very active in the POCI GTO chapter, I'm going to stay neutral on everything in this thread.

[stevep]

Greenville was 2005.

[muscle_collector]

I was a member for over 25 years and i had been really busy in life and realized i had not received a smoke signals in a few months. i called someone and they said that my membership had expired. i didn't even realize it and asked why they didn't send out a notice and got some response like i should keep up with it. so i just never renewed it. it is really sad how that one person with a bad attitude can cost a business.

[Old Blue 66]

Originally Posted by muscle_collector

I was a member for over 25 years and i had been really busy in life and realized i had not received a smoke signals in a few months. i called someone and they said that my membership had expired. i didn't even realize it and asked why they didn't send out a notice and got some response like i should keep up with it. so i just never renewed it. it is really sad how that one person with a bad attitude can cost a business.

Id be willing to bet big money that they do send out reminders. I seem to remember that I've gotten them in the past.

Here's a membership renewal idea- have automatic renewals when members use credit cards.

[mike nixon]

Originally Posted by muscle_collector

I was a member for over 25 years and i had been really busy in life and realized i had not received a smoke signals in a few months. i called someone and they said that my membership had expired. i didn't even realize it and asked why they didn't send out a notice and got some response like i should keep up with it. so i just never renewed it. it is really sad how that one person with a bad attitude can cost a business.

Paul sends out reminders, in fact he's GREAT at it and I havea rough time believing that he would smart off to a member.

Mike

[Stuart]

The same thing happened to me as musclecollector, two years in a row...I never got any reminders, the Smoke Signals just stopped showing up in my mailbox.