DV, by DV

[Mike Braatz]

Hey-- Ed--

Thanks for the plug-- actually it's www.boys-village.com. We work with over 430 abused, dependent and neglected children evry day. ---

Ed, You are right-- there are many wonderful organizations trying to get the job done and so many individuals who need our help.

It is my opinion we need to continue doing as we have -- the amount of money we raised is fantastic. We should continue working harder and smarter . We don't need to make this more difficult --- we are on the right track -- lets just maintain ---

Mike

[Tom Wells]

Yo DV,

Mee-chigan???

I'm in for London, CF & KISS

If any or all get changed, I'm still in!

[Jamo]

Way too many chefs in this kitchen, and some a$$es are gonna bump into each other.

[OhBuoy]

I live near Joliet and vote against that!!! Actually, I would love to have it in our back yard, and would love to help, but I really find it hard to beleive that any town is going to show the hospitality of London Ohio. Indy is good, but there is no way in heck we are going to get onto the speedway if that is what you are thinking (from what I have heard).

I love London, I think CF is a great cause and why the imputus to change? Breast cancer would be great as well! I think that we should do something for the men in blue of Ohio for their hospitality. Another children's charity? How about getting some kids that are ill out for a few of our speed runs? I used to partake in an annual event where we took kids out on boats that were terminally ill. It was great because many of these kids would most likely not make it to get their drivers license, but we would put them behind the wheel of a 23ft boat for a while. The loved driving, they loved the time with their friends and they loved our hospitality.

Tom

[Clois Harlan]

No offense Jamo but have you been talking to my wife again-(I recognized my name)?

I will be there next year and I will bring a couple of other Cobras with me. I have no problem with London. I think everyone has had a great time the last several years.

[snake oil]

Ed rotating?

It's funny about the timing of this thread.
We were just having a discussion on this in Chicago
last weekend.

About rotating the fling from state to state.???

The hardest thing is, as someone already pointed out is
finding someone that wants to sponsor and hold this event.
Other than DV and London. That hospitality would be hard to beat.
Or maybe you meant rotating charities?

[Godzila]

Mike Braetz, check your website, It didn't come up with the link you posted, and I would like to go there. Thanks

Too Many cooks will spoil the pot, evryone liked the soup for the last 4 years, use the same recipe as before. Everyone I have talked to who attended loved it! IMHO

[Turk]

DV,
There is much to be discussed. As one of those asses Jamo spoke of, I will do my part.

NONE of what I have posted, nor I will post in the future on this subject is with any intent to move the location of Spring Fling. It started in London and it can stay in London.

It is far, but I am not commuting daily. It is a once a year event. If I can't afford it or don't like the location I will stay home.

Suggesting Michigan or Minnesota (whatever) was in no way bringing it closer to California. Second point I should insist on is Gasholes are NOT a California organization. A few of us are here, but many are scatterred all over the place. So I have no gain nor have any interest in picking a location that is self serving.

I guess while I am at it, I should make it clear that I am not speaking for Gasholes or anyone else other than myself on this issue.
I appreciate the acknowledgement of our little group, but they all do whatever they want, and so one person speaks for us.

I would like to see the Spring Fling go back to what made it a success, and see what happens. The bigger it is, more need for cash, logistics, organization and time.
If it is small and simple and we manage to do some good while we are at play it is good.

I don't go to Fling to contribute to CF, I go to Fling to be with friends and contribute while I am there.

[Mike Braatz]

Godzila----

Lets try this www.boys-village.com I hope this works---
Thanks,
Mike

[Jamo]

Assright...my ass will do it's own bumping.

[MidOHasp]

Ed, with the exception of DVSF III (which I think was a little different because there was a brand new Kirkham donated free-of-charge, which considerably helped the bottom line), the proceeds donated to CF have gone down as we've gotten bigger.

As we devote more and more time and energy to trying to make the fling "bigger and badder" than ever before, we lose sight of what it is/was all about.

