[DeTomaso] fun rally

shawkins777 at comcast.net shawkins777 at comcast.net
Mon Oct 15 09:33:01 EDT 2012


Michael, 

You sent the email to the DeTomaso forum not John. 

Steve 

----- Original Message -----
From: "michael at michaelshortt.com" <michaelsavga at gmail.com> 
To: michael at michaelshortt.com 
Cc: "Mike Thomas" <mbefthomas at comcast.net>, "DeTomaso Forum" <detomaso at realbig.com> 
Sent: Monday, October 15, 2012 6:00:34 AM 
Subject: Re: [DeTomaso] fun rally 

Obviously what I thought was a private email exchange between John and I 
was shared in the little POCA clique, seems only fair that my response be 
shared as well. 
It is petty BS like this that gives POCA the reputation it has. 

Have you no integrity at all? 

Michael Shortt 
On Oct 14, 2012 10:25 PM, "michael at michaelshortt.com" < 
michaelsavga at gmail.com> wrote: 

> Thank you for your long and thoughtful response. 
> 
> 1. I was a member and I was treated poorly and spoken to rudely. That is 
> why I am not a member now. 
> 
> I have no aversion to being a member again if the attitude has improved. 
> Certainly, dialogue of any kind is a good first step. 
> 
> 2. Perhaps planning an event like the existing Fun Rally presents a 
> challenge for some, few people understand the finer points of logistics and 
> herding cats. 
> 
> To be honest, your email has a condescending tone, either intentionally or 
> accidentally, I'm not sure which. My mother taught me to think the 
> latter, life - the former. 
> 
> The truth is, aside from volunteers to help with registration ( and this 
> kind of service can be provided by temporary workers ), I don't need any 
> help whatsoever planning a full featured event like this, herding cats and 
> logistics is what I do every day. 
> 
> It is how I have made a living for 30 years. 
> 
> So you folks can offer constructive support and let me help at least make 
> POCA appear more inclusive than it seems to be or not, but perhaps emails 
> like yours are the reason that many do not want to do anything. 
> 
> Lastly, I have absolutely ZERO desire to be involved in POCA in any 
> capacity outside planning and running an event, much too political and 
> bureaucractic for my liking. I have run 38 political campaigns ( winning. 
> 35 of them ) for local, state and national politicians, I have been the 
> President of 2 HOAs ( a 210 home gated community and a 1,300 home 
> community) plus leadership positions from my fraternity in College to Civic 
> Groups, I've had enough drama to last my entire life. 
> 
> Not counting 300+ commercials, 400+ tv shows and 35 feature films. 
> 
> So what I think is this, support it or don't, it's going to happen either 
> way, POCA's absence by omission may speak greater volumes about an 
> organization that is already preceived by many as to be anything but 
> inclusive. 
> 
> Michael Shortt 
> On Oct 14, 2012 9:45 PM, "John Taphorn" <jtaphorn at kingwoodcable.com> 
> wrote: 
> 
>> Mike 
>> 
>> A good first step would be to join the organization whose help you seek. 
>> Don't confuse it with a charity, it is established to support it's members. 
>> Then look at the Board of directors and figure out which volunteer has the 
>> extra time to help you. After you figure out everyone's plate is already 
>> full. Run for a leadership role and steer the present team to support your 
>> initiatives and recruit new folks to implement your vision. 
>> 
>> POCA is a lean organization of a very few volunteers who step up for 
>> Board and Chapter leadership. It is not a government bureaucracy with a 
>> bunch of people on payroll getting fat on dues. 
>> 
>> Honestly, it is not practical for POCA in it's current structure to 
>> organize multiple Fun Rallies each year on the scale of it's current one. 
>> 
>> As a chapter Presidents in Texas, Kirby Schrader, past Space City Chapter 
>> Prez and current member, and I rotated annually hosting a track and driving 
>> event at Texas World Speedway. Eventually, I got involved at a National 
>> Level and with Kirby out of the country, the event was discontinued. That 
>> said, Our Chapter organized and sponsored the event, not POCA national. We 
>> didn't ask or wait for POCA blessing. Dennis Quella and Gary Hall also came 
>> out for the fun for several years. We never complained that POCA didn't 
>> christen it a National Event. 
