SDAC - Chapter Thread! Current and New Chapters!

[BadAssPerformance]

We thought it would be a good idea to have a thread to list all of the current SDAC Chapters and those that are working on a Chapter.


SDAC is the club for Shelby Dodge and Turbo Mopar enthusiasts who want to preserve the history and future of our beloved automobiles while hanging out with folks with common interests, and having fun.

SDAC is a National club, so it is difficult to get together as a big group and hang out, except at our annual convention so Chapters are formed by regional SDAC members who can organize local groups, and get to hang out more.

An SDAC Chapter is a group of local enthusiasts getting together periodically to enjoy our beloved cars and hang out with friends with common interests... it is about FUN!


Existing Chapters:

British Columbia SDAC Chapter
Buckeye SDAC Chapter
Calgary SDAC Chapter
California SDAC Chapter
ChicagoLand SDAC Chapter
Delaware Valley SDAC Chapter
Eastern Virginia SDAC Chapter
Florida SDAC Chapter
Great Lakes SDAC Chapter
Hoosier SDAC Chapter
LinOma-Bluffs SDAC Chapter
Lone Star SDAC Chapter
Minnesota SDAC Chapter
National Capitol Chapter SDAC Chapter
New England Region SDAC Chapter
New York SDAC Chapter
Western New York SDAC Chapter
Ohio Valley Chapter SDAC Chapter
Ontario SDAC Chapter
Pacific North West SDAC Chapter
Phoenix SDAC Chapter
Steel City SDAC Chapter
Susquehanna Valley SDAC Chapter


Please post if your local group is working on a new Chapter and we can add it as a Chapter "in the works"! Also, feel free to messaeg me if you have any questions regarding how to set up a chapter, suggestions for chapter activites, etc.

[glhs0075]

Looking to start a Western Canada (prairie region) SDAC. If you're in the area and interested please contact me.

[sdac guy]

One thing for folks to keep in mind when thinking of a chapter in their area, is not to make the area so large that folks won't attend the meetings you may hold. Making the chapter area large may have the benefit of more folks added to it, but if it spreads across a few hundred miles, it is unlikely the more remote located members will ever have much to do with it. So a couple or few smaller chapters may serve a large area better than a huge chapter that tries to incorporate many people. Then if a couple times a year the smaller chapters want to get together for a mini-regional meet, that may be successful also.

A good example of this is the PA chapters. Pennsylvania is a big state and a lot of SDAC members reside there. It started out with just the Delaware Valley chapter (formerly the Mason-Dixon chapter). But Pittsburgh is a few hundred miles west of there, so they got a chapter going, and in the middle is the SV Chapter. These 3 chapters are a couple hundred miles from each other, but they still plan and do things together which is the best of both worlds.

Barry

[rooferchris]

We have to remember population. There are two major cities per province, that's it. My two major cities are on the other side of the Rocky Mtns. I am a active member of the fwdmopars of B.C. Great guys but I could drive to Calgary in half the time. I do attend the annual beach cruise in Penticton B.C. great time. We are hoping wcsdac will be the stepping stone to other chapters but in the mean time we are announcing the yearly meet far in advance so people can make the arrangements required to attend. What's 1000km round trip? We are willing to do the 6000km round trip this year to sdac 22.

[moparluvr22]

I too would like to support WCSDAC.

[turboshad]

Sorry Barry, I have to laugh a bit, no wait quite alot when you try to compare PA to Alberta. PA has a population density of 284peopl/mi^2 (wiki) and Alberta is sitting at 15 people/mi^2. Sorry man, that's not even close. I agree the spread is large but there is no other way to get enough people together then to make the area larger. Sure we can't have monthly meets or even every couple of months but as a person being involved with TDs for the last 12 years in this province it's nice to finally see some spark. I've attended SDAC the last three years as the sole Albertan with invites put out the first two years I went. Heck I couldn't even get our Saskatchewen Lancer man to show up for the second time. This years there is already talk of 4-5 people wanting to caravan down which I've never seen. I see a chapter as some insentive to get together and pre-organize meets. For the last two years I've never seen more than 3-4 guys at a meet because they have no reason to attend and there is no organization. I think it's worth a try. If it fails who cares? What does it cost anyone? Maybe I don't know but I wasn't under the impression that SDAC shells out and coin to it's chapters. I see it as a good thing keeping these vehichles alive in an area where I felt I was the one of the 2 or maybe 3 that was truely serious or that really cared anymore. 2 cents given.