Now that the Fling has truly become a business (registering via secure internet transaction site, etc...), more and more people are putting on their accounting hats and saying, "Well, if this is a business, and we are trying to raise boatloads of cash for CF, where is all of that cash going?"

You get people thinking along the accounting lines and the nature of the beast is that people question the bottom line, people make assumptions, etc... RIGHT OR WRONG, it happens.

And so it goes, the fling will continue to go down that path to the point where it consumes itself and implodes.

If 500 cobras just so happen to show up, that is great. I do not know how London could handle that, but you can't barricade it and say "NOPE! NO MORE COBRAS TODAY!!"

But let's not try to gather 500 cobras in London in the name of Jenny Smith. Bless that girl's heart, but I bet we'd do better for her if we weren't so consumed with the BUSINESS end.

My little niece has CF, too. I love knowing CF benefits from our fun. But I have a best friend in Iraq. I have family dying of cancer. I have family that is diabetic. That's just me, and that's just my little world.

MOST Cobra people are generous souls. I can't imagine 300 of them showing up at the same place one weekend and not raising more than 8 grand.

It sickens me to think that in the hubbub of commercializing the fling, we have lost complete track of what it was all about in the beginning - friends.

Does it sound cold-hearted for me to say that the Fling was not about Jenny in the beginning?? I think I've made my point clear enough here to not have to worry about what you may think of me having said that. Those of you that know me CERTAINLY know better.

But the event should be about US. Given who "US" is, if we decide we are going to raise 20 grand for the families of those killed on 9/11 or 20 grand for Boys' Village or YOU NAME IT, we are damned well going to do it.

Imagine the same 300 people come this year with no agenda. No registration fee. No name-tag. No packet of maps. A few locals plan some fun things if people are so inclined. We take over London for an afternoon. We bond, we share beers, stories, and camaraderie. If everyone dropped a Bennie in the kitty, there is $30,000 sitting there. I bet we could average that, dontcha think?

Gentlemen, I've never known such a great group of people. Let's not strangle the group to death with overhead and bullsh!t. Let this group of generous, caring, friendly, and resourceful people have a blast one weekend in June, somewhere. Even if it is out west in Minnesota. LMAO.

I'd like to see what fun we can have and what good we can do if left to our own devices.

It would likely be assolutely amazing.

Chew on it for a while. PM me if you feel like responding to me but not publically. Do it publically, though, if you are inclined. I don't think too many people disagree too much. My suggestions don't preclude vendors from coming if they want. They don't preclude news crews from showing up. They just don't plan those things explicitly.

Eliminate the BS. Nip the accounting questions in the bud by not commercializing it. Focus on what is important, here . . . FRIENDS.

Nobody will regret that. Matter of fact, we will be talking about it for years.

[ToyCollector]

Mid O'Hasp,

Well stated points and questions I have been holding inside since DVSFIII myself. If the growth of DVSF and the "investments" it takes is eating into the net donation amount, that seems counter-productive to me. I wasn't at DVSFIV, but am perplexed that the net given to CF was only $1 2K. Is that because no parts and other things needed to build a raffle car were not donated this year? Did the Double Venom Cobra essentially get sold via rafflle then I guess?

[kountzecobra]

Did I read this right? $8,000 from 300 Cobras present? And surely many like myself bought raffle tickets but could not attend. I was there last year and really had a great time meeting everyone. Hope this isn't the end of the Fling.

[BMK]

Well I'm booking my ticket to LAX and will just sit back now and see were we are heading when we arrive there.

Well done all, I'm looking forward to meeting you all and enjoying the event.

Bernie

[Mike Braatz]

All;

THANKS FOR YOUR INSITE AND COMMENTS. Some good ideas have been expressed-- however, if I were a betting man, odds are that the Fling stays in Ohio -- London will still be involved and we will keep it as it has been for the past 4 years-- that is "sort of reserved for Cobras" also, I believe it is still up in the air as far as CF being involved. And finally, we will all have a great time and want to plan Fling #6. Who's laying the odds??

