The AGM has been conducted and the new committee formed, some new faces along with several carry over members make up the new committee.  The names and positions are shown in the minutes of the AGM which you will find included in this magazine.  My thanks to both the new and continuing committee members for making this commitment for another year.

After a lot of thought, and discussion with others, I finally decided to stand for the position of president.  For those members who do not know me, and with a membership of approx 300, there will be many, here are some brief details.

I am 64 years of age and along with my wife Barb have retired from the workforce. I have always had an interest in cars and for most of my working life I was involved with the automotive industry.  From the mid sixties I had a soft spot for the Triumph TR’s and it was only nearing retirement that I took the plunge and bought my pride and joy, a white 1972 TR6.

Barb and I have both been members of the TSOA for approx 9 years and participate in many of the club runs and events, including National Rallies in both South Australia and Queensland.  In my new role we look forward to attending more regularly than in the past.

Most of our participation has been in the social events, which are successfully run by a group of dedicated people.  I would propose that this feature of our club continue to develop and grow as it has over the past few years.  As well as satisfying the social need of club members, these runs allow participants to enjoy driving their vehicles and also in its own way promotes the club and exposes the general public to our vehicles.  From my point of view there is nothing better than seeing a procession of Triumph TR’s, saloons and Stags winding their way through the Adelaide hills on a sunny Sunday or Wednesday morning, although I acknowledge that this may not necessarily be what everybody enjoys.

In recent months there has been some healthy discussion that should not be ignored as it is important that we try to provide for members what they are looking for in our club.  Quite rightly some members feel we should put more emphasis on our marque and revive other activities associated with the promotion of our vehicles.  I would encourage members to put forward ideas to achieve this end.

I understand that one technical meeting has been arranged in late October to learn about the manufacture of Alloy wheels, and we have also organised a joint run with the Healy Sprite club which has been scheduled for November.  Both events are planned with the intention of developing, learning about and promoting the use of our vehicles.  This is a first small step but hopefully one in the right direction.  I know that these events only scratch the surface of the discussion points that have been raised but we need to start somewhere.
I look forward to being inundated with ideas and the members willing to develop them.You can forward your thoughts to bjyale@bigpond.com

See you soon John Sampson.

With our President Roger gallivanting around the world at this time, the task of the normal Presidents report falls to me as Vice-President.  So here goes!!

There was a TRremendous roll up at the July meeting and I wanted to think that it was because word had got around that I was running the meeting, but unfortunately for me the great roll up was actually due to membership renewal and Logbook update.

Just as a reminder…. for those of you with historic registration please be aware that your Logbook requires updating by 15th August or your rego becomes invalid / illegal after that date, for more details refer to the reports from Tom Long in the last few magazines.

As you are all probably aware, the August meeting is our AGM, which means that another year is over, and I think you will all agree it has been another very successful year.  We have had many great Sunday and midweek runs, some very special premium events like the Tony Esau Memorial Run, the Weekender and Day of Triumph, and we have also had our loyal contingent representing the club on the track.

Thanks must go to all of the office bearers and other members who have in any way contributed to the running of the club and its events for the last year.  Without this loyal band of very capable people the club would not be as successful as it is.

Our membership is growing and participation at events is strong, and there is healthy discussion by members of the club as they endeavour to enhance, improve and support the TSOA with its current and upcoming activities.

The challenge for the incoming and ongoing committees is to continue to grow, improve, develop and support the membership and activities for all sections of our membership.

Again, I reiterate that it is not too late to help mould the future of your club by nominating for a position on the committee, or to offer help with other supporting activities. Constant rotation of committee and other ancillary positions has the potential to introduce new and different ideas to add to the already successful and established formula to which we have become accustomed. Let me assure you that it is not a daunting task and it can be very rewarding.

On  a more personal note and although this is not normally a forum for recommending other organisations, I would like to suggest that members give consideration to RAA Premium membership if they are travelling long distances, particularly when driving Classic vehicles.  A short version of a recent personal experience which leads me to make this suggestion is as follows:

Travelling with my caravan to Queensland in the past few weeks, I stopped my car (not my TR) whilst we had a short break, when I went to re-commence my journey I found that the vehicle would not start again.  We were approximately half way between Wilcannia and Cobar, in other words, in the middle of nowhere!  I contacted the NRMA/RAA who sent the Cobar representative out with a Tray top truck and a Nissan 4WD to rescue us.  With approx. 12 man hours and a total of 680Km to get my vehicle and van back to Cobar I was a little worried about the cost, but as it turned out , the cost was nil out of my pocket. The local NRMA/RAA representatives were great and I was very grateful that we had upgraded our RAA membership.

From my experience, if you are travelling long distances, I think it is worth giving serious consideration to what the RAA has to offer.  By the way…….we now have a new starter motor.

The TSOA Nationals are in about 6 weeks and those going should be starting to work on their car to ensure a smooth and safe run to Kangaroo Valley in NSW and back.

