- 3,864
- 2,574
- 83
- Location
- Edmonton, Canada
"Inform the public and educate state legislators"
That sounds like a job each and every MV owner could perform at a local level.
If we make the 'historical' side of MV collecting so important to the greater public that they can't live without us, we can rest.
Everything seemed to be just fine for both commercial and historical ownership in the past. How do we fix this on a continental scale?
"For the Good of the Greater Public", keeps coming up when discussing why we keep doing what we do.
Our local MVPA, under serious original drive from the old boys, set us up on the 'military' side of contacts. We display at command changes, cadet events, Vimy memorials and countless other brass supported events.
On the public exposure side we were weak and civilians have a difficult time 'reaching in' to anything military. You green guys can be scary to us civi folk! Reaching out to the general public is where we are gaining support. If the general public found out that 20 historical units wouldn't be on display at the local airshow this year you'd smell the stink all the way in Florida!
We set up with local legions for parades and public displays as far as we could reach. Members delivered the Commander of the Canadian Army through his home town parade in Breton. Airshows and museum event organizers were contacted for weekly displays. Every Saturday a sanctioned meeting took place at a local Wendy's and we could all attend in our MV's. Many of the guys were great with placards, full clothing and silent weapon displays. They'd engage the public and gain that next supporter.
The efforts we all take can only help expose this to the greater public. I don't see it splashed all over the news so we have some work we can do in addition to reaching out through the political process.
I'd encourage folks to get their personal bio and MV story into their local paper. The story is about restrictions on fellow MV collectors....and purchasers of other surplus equipment for commercial use. Reaching out to other collectors whether it be race cars, buses, fire-trucks, Model t's or Volkswagons is also our responsibility. We have lots of opportunity to get the word out there on what's happening in the MV collecting world!
That sounds like a job each and every MV owner could perform at a local level.
If we make the 'historical' side of MV collecting so important to the greater public that they can't live without us, we can rest.
Everything seemed to be just fine for both commercial and historical ownership in the past. How do we fix this on a continental scale?
"For the Good of the Greater Public", keeps coming up when discussing why we keep doing what we do.
Our local MVPA, under serious original drive from the old boys, set us up on the 'military' side of contacts. We display at command changes, cadet events, Vimy memorials and countless other brass supported events.
On the public exposure side we were weak and civilians have a difficult time 'reaching in' to anything military. You green guys can be scary to us civi folk! Reaching out to the general public is where we are gaining support. If the general public found out that 20 historical units wouldn't be on display at the local airshow this year you'd smell the stink all the way in Florida!
We set up with local legions for parades and public displays as far as we could reach. Members delivered the Commander of the Canadian Army through his home town parade in Breton. Airshows and museum event organizers were contacted for weekly displays. Every Saturday a sanctioned meeting took place at a local Wendy's and we could all attend in our MV's. Many of the guys were great with placards, full clothing and silent weapon displays. They'd engage the public and gain that next supporter.
The efforts we all take can only help expose this to the greater public. I don't see it splashed all over the news so we have some work we can do in addition to reaching out through the political process.
I'd encourage folks to get their personal bio and MV story into their local paper. The story is about restrictions on fellow MV collectors....and purchasers of other surplus equipment for commercial use. Reaching out to other collectors whether it be race cars, buses, fire-trucks, Model t's or Volkswagons is also our responsibility. We have lots of opportunity to get the word out there on what's happening in the MV collecting world!