I can tell you one thing, I never go in the kitchen without being invited and putting on this banquet is a big deal -- and by working together we probably won't burn the soup.

Mike

[rdorman]

My thoughts. Stick to the roots. Don't change to much because if we do it will just end up being like any one of a number of events that already exist.

We would all like this and that (seat time for me), but you can't be all things to all people.

The Fling is about us. The Cobra family. Any money given to a charity is just icing on the cake. But the charity is not the point for me, it is all of you that I go to the Fling for. Charity is also not why the Fling was started. Charity was simply a selfless way of not lining ones pockets with the extra money and instead helping to so some good. The Fling is about us.

CF DID receive additional money as a result of the Fling. Plus (go back to the 'icing' statement) think of the residual results for CF as a result of the Fling. The Fling raised mine and I am sure many, many others awareness of CF, its nature and needs. That indeed holds value as well. My company had over 10,000 employees and every one of them got to see a tearful interview talking about CF and the Fling. I wonder if it effected any of them?

If you build it, they will come. Already have my room plans for next year, just need a date!

Rick

[MidOHasp]

The common theme sure looks like "don't change it" but with the addendum that the charity aspect of the fling should be secondary at best.

I still think that the charity, if there is one, no matter what it is, will do twice as well as a second priority than it would as a top priority.

I don't think anyone is turned off to the idea of the fling. I think people love the fling. What I think many are growing weary of is the Double Venom Spring Fling that is "all about the children and the cookies and CF".

I'm sorry for being so damned blunt, but I know for a fact that I'm not the only person feeling this way. I'm just one of the few who isn't padding my words with accolades for Ed and past flings.

Ed already knows how I feel about his hard work and the fun we've all had in the past. That won't change. It's been said. This isn't the "Thank Ed" thread. Sorry. There are several of those, and they have their place. I know I've paid my dues in those threads, as have countless others.

I'm just cutting to the chase, people. The people I know that are the most passionate about this event SEEM to have one thing in common - they want the focus to go back to our Cobra family.

If someone benefits from it, let's make sure it's a good charity or a good cause, as it has been. That will come naturally, as I stated before. But let's not spend the next 8 months planning the thing to death.

I, for one, am with Rick - some kind of organized wheel time would be fantastic. Others, Pat Buckley being one of them based on a post I read here, couldn't care less about that stuff, and would be thrilled with sitting out in a parking lot with great friends. I'll bet by the end of the weekend, we will all 3 have been standing around in the same circle over a beer, you know?

How about I just throw some tangibles out there, and if they sound good to you, step up and say "I second that idea!" If they sound terrible, step up and say "JP, you're out of your mind!"

1) You can't please everyone with everything all the time. Don't make that a focus. Set a date and location, plan some things if you want, but don't make them the focus of the fling. Let people entertain themselves.

2) Don't make the fling about one person or one charity. Let the chips fall where they may. They will fall somewhere. It's the nature of our crowd.

3) Provide participants with lists of restaurants, attractions, entertainment, etc... options. If a group of 40 wants to all go to one place together, they can. If someone wants to pack their own lunch and eat by themselves under a shade tree, they feel comfortable with that. When a group of dozens of rumbling cobras shows up somewhere, space is miraculously generated. I don't want to know in 2004 where I am eating dinner halfway through 2005.

4) Don't waste time with registration fees and their beneficiaries (bands, etc...) unless it is necessary for things like taking over London, drag racing down Main Street, etc... If people want to go to Handke's or M for dinner, they can, and they won't have spent $100 to not have meal choices all weekend. If they want to nuke a burrito at the 7/11 station for dinner, then they have that option, too. See #3 above.

5) Allow the general population to decide if they want one central event/venue one night. If by the first of the year, that seems to be a consensus, then plan a night under a tent or at a park. If not, let people make their own plans and entertain themselves. I personally am not opposed to that idea, but then again, the hotel parking lots are quite the venue for socializing, aren't they?