[shackwrrr]

I've been looking at a couple chapters close by, steel city and buckeye. I haven't found much info on here about the steel city one though.

Both are about 1.5-2 hours away. There are no nearby members that I know of around me or even any automotive enthusiasts.

[glhs0075]

One thing for folks to keep in mind when thinking of a chapter in their area, is not to make the area so large that folks won't attend the meetings you may hold. Making the chapter area large may have the benefit of more folks added to it, but if it spreads across a few hundred miles, it is unlikely the more remote located members will ever have much to do with it. So a couple or few smaller chapters may serve a large area better than a huge chapter that tries to incorporate many people. Then if a couple times a year the smaller chapters want to get together for a mini-regional meet, that may be successful also.

A good example of this is the PA chapters. Pennsylvania is a big state and a lot of SDAC members reside there. It started out with just the Delaware Valley chapter (formerly the Mason-Dixon chapter). But Pittsburgh is a few hundred miles west of there, so they got a chapter going, and in the middle is the SV Chapter. These 3 chapters are a couple hundred miles from each other, but they still plan and do things together which is the best of both worlds.

Barry

Barry, I believe it was you that told me that %90 of SDAC members are in the east as opposed to %10 in the west. So, given that we have 1/10th of the members. spread out over a larger area, I don't think we can apply the Penn. model to us. The formula to build a successful chapter in Penn. isn't necessarly going to work in Alberta. We would end up with chapters consisting of 1 or maybe 2 members at the most. In order to get any kind of significant meet, we would have to bring all area chapters together... which I guess is basically what we're trying to do! LOL

[rooferchris]

Exactly! I couldn't have said it better myself. The true, die-hard turbo-mopar guys are spread out. The core members will be at the yearly wcsdac event and hopefully we can recruit some of the guys that come out to our "everyone's invited" meets to join the sdac. That is the ultimate goal, to have a chapter for those who are interested (like me and 6 others) and an actual, active sdac club to join.

[glhs0075]

Exactly! I couldn't have said it better myself. The true, die-hard turbo-mopar guys are spread out. The core members will be at the yearly wcsdac event and hopefully we can recruit some of the guys that come out to our "everyone's invited" meets to join the sdac. That is the ultimate goal, to have a chapter for those who are interested (like me and 6 others) and an actual, active sdac club to join.

In fact, if you look at your membership stats. I think you might notice a recent surge of members signing up from this area.

[speedfreek500]

1 other thing is if there was a wcsdac i bet more would join, its a win win for everybody.

Brian

[sdac guy]

PA was only a quick example that came to mind. And I am not poo-poo'ing your idea/attempt at all.

But the purpose of a chapter is for the local members of it to meet up as a club. It is not an internet thing like the forum is. So if the area of the chapter is so widespread just to get an appreciable number, then there will be people that rarely meet up, or people that don't ever make a chapter meet because the drive is too far. So what it amounts to is that expanding the area has defeated its own purpose. The folks that are in the range of "too far to drive" would nearly be better served by their own smaller chapter, and that was my point.

But this is all putting the cart before the horse, so to speak. Now JT may run this differently, but the process I used to approve chapters was to advise you guys to have a couple meets and see if there is enough interest for a chapter. Having a show of hands on a forum is not sufficient proof that folks are motivated enough to meet up. If you are not going to meet up as a chapter group, there is not much point in organizing one.

Barry

[rooferchris]

I couldn't help but notice there is a Pacific Northwest chapter. Not city specific at all. The facts are the "Calgary" chapter is either run poorly or not run at all. There is more than just myself who travel 4+ hours to a show and shine just last season. We ARE going to get together regardless but we were hoping to get just a little recognition. There has been an influx of members that joined in western Canada because of the possibility of a wcsdac. So what are we to do? Join a club who's pres hasn't even chimed in or drive 20hr round trip to the mainland? Don't worry you didn't poo poo on anything we respect your opinion and appreciate your advice. Turboshad is right tho, this area has a bunch of loyal turbo mopar guys and we want to be heard, it more than just a raise your hand deal.

P.S The last car show I attended 2 of us drove over 3 hrs to get there, only 2 local guys showed up. It seems if you want to be a part of the SDAC in the west you better get used to driving anyways right?