On a sadder note, we pass on our condolences to Kevin and Sue Foster for the lost of Kevin’s father who passed away in recent weeks, our thoughts are with you both at this time.
That all for now…………. John Sampson

As I cobble together these thoughts, it is just a matter of days before we depart on our overseas jaunt. The excitement builds as we look forward to our adventure . . . visiting with our American friends, taking our first look at Europe, enjoying a wonderful scenic river cruise for a couple of weeks and then back home, all the while playing “spot the Triumph” as one does when on foreign soil.

There has been a lot of turmoil around the globe over recent times, what with the GFC, volcanoes erupting, massive human disasters, various wars underway etc., and no matter how you look at it, there is much to worry about. Mostly, there is just nothing we can do about things . . . they just happen. We sit back in front of our plasma screen and get fed all the daily news as seen by the media – not always correct, but let’s not let the facts get in the way of a good story.

We have a lot to be thankful for, us Australians. Talk about the “Lucky Country”! So we don’t have a lot to grumble about . . .  but we do – it is natural. I am a good example of this . . . but please don’t get me started . . . politics, religion, news stories . . .  we all talk to the TV don’t we? Or is it just me?

Anyway, back on track – generally, there is a lot to look back on and worry. Our trip has focused us on looking forward, and it is a very refreshing position to be in. But it is not just the trip that we look forward to. Sure, seeing parts of the world not visited before and visiting old friends will be great, but looking beyond that, just the simple things are usually something to dwell on with anticipation.

When away from home, we enjoy the experience, but we also look forward to coming home. We look forward to giving the grand kids a hug and a present from our trip, and of course dusting off the Triumph and going for a drive. There are just so many things in our lives that we take for granted – everyday things that may not be that exciting, but when you take a step back and review, usually these are the things that keep us all going. The anticipation of what lies ahead.

Personally, I will be thinking about the race meeting at Mallala on August 21st/22nd and making a nuisance of myself in with the MG’s, and then the TSOA Nationals in September, and our local club events over the later months of the year. There is much to look forward to – even the tea and scone runs! Should we formalise an annual run to celebrate this trend?

Speaking of competition events, (getting back on track again) I know that several of you have talked to me recently about having an interest in doing club competition events, but wanting a less stressful introduction to see if you like it enough to go to the next level. Well, I hope that you have taken advantage of the MSCA day at Mallala coming up on the 8th August. This will be an ideal opportunity for you to see what Mallala is like, and to experience your Triumph (or any other car you may choose) at speed. It will also be an opportunity to learn a bit about car control and improving your driving skills. So give it a go!

With those thoughts, I look forward (there it goes again!) to seeing you on our return . . . . around the time of the AGM.

Roger

Our Day of Triumph was exactly that! A Triumph! Everyone in the know knew that the forecast “possible early shower” meant glorious sunshine! The display of Triumphs spanning around the Civic Park arena and the sight of TSOA members enjoying the day was fantastic. Well done to all involved.

TSOA now needs to build on this success towards “bigger and better” next year.

Looking forward, there are a couple of things that deserve attention. Our Annual General Meeting is approaching fast, and as you all know, this is your opportunity to get involved in the operations of your club. At the August AGM, all Executive Committee positions are declared vacant, and nominations are sought to fill these positions for the next year. Usually, 99.9% of the membership find excuses not to stand for office, and usually, those hard working committee people who have served your club (and you) for many years, continue on until their enthusiasm is exhausted.

New blood means new ideas, new directions, and a freshness that can reinvigorate and enthuse. It also spreads the burden as a larger number of club members get involved over a period of time. Standing for office doesn’t mean a life sentence. In fact, it would be nice to think that anyone standing for a particular position of office would only be required to do so for no longer than two years. Many clubs have this written in their constitutions and this then forces the issue. Ours does not, but I believe that it could be a goal worth adopting as an “unwritten” rule.

So, look within yourself and ask if perhaps it is time for you to give something back to your club. If you do, talk with a current committee person towards understanding what is involved – if not for this year, then perhaps in preparation for standing for office next year after learning the ropes as an understudy / assistant. This makes transition a little easier when the time comes and will give you a better understanding of how things work and maybe where you can make a difference.

The other thing to keep an eye out for is the 2011 National Rally being hosted by us. Your National Rally Committee has been working hard towards developing a rally program that offers fun times and enjoyment with your Triumph together with like minded enthusiasts from Interstate, all at a very reasonable cost for a week long event. Full details will be announced in the coming months in readiness for the official announcement and promotion at this year’s Nationals being held in NSW. The dates that have been decided upon are 15th to 21st October, 2011 so you have plenty of time to get your calendar organised.

Cherri and I are off overseas for 6 weeks from late June, but I will be back for the AGM meeting. During our absence, Vice President John Sampson will assume the helm . . . thank you John.

On a sad note, Member Bryan Young’s wife Vivienne has lost her battle with cancer, passing away on 20th May. Our thoughts are with Bryan and family as they deal with their sad loss.

Roger