>> 
>> If anyone believes POCA should play a larger role, they are simply out of 
>> touch with the available volunteers at the national level. 
>> 
>> You can continue to criticize those few who have stepped up to run the 
>> Club or you can do something meaningful. Run for office and using your 
>> charisma, recruit more volunteers and build a larger and better 
>> organization. Or, start a local Chapter and host your event. 
>> 
>> I was President of POCA for 4 years and on the Board for eight. I can 
>> assure that the volunteers are all pretty smart people with many good 
>> ideas. It reminds me of a time when I was on a driving event in Las Vegas 
>> during one of the Fun Rally's. The Pantera driver that I was with owned a 
>> business and spent much of the time regaling me with terrific ideas for the 
>> club. At a certain point, I had to stop him. I apprised him that his 
>> ideas were excellent. Frankly, the Board was not lacking ideas or a 
>> checklist of items to make the organization stronger. What it lacked were 
>> volunteers who were willing to step up and give their time to implement 
>> these initiatives. To which he responded that his work kept him to busy 
>> for that. Well, I work full time and a half as well, but it is important 
>> enough for me to at least try to help. it is said that vision without 
>> execution is hallucination, POCA needs more boots on the ground. It will 
>> take charismatic leadership to make that happen. 
>> 
>> Unfortunately, it is rare that someone steps up to the national level of 
>> the organization to make a difference. It is time for another to make the 
>> leap. 
>> 
>> JT 
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> On 10/14/2012 6:37 PM, michael at michaelshortt.com wrote: 
>> 
>>> I'm moving forward with two projects, I hope to have the support of POCA 
>>> with both, heretofore, aside from the use of the forum ( which I 
>>> appreciate 
>>> ), neither of my Summer Summit events in 2011 or 2012 have had any 
>>> support 
>>> whatsoever. I hope that those in positions of influence will realize that 
>>> there are benefits to inclusion and assistance with regard to membership 
>>> and Pantera awareness in general. 
>>> Project ONE. 2013, June. 
>>> Summer Summer #3. A touring 4 day Pantera event that covers points of 
>>> interest and amazing driving roads in 
>>> GA, NC, VA and SC. Dates and Itinerary TBA. 
>>> PROJECT TWO. 2013, June 
>>> FUN RALLY - East 
>>> Savannah, GA 
>>> 5 Days - 2 Road Courses, 1 Drag strip, 1 car show and a lowcountry 
>>> driving 
>>> tour 
>>> That includes the course of the Original United States Grand Prix from 
>>> 1908-1916 
>>> http://en.m.wikipedia.org/**wiki/United_States_Grand_Prix#**section_1<http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Grand_Prix#section_1> 
>>> 
>>> I will not have a 2014 Summer Summit. 
>>> 
>>> Savannah will be first because I live here and foresee doing the majority 
>>> of the work ( that should in no way imply that help would not ne 
>>> appreciated ). 
>>> 
>>> I would hope that the POCA would asisst me in promoting FUN RALLY EAST 
>>> As either THE only Fun Rally in 2014 or one of two. 
>>> It would be unfortunate if these events were seen as competition, I would 
>>> love West Coast and Texas, etc. to attend both events, of course I hope 
>>> that we really draw many from the Northeast, Mid-Atlantic, Southeast and 
>>> Rustbelt who may have, like me, felt less than included ( based on 
>>> distance 
>>> and expense, moreso than any negative outward comments or actions ) at 
>>> previous events in Reno and Phoenix. 
>>> 
>>> So there is it, my plans. 
>>> 
>>> I will develop a website for each on the coming months, if you want to 
>>> help, I'd love it. I need to be decisive to make these happen, so please 
>>> understand that I'm not changing the month or the locations, not trying 
>>> to 
>>> be a dick, but somebody needs to lead and I organize for a living. 
>>> 
>>> More to come, 
>>> 
>>> Michael Shortt 
>>> On Oct 14, 2012 6:32 PM, "Bob Lehmann" <bob at longwood2.com> wrote: 
>>> 
>>> You know there is no law saying you couldn't have two rally's per every 
>>>> third year. I would like to go to one on the east coast, but wouldn't 
>>>> go 
>>>> to the west coast, too far and way too expensive. 
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