[sdac guy]

You do seem to have a good handle on it. And yes, there are folks that are willing to drive. But before a chapter is set up counting on those folks to attend, a couple meets should be organized to see who is really willing to support the effort. That is all I was saying in my last post.

Back in the earlier days of the Great Lakes chapter (which at one time covered a much larger area) we used to get folks from Indy and northern Ohio make the 300 mile one way drive to come to our meetings. So I know there are folks with that kind of dedication. Fortunately we had enough folks interested in a chapter in the Detroit area alone to support a chapter without them. It was a treat for us when those long distance guys showed up.

But to give some recent examples of folks interested in a chapter that just can't get enough folks locally interested, look at how long both Utah and Oklahoma have been discussing forming chapters, both here and on TD (and I haven't been on that site since 2005). I think the OK guys gave up on having a chapter, but occasionally we still get interest shown from the UT folks.

So if you want a chapter, here is a plan. Contact the guys you know in the area you want included and ask their interest. Ask them if a meet was planned if they would attend. Ask them the amount of miles they would be willing to travel for a chapter meet.

Then someone (you?) take the initiative to plan a meet for this spring. You can call it a caravan to SDAC-22 meeting, or what ever you want. Then either have a meet just before SDAC-22 to finalize things, or wait till after so you guys can discuss the event together. But the main thing is to plan a couple meets. Try to have them so the drive time is as fair for everyone as you can. Then you will see from those attending if there is really enough interest to support a local chapter effort.

Barry

[moparluvr22]

We had enough presence at one Mopar show, that they are going to open a category just for us. What better way to promote our addictions (our cars) and show our pride. If we were to organize as a charter, it will only bring more attention to these often forgotten treasures of the hobby and their great owners.

Dale

[glhs0075]

So I guess our question is, is how much interest is enough to support a local chapter effort. Right now we have at least 8 die hard guys that would drive 300+ miles for a meeting. Should we be looking for more, or is that enough of a core to make it sustainable? I firmly believe that if we set the example, more enthusiasts would realize they have venue and would join us.

Like Roofer says, the eight of us will have a club and plan our meets regardless. We just want to know if we're going to call it WC-SDAC or WCTDC (Western Canada Turbo Dodge Club). Our first choice is SDAC so that we don't have to start from scratch and re-invent the wheel, so to speak.

I guess it may seem new to you because this is the first it's been mentioned here, but the things that you've mentioned have already been in the works for several years. We have an annual BBQ in Red Deer (this year will be at least our third) and several members attended show and shines together this last year in Calgary and Red Deer. This year we have decided to piggy-back on the Calgary Norhtern Mopars Show and Shine and make it the "official" gathering for our as yet to be named club.

I am not new to car clubs or organizing show and shines. In the past I have served on the executive council for Northern Mopars (approx 300+ members), and although they are an excellent group of guys I find their focus leans towards muscle cars and older, and doesn't adequately meet my needs for a Turbo Dodge specific club.

[sdac guy]

It does sound like you guys are about ready Stephen. At your next get together, decide who is going head up the group, decide on if you want it to be an SDAC chapter and what you will call it. Then email or PM JT (BadAssPerformance) about the specifics and chapter paperwork.

It doesn't cost anything, well it does cost a dollar ($1) which is a token payment. SDAC doesn't collect any money from your chapter, nor does it tell you how to run it or if you should charge any dues at some point. It is all up to the chapter leadership to decide. If you ever want help, advice, or direction for your chapter there are many other chapter officers that would be happy to lend a hand. Speaking of chapter officers or leaders, all officers or leaders of the chapter must maintain SDAC membership.

Barry

[glhs0075]

Thank you Barry, that sounds good. We will do that as our next step!

[rooferchris]

Yeah! Thanks so much Barry. We will need your, and the others advice in the following months, we will all be so happy to have a SDAC chapter to call home.

[BadAssPerformance]

Thank you Barry, that sounds good. We will do that as our next step!

Agreed, it definitely sounds like the start of a new regional SDAC Chapter! Thanks for explaining things Barry!


Regarding Calgary Chapter... I had sent a note to all chapters introducing myself and Dave and also requesting updates of contact information. I had not heard from James regarding the Calgary Chapter yet, however had just recenly sent a follow up note to those chapters that didnt respond.