This column is going to be a little different from my usual monthly writing, for two reasons. 

First, I am going to skip the promotion for the upcoming events, because I am pretty sure that the details in the invitations in this issue will speak for themselves. This time instead, I would like to look back at the past two events, The Mid-Summer MG Party at Scott Fohrman’s house and Ray's MG and Morris Party at Ray and Mardee Costa’s house. And the emphasis should be on the word ‘house’. Scott, Mardee, and Ray did not only host fantastic parties, with great food and drinks, they did it at their homes. That means that they not only managed to buy, prepare, and serve that great food and drinks, but opened their houses for around 40-50 MG friends. We strolled around looking in the garage, admired the collections of interesting things, books, art, clocks, and cars and MG related memorabilia. And then, after all of us leave, Scott, Mardee, and Ray cleaned up, took down the tent, and brought their homes back into normal family mode. It truly deserves a big THANK YOU and some CLAP-CLAP-CLAP, a.k.a. a round of applause.

And second, I would like to welcome Jamie Schafer, our new driving events Coordinator. You have probably seen Jamie, with Tim in their Pageant Blue Midget at our driving events in the past couple of years. Please ask them about the history of their MG that has been in Tim's family since it was driven brand new of the showroom floor in 1979. They participated in 18 of the 22 driving events last year, and won both the overall Moss Motor Trophy and the competition Victoria British Trophy. We have been searching for a successor for quite a while and I made it one of my goals in the 2017 CMGC annual business meeting. After the meeting Jamie

walked up to me and said “what is this Driving Events Coordinator thing all about?” and before I could even explain she followed up with “I can do that and will help the MG Clubs of Chicago”. Just like that!

In the past few months we discussed many details and I presented all the things that are associated with coordinating the driving events for the two MG clubs in Chicago. Jamie is a quick study and I am sure that she’ll be great. I have made it clear that the Driving Events Coordinator is not an elected club position and that there are no rules and bylaws that regulate the job. It is up to Jamie to take the responsibilities and give it her own twist. But there is one thing that has to remain the same.

Something that can’t change whoever the Driving Events Coordinator is. And that is the support and help from you, the membership of the VMGCC and the CMGC. Jamie can only be successful if there are volunteers to organize events. Please continue to be tour masters, rally masters, organizers, hosts, or facilitators so that Jamie will have the same support as I experienced. And if you ever thought about doing a new driving event, this is the time to try it out and help Jamie to fill the 2018 calendar. When I am showing Jamie the ins-and-outs of driving events, she sometimes notes that she doesn’t have the same history with the, more traditional, events on our calendar that I have; why is the Land’s End Rally called that way?, and where does the VMGCC President’s picnic come from? … etc.. I hope that all of you can help her out and share whatever you know about the driving events in our clubs the next time you meet Jamie.

I am sure that the driving events of MG Clubs of Chicago are in very capable hands.

As always, please feel free to contact me at 847-342-9804 or reinoutvogt@gmail.com with comments and suggestions. I’ll be happy to share everything with Jamie and help her on her way.

"The more your drive, the more you smile"

-- Reinout Vogt