6) To reiterate, let US focus on US. I'm probably missing some things, and we may not be able to do some of the fun things we do without being part of a grand group called the Double Venom Spring Fling. If so, speak now, and I will concede those points. Otherwise, I don't see the need for the cause.

Speak up, people. If you want to see the Fling take a step back from the hype and a step back toward its original intent - a gathering for our huge family - then speak up. Now is your chance. A few of us have opened the door, here, and I'm hoping not at anyone's expense.

But this is your chance to sneak a taste of the soup and throw your secret blend of spices in. Nobody's going to stop you.

[BMK]

JP

We recently attended the Australian Cobra Nationals here.

One of the most obvious things was the huge amount of effort put in by the team in Sydney. N.S.W. I know they worked for months to get the event up. It was run very smoothly and to clockwork precision.

They worked hard to organise a great event with track time, drags and driving events. Every participant was keen to be involved in some or all of the events.

It was evident that some owners were out there to get the best times and these guys stood out as clear leaders. Most of us
just went out for fun. In fact I have been given the name of "Donut King"...

..

My thoughts are you may organise some low key driving events to keep people amused. The die hards will or may not get involved. The up shot is its far easier to organise with no time equipment and a few hats on the bitumen.

Guys like me don't feel as if they may be getting in the way of the serious trophy hunters.

You could list your fun events, and if they turn up they run.

Back to the Australian Nationals..

Importantly, a ton of effort was put into organising food, entertainment and the like. Again I did not participate as I was keen to catch up over a quite beer - to your point.

I don't know London Ohio, but I'm sure there are lots of restaurants and bars. Perhaps a few could be nominated as the place to go. A discount could be organised??

From what I have seen and read DVSF is an excellent event. But it requires a hell of a lot of organising. If the authorities are supportive then all that hard works done. Perhaps keep the events to a minimum and go low key.

Whip the hat around, sell a few rides down the street and some raffle tickets, a silent auction and you could raise a few dollars.

Just my $.0265 cents worth ( $.02 cents US)..

Again I look forward to being there in 2005.



Let me just say, that from what I have seen on DVD, in magazines and this Forum etc. the organisers of the DVSF's have done an exceptional job. I often wondered who had the time to organise such events.


Bernie

[Mike Holt]

In all the reading of posts that I have done on DVSF IV, there seems to be a trend.
1) People really enjoyed the Poker run...the site of groups of Cobras coming from all points of the compass was awesome
2) They really wished the Autocross was available
3) Although I didn't attend the Sunday event, I heard nothing but good things about the park
4) The Strawberry Festival gives the real players something to do other than sit around and talk Cobras ( I know Sandy reaches her HP talk limit in short order)
5) London is a great venue to have it

So..in keeping with Mid O's last post,

1) Keep it at London
2) Poker run
3) Autocross
4) One day (Sunday) at the park for a picnic.
5) As for the charity, maybe everyone that attends can put a charity into a hat ( Must be a recognizable non profit organization not the Mike Holt's Vintage Fuel Injection and AFR heads fund!) Then DV can pull one from the hat and any money that is raised goes to them.
6) I also liked the suggestion that a local Radio station (maybe an oldies station) would come out and do a live broadcast
7) The Burnouts down mainstreet are pretty much a mainstay

So far on this thread there are a lot of constructive ideas. But, Let's keep them constructive and recognize that Ed and crew are doing what they think is right for everyone. While I know no body intended to flame Ed (furthest from our minds!) re-read some of the posts and think about maybe re wording before hitting the submit button. Just my $.02 worth.

Thanks and see you all at DVSF V

[casaleenie]

My idea of a great time would be to have a bar-b-que in the motel parking lot (hotdogs, brats etc.). Have an errant ember blown from the grill land on Jamos leather seat of his Cobra and then somehow get Jamo to take his clothes off and sit in the seat...

If we could just arrange that one event then the Fling would be a success...Burnt hotdogs, brats and balls... sounds like a recipe for success to me...