We are at a massively critical juncture in NEDiv, and I'm sure we're not alone. We are simply running out of volunteers.

Now, I'm not talking just about the long-standing shortage of F&C workers; that's a given that will never go away. I'm talking about all the other people that help to "run the show". I'm talking race chairpersons, tech stewards, SITs (Stewards in Training), Timing and Scoring, Registration, etc. I'm talking we're in a situation where we may not have enough people to actually put on an event at all!!!

I got to see this first-hand this past weekend at NHMS. As you may know, I "got volunteered" to be Chief of Tech for the event. Plus, I attended the Club Racing Board meeting Saturday night (the only "regular driver" -- someone that's not usually part of the inner workings -- to bother to attend. And, since I was a chief that weekend, we could even conclude that that number was ZERO). All this gave me insight into the inner workings of the group, who is doing what, and how things happen.

You have no idea how bad this is getting. Seriously, you don't.

Did you know that I was the only person committed in advance to working Tech Friday night? When I opened Tech at 7:00 PM I had a couple of guys waiting to get their cars annual'd, and no one else was there. Eventually, the line got so long that several drivers volunteered to help out, and of course as usual Dick Patullo and a couple others stepped up to clear the backlog. As it was, our scheduled 7-9PM tech drug out past 10PM. Can you imagine what would have happened Saturday AM in the Tech line had I had not taken a day of vacation from work to be there (and trust me, my number of available vacation days is not unlimited)...? And while I had a fair number of help on Saturday (several of them first-time volunteers - including drivers - who saw a need and stepped up to fill it) I had zero volunteers on Sunday, as all those Saturday folks had personal commitments for Sunday. Zero, zilch, nada, none. As in, when I was handing out the food chits and TIPS coupons I took them for myself only.

Do you realize that people like Scott Dowd - who now has other personal commitments for the year - have been doing this for a long, long time now and we've come to expect it without a thought? And do you realize that at this moment we do not have a Chief of Tech for the LRP School/Regional in two weeks, nor the event at NHMS in July (I can't/won't do it, as I have other commitments)? How are you planning on getting that sticker to be allowed off the grid...?

Dave Faita stepped up to the plate to join the SIT program. Did you know he had to be Chief Steward for both Black Flag and Tech because there was not enough people to have one for each?

Peg Dowd had work commitments for Friday, so she could not be there early Friday; she opened registration at 7PM with a looooooong line of people - competitors and volunteers - waiting to get into the track. How many of those people do you think have been taking it for granted that registration will be open for them when they get there, and were annoyed that it wasn't so during dinnertime?

Did you know that we have several events this year where we do not have a Chief Steward committed for the event???

And trust me, these are not the only shortfalls we're running into. there were numerous people flipping different hats over the weekend.

Each time we go on the Internet and look at the available races we assume someone will always be there to schedule the event and chair the region's race program and coordinate the work. Then we download and read the supps (that someone had to create and send to Topeka to get approved) and look at the schedule, and we assume it's all going to happen. We drive to the track and find that registration is open, and we assume it will always be, and when we pay our money we assume the cash will somehow magically flow in the background to cover all the expenses. Then we walk with our helmets over to Tech and get our event stickers in 5 minutes and assume we always can. We jump in our cars and drive over to the Grid and see the same wonderful faces and assume they'll always be there, then we drive out onto the track and see the white suits all around and assume they'll always be there on each station. Then we hit Miatas and assume there will always be a Black Flag Steward to talk to. And then we walk over to Timing and Scoring and expect our lap times to be posted and then we glance up at Control and assume those lights up there will always be on.

Well, it's getting to the point where they very well may not be.

The same people are doing the same work over and over again, and it's got to change. Many of these people are simply tired of doing it over and over again. They really enjoy doing it, and it's not that they don't feel appreciated, it's just that they, too, have lives and changing personal commitments. We've taken it for granted that these people are going to run the show forever, but the situation is teetering right on the edge such that all it takes it one person to get a new job and the whole game changes completely; we may not have enough people to put on the event at all...

So it's time for everyone to "man up". This is a club organization. We're all members. If we want this club racing organization to continue then we're going to have to all do our part. I'm not saying you have to take vacation time and go to an event for a weekend and do nothing but work (though it's really what the club needs right now) but we have enough people in this organization such that if everyone chips in just a little bit then this looming crisis can be averted. Can you work Registration on Friday and/or Saturday AM during the peak times so that one of those persons can skip the event and focus on the next one? Can you work Tech and check helmets Friday/Saturday so that the same people aren't doing it all the time (or at least be there on Saturday because the tech chief couldn't be there Friday and everyone's screaming Saturday AM that their session is coming up)? Any interest in the Stewards program so you can help run the show at the track? Can you work with the regional and event race chairpersons pre-event to help coordinate what needs to be done to put on the event? How about working Grid, Pit, T&S, or a corner for a session or two? It all adds up.

Even better, how about taking one weekend - one weekend - and working a specialty, relieving the load from people who are coming close to the tipping point? No, it won't be as fun or exciting as racing but it's a hell of a lot cheaper and with it comes a sense of satisfaction that you won't get even when you win the race. Because without the former you soon may not get the latter.

Just sayin'.

GA

P.S. Did you know you can get reduced SCCA membership renewal costs, gas cards, and/or Red Roof Inn discounts for volunteering and working days? You won't get rich, but...