2021 National Convention

[Bulletin Editor]

2021 NATIONAL CONVENTION - ROCHESTER, NY - JULY 11-16

Our annual meeting is fast approaching and we sure hope you are planning to attend. Our home base is the Woodcliff Hotel and Spa, 199 Woodcliff Drive, Fairport, NY 14450 where you can make reservations by calling 585-248-4810 or 800-365-3065. Be sure to mention KF Club for the special rate of $125 (+tax). A pre-arranged shuttle service is offered by the Woodcliff from Rochester Airport for those who may be flying in. Check with the hotel for details.
 
The Hospitality Room will be open each day so you can register, hangout, visit with friends, have a snack and check out the displays that members have bought along for you to see.  We have plenty of space so we encourage anyone to bring along any KFW display they might want to share.
 
Our convention opens on Sunday evening with the traditional Ice Cream Social which is a great way to start the week getting reacquainted.

On Monday morning we will drive our KFW cars from the hotel to Canandaigua about 19 miles away for a guided tour of Sonnenberg Mansion and Gardens.  This Queen Anne-style 40 room mansion was built in 1885 by financier Frederick Ferris Thompson. We will display our cars on the south lawn of the mansion during the tour. After the tour, you have the option of going downtown for lunch and shopping on your own, or choosing the lunch included boat option. You will board the Canandaigua Lady and have lunch and a narrated tour of Canandaigua Lake. We must be at dockside by 11:45 to begin boarding. This lake cruise will take approximately 2 hours, returning to dockside about 2 pm.  The Canandaigua Lady is a 19th century authentic replica steamboat double-decker paddle wheeler.  NOTE: At this time, due to Covid-19 restrictions, we are limited to a total of 75 passengers. We believe this will change but at this time it is first-come first served so please get your registration in soon. The deadline is June 10 to reserve a spot on the boat.  The balance of the day is on your own to tour the Finger Lakes area, visit a winery or two or head back to the hotel.
 
The Darrin Breakfast and Ladies Luncheon, along with the Annual Business Meeting, will be held on Tuesday.  This is also a day to spend in the Rochester area visiting the many attractions. Suggestions will be available in the Hospitality Room, Convention brochure and goodie bag.
 
Wednesday we’ll board a motor coach at the hotel and travel downtown for a tour of the George Eastman Mansion and Gardens where guides will explain the history of the man who created the famous “Kodak Moment.” After the tour, our motor coach will drop us off in the Park Ave Neighborhood, an area where several neat restaurants and pubs are located.  After lunch we’ll board the motor coach for a driving tour of downtown Rochester before returning to the hotel. 
 
Thursday will start out with the Judges’ Breakfast and Meeting with judging of the cars starting shortly after. Later in the afternoon our annual parts auction will be held in the vendor area. If you have parts you need to get rid of, the National Convention is the best place to do just that. Vending space is free so bring along those extra parts to sell.  You need to provide your own tables, chairs and tent. At 5:30 we will have a social hour with cash bar prior to our banquet at 6:30. After dinner we a have a guest speaker who will tell us about the life and times of John North Willys who was born in Canandaigua. You don’t want to miss this. Awards will be presented and an auction held.
 
There are few nicer or more picturesque areas than the Finger Lakes Region of upstate New York in the summertime. Things are really beginning to open up and we are looking forward to a near normal convention this year.  Our KFW vehicle driving tour to nearby Canandaigua, the paddle boat ride on the lake and our tour of the George Eastman home will be the highlights to enjoy.  How about a boat trip on the old Erie Canal? Your possibilities in this area are endless.
 
Please complete the attached registration form and send it in as early as possible. If for some reason the convention needs to be canceled, all registration monies will be returned.  With your attendance, we can make this the best Convention ever.  We look forward to seeing everyone in July. 

If you have any questions contact Mike Knittel: 585-733-6581 or mknittel@bergmannpc.com

NOTE: MEMBERSHIP IN THE CLUB IS MANDATORY FOR PARTICIPATION. JOIN ONLINE WITH CREDIT CARD AT WWW.KFCLUB.COM OR COMPLETE THE ATTACHED APPLICATION AND MAIL WITH CHECK/MONEY ORDER.

[konrad]

Just a suggestion, but given the circumstances of the last year or so, and given folks may be more willing to just 'go do something finally', and finally, that the time for making arrangements for this particular national are foreshortened...would it not be a better course to open the event to anyone who might wish to attend, not restrict it to members only?

Perhaps there are folk who might wish to see these wonderful cars who don't currently own one, who are not part of the membership.  Would this not be a good way to bring potential new owners into both the family, and the club? 

