ACFL Newsletter for April, 2017

The April newsletter is coming out early because of the possible planning necessary if you are thinking of attending the Barrett-Jackson hook up, lodging may be at a premium.

Besides playing with taxes on the not so much fun side of the ledger, April will be a busy fun month for Audi fans and club members. The usual Cars and Coffee at Reeves and Audi Clearwater plus two new events. First, there is a week nights meet at the Hofbrauhaus in St Pete and second, a Barrett-Jackson Palm Beach meet up and then of course the monthly Schnitzel Haus in Jax luncheon. Unfortunately, May at this point is looking on the lean side, hopefully some new event will percolate up from a member who would like to both help plan and execute. Your regional leads are looking forward to that feed back. Give me a shout at [email protected] and I will steer you in their direction.

The Gulf Coast Region will be trying a week day evening meet for our April get together. On Monday April 3rd in St Pete we will gather for some Brats and Beer at 7:00 PM at the Hofbrauhaus By then the live band will be in full swing and they have a special with the choice any of four different types of brats (sausages) on a roll for $3.00 when one orders a beer or soft drink, So join us for a bit of Gemütlichkeit, perhaps it will be a nice evening and we can sit outside in the Bier Garten. I know in deference to our diets we will all eat and drink responsibly. RSVP information below

Barrett-Jackson is coming to Florida in April and a few of us thought that a meet up on Saturday April 8th at the auction would be fun. Granted we all like Audis and at this point I do not believe there will be any on the docket but for sure there will be a lot of other iron of interest. If you think this would be a fun event and have an interest contact Andreas at [email protected], and lets see what we can put together.

Barret-Jackson: The World’s Greatest Car Auction

If you need a little reinforcement regarding your decision to have bought an Audi, doubtful though, check this article out about who makes the best cars from an organization who has also been known to be very critical of the brand but then cannot let us down and finishes the article with one little caveat.
Which Car Brands Make the Best Vehicles?  It is sort of like a dog, always has to have the last bark so lets interject corporate behavior.

Kerry is in discussion with Ted Dannmuller regarding some possible track day(s) north of Atlanta. Perhaps a Friday drive up and Saturday or Saturday PM session. All is just preliminary at this point. Pricing will be dependent on the number attending,

All may have heard by now that Karen Chadwick will be stepping down as Executive Director of the Audi Club of North America at the end of March. In her over 20 years of service she has seen the club change and grow significantly. It is not the easiest of jobs, but I bet it was fun, folks just don’t stay at jobs that long now a days. On behalf of the ACFL, its BoD and myself we wish Karen All the Best and thank her for her service to the club.

April 1, 2017
Gulf Coast Region
Cars and Coffee Reeves Motorsport 6:30-8:30
Reeves Motorsport Tampa

Gulf Coast Region Brats and Beer Hofbrauhaus St Pete
7:00 PM RSVP by noon April 1, to [email protected] for our first week night meet
Hofbräuhaus St. Petersburg

April 8. 2017

First Coast Region
Luncheon Schnitzel Haus German Restaurant
13475 Atlantic Blvd, Jacksonville Email Kerry Green by Friday 12:00 noon April 7
[email protected], to RSVP for a head count

Gulf Coast Region
Cars and Coffee Audi Clearwater  8:00-9:30

Gold Coast Region
Barrett-Jackson Auction Palm Beach Meet up
Contact Andreas at [email protected], for additional information

Shannon, Kerry, Frank, Andreas and I continue to look for folks who wish to come forward and become involved in the ACFL, be it the writing of the newsletter, planning and execution of future events in the different regions, or just offering some assistance. The club requires folks with multiple talents and varying interests to bring these to the table to insure its continued success. Unfortunately no one has been knocking on our doors lately to help out. Except for a span of about 2 years I have been writing this newsletter for the last 10. Walter for a number of years has been our go to IT guy, something way beyond my pay grade and has kindly continued though he no longer even owns an Audi. BoD members have assumed other club functions including mailing of the newsletter, on boarding letters and the leadership of regions. But we sorely need new blood and ideas to go along with our expanded state wide growth in numbers. Though we have had a number of regions, over the years the club’s active center of gravity has shifted with time. Originally it was started and grew in the Orlando area than it moved to the Tampa Bay area, as folks have now moved on and out the active participating growth now seems to be in the First Coast Region, Jacksonville area. One common denominator has always been that it centered around a core of individuals who despite other differences and there were and are many in age, socio-economic class, ( there were also big differences then in price between an 1.8 A4’s,, S6 Avants and RS6’s), politics , etc. nevertheless all enjoyed their Audis, but especially enjoyed each others company and so it will hopefully continue. We need folks who want to step forward, build on the past structure, improve events, newsletter, web site, communications and a whole host of items. If we are not moving forward and thinking of ways to serve our members then we are stagnant. With new folks, new newsletter, web page, ideas for meets and energy we move forward but without that fresh and ever changing support, the club as we presently know it will not continue. The present operation and components becomes some legacy organization, unfortunately serving no one very well.

For those headed to Sebring, have a great time, did anyone decide to go to Germany for about the same price? Looking forward to good turn outs at the Hofbrauhaus, Barrett-Jackson and Schnitzelhaus and even a volunteer or two.

Cheers and Safe Motoring