I'm a motor-head! I have belonged to a legion of motor-heads. MG clubs from Baltimore to Philly to DC to Columbus (OH) to Chicago and now Tennessee. The motor-heads of MG clubs are dominated by guys....and they should be and probably always will be. This is because women are from Venus and men from Mars. Even in modern times the DNA just doesn't want to change. How many women really and I mean REALLY want to change oil or pull a cylinder head. Yes, there are some. After all this is America!! But the garage and gettin' dirty is still the guys domain.

Ok. Point made. Now the rest of the story.

Susan and I move from Illinois to Tennessee. Here in the Blount County British Car Club (Knoxville, TN) the VP and Secretary of the club are women......and they are GOOD! They are loyal to the marquee and keepers of vital club documents. They made me think about the Chicagoland MG Club. Whether Chicago does rallies or the 2.5 day driving tours 50% of the participants are women. Call them wives, friends or primary drivers of their MGs - they are there. I remember one particular woman at the opening of a Spring Chicken Rally where she (my wife Susan) was the single orchestrator of our 2nd place finish not just because she drives a clutch/stick as well as me but she was better than me in a "proximity" trial! Wow!

Where is this story going?

Reinout Vogt was the Chicago club's events coordinator for many years. Reinout did a great job during his tenure. Reinout and Henneke are still our good friends and we visit them in Decatur, Atlanta where they have relocated to. Both Reinout and Henneke have and are great supporters of the Chicagoland MG Club.

The Chicagoland Club has a newer events coordinator, Jamie Shafer.

Read her "Newer Directions" in the November Driveline. The first line reads "Thankful that we have such a fabulous club full of amazing members, gorgeous cars and most of all dear friends!" WHAT GUY WOULD EXPRESS THIS SENTIMENT! A bit later in the same paragraph she says, "From the very first meeting I attended, I met the warmest, kindest, most interesting people, who I am proud to call my friends today!" Jamie has added a dimension to the club that I find not just different and wholesome but warm and intimate. She is not afraid to express her real feelings about this club. Jamie has corralled a woman's touch in the club. I find it a message to our new members that whoever you are and whatever your interest or inhibition to be involved.......get involved. Be part of this family!

This club is blessed with great officers. These folks work tirelessly for its membership. They meet every month to hammer out all sorts of club issues and initiatives. Having been the Treasurer for several years myself I know some of the challenges they face as officers. The Events Coordinator though is one of the lynch pins (the Driveline editor is another) who must coordinate so many events into a logical and easily understood calendar not to mention monthly updates on events as they occur. As the current Events Coordinator, Jamie spends hours each month preparing, adjusting and reporting on the events calendar.

Jamie lets everyone who joins this club know they are not just welcomed but pass a threshold to new lifetime friendships!

~~ Ralph Arata