[kaiserfrazerlibrary]

A reminder for those of you attending or thinking of attending the 2021 National Convention.  There will be pop-up book signing events where I'll be happy to autograph copies of my K-F history book, BUILT TO BETTER THE BEST.  It got highest ratings from HEMMINGS CLASSIC CAR, OLD CARS, and ANTIQUE AUTOMOBILE, the magazine publicatin of the AACA.  If you don't have a copy of my book, it can be ordered off the M.T. PUBLISHING website as it's been a current catalog item available still at $44.95 plus postage and where applicable, sales tax.  This is a heck of a better deal than Amazon, eBay and other book sites offer.

I would like to point out (with pride) that demand for the book as a niche item is much better than expected and the book went through 2 or 3 press runs and is still getting printed to fill orders. 

[neubie]

Regarding the note that Bulletin Editor posted at the bottom of her post.... you do NOT need to be a member to attend any KFOCI Convention or Division/Regional meet. If you are a person on the planning committee of any of these meets, you need to be a KFOCI member to be covered by KFOCI insurance.  The general public attending would be covered for injuries, if any, by the insurance carried by the location that is providing lodging/accommodations for the meet.  - Mike Neubecker, President KFOCI

[Terry T]

thanks for that clarification

[flamingchariots]

Regarding the note that Bulletin Editor posted at the bottom of her post.... you do NOT need to be a member to attend any KFOCI Convention or Division/Regional meet. If you are a person on the planning committee of any of these meets, you need to be a KFOCI member to be covered by KFOCI insurance.  The general public attending would be covered for injuries, if any, by the insurance carried by the location that is providing lodging/accommodations for the meet.  - Mike Neubecker, President KFOCI

 

 
Interesting and good information.  However, I don't see it posted above where you said it was.

[Terry T]

read what she wrote in RED

[flamingchariots]

read what she wrote in RED

My computer shows this:
 
NOTE: MEMBERSHIP IN THE CLUB IS MANDATORY FOR PARTICIPATION. JOIN ONLINE WITH CREDIT CARD AT WWW.KFCLUB.COM OR COMPLETE THE ATTACHED APPLICATION AND MAIL WITH CHECK/MONEY ORDER.
 
It does not say:
 
you do NOT need to be a member to attend any KFOCI Convention or Division/Regional meet.
 
 
This may be why it is difficult to get participation from many members...
 
 

[kaiserfrazerlibrary]

I am confused.  Why would members not attend a convention if the information stated you must be a member to attend?  You have always needed to be a member to have your car judged and be eligible for an award.  You have to be a member to vote on matters brought up at the membership meeting.   

[rialto]

I don't see the   "not need to be a member"   in red either.

[kaiserfrazerlibrary]

There is a difference between coming and looking at cars or talking to members, compared to participation in things like election of officers, or other business matters and in having a car judged.  These things have always required membership.

We have always had non-members come as "spectators" to meets and purchase a car, join the club, or both.

Enough commas?

[flamingchariots]

There is a difference between coming and looking at cars or talking to members and participation in things like election of officers or other business matters and in having a car judged.  These things have always required membership.

I sure hope that you meant to put a comma after "members".  Then I have no problem with your comment.
As written, it can be read in two different ways.

[konrad]

My apologies, I appear to have caused a conundrum here...

I saw the following statement at the bottom of Barbara's post:

"NOTE: MEMBERSHIP IN THE CLUB IS MANDATORY FOR PARTICIPATION. JOIN ONLINE WITH CREDIT CARD AT WWW.KFCLUB.COM OR COMPLETE THE ATTACHED APPLICATION AND MAIL WITH CHECK/MONEY ORDER."

I inferred this meant that only members were allowed to attend a convention.  If that was an incorrect inference then that was a bad job by me.

I then made the (I thought) reasonable suggestion that a convention should be open anyone who wanted to attend in the belief it was a better policy to potentially attract new interest in the cars, and possibly new owners/members to the club.

Mike then posted:

"you do NOT need to be a member to attend any KFOCI Convention or Division/Regional meet."

And at that point I thought the matter resolved.

Further clarification from Jack shows that to have your car judged, or to participate in any club events/activities means you must be a member, but to simply attend, see the cars, talk to people, buy from vendors, you do not need to be a member.

Case closed in my view.

[Terry T]

additionally, you can drive your Kaiser car to the venue if you so desire, i.e., do not need to be a member to stay at the venue.

[kaiserfrazerlibrary]

There is another item of interest relative to this year's convention to note.

So far this year, a number of "new finds" or "uncovered cars" (cars that haven't been seen at a KFOCI event for many years) have turned up in the hands of new club members.  Some have indicated they are coming to the 2021 National or would try to come at least for a day or two.  I hope that other new members with cars will also attend.  Even if you don't bring your car(s) you have the opportunity to talk with others who may be helpful in answering questions on your vehicle.