Chesapeake Region

Get involved!

Your help is needed!  The Chesapeake Region is entirely staffed by volunteers.  They say that many hands make light work, and so we're always looking for additional volunteers to serve in a variety of capacities.  That's where you come in! 

Take charge of something

There are a number of slots for elected and appointed offices and other positions of responsibility that we need to fill.  Consider stepping up and contributing your time and talent to help make the ALPCA Chesapeake Region better for everyone! 

President

The President is the chief executive officer of the Region and is responsible for the overall operation of the Region.  Appoints Vice Presidents and other positions other than Tresurer.  Member of the Board of Directors.  Point of contact for ALPCA.  (This elected position is presently filled.) 

Directors

The Board of Directors consists of the President and up to four additional Directors.  The Board elects a Chairman and Vice Chairman from among their number by majority vote.  The Board appoints the Region Treasurer and ratifies other appointments made by the President.  The Board oversees the activities of the Region and the performance of the Region's officers.  (These elected positions are presently filled.) 

Other Officers

The following positions are appointed by either the President or the Board of Directors. 

• Vice President of Events – Chief operating officer of the Region, with primary responsibility for planning and conducting Regional meets and other Regional events.  Forms committees and/or recruits and oversees volunteers as needed, to perform or assist with the many functions necessary for a successful meet or event.  This position is appointed by the President and ratified by the Board of Directors.  This position is currently vacant; if you're intereseted in serving, please contact us. 
• Vice President of Communications – Chief information officer of the Region, with primary responsibility for all Region communications, including meet notifications, the Region newsletter, the Region website, and meet reports submitted for publication in the ALPCA magazine.  Forms committees and/or recruits and oversees volunteers as needed, to perform or assist with any communication-related functions.  This position is appointed by the President and ratified by the Board of Directors and is presently filled. 
• Treasurer – Chief financial officer of the Region.  Responsible for the Region's checking account, as well as all Region funds and financial records.  Responsible for ensuring that Regional meet fees and monetary donations are collected, deposited, and properly recorded, and that the Region's bills, debts, and other financial obligations are paid on a timely basis and properly recorded.  This position is appointed by the Board of Directors and is presently filled. 

Committee positions

We can certainly use volunteers willing to perform any of the following functions, under the direction of either the President or one of the Vice Presidents. 

• Site selection – Find, evaluate, and arrange for suitable venues for our regional plate meets. 
• Registration – Ensure that the registration table is manned at all times during plate meets. 
• Refreshments – Make arrangements for beverages, snacks, and lunch at regional plate meets. 
• Awards – Determine award categories and criteria.  Arrange for plaques or other awards to be made for each meet.  Recruit judges to determine display award winners. 
• Auction – Solicit donations of plates or other automobilia to be auctioned at plate meets.  Recruit an auctioneer, people to sort and organize donated plates to be auctioned, people to hold up plates being auctioned, etc. for each meet. 
• Publicity – Draft and submit meet notices, meet photos, and regional reports for inclusion on the ALPCA web site, the ALPCA magazine, and other plate-related web sites and publications as appropriate. 
• Member communications – Edit, publish, and/or distribute the regional newsletter or other printed notice in advance of each meet. 
• Historian – Develop and maintain a written and photographic history of our region and its predecessors.  Interview "old-timers" and obtain copies of old region documents. 
• Web site administration – Maintain and update this web site. 
• Maryland ALPCA organizational license plates – An effort was begun several years ago to have the Maryland MVA produce real ALPCA organizational license plates.  We need one or more Maryland residents to pick up the ball and continue this project. 

Lend a hand

There are many ways you can help with the sucessful operation of the region without having to make any long-term commitments.  Lots of people are needed to share in the work of holding a regional meet before, during, and after each meet. 

• Stuff and address envelopes for sending regional newsletters and/or meet notices
• Shop for refreshments and make arrangements for lunch
• Post signs directing people to the meet and take them down afterwards
• Arrive early and make sure everything's set up properly
• Keep the coffee pot full
• Take a shift manning the registration desk
• Take photographs at our meets
• Sort and group together donation plates prior to the auction
• Be the auctioneer
• Show and descibe the plates being auctioned
• Assist with counting election ballots
• Clean up the hall after the meet is over
• Contact new ALPCA members in our region and invite them to our meets

Donate plates, money, or other items

ALPCA regions get no funding from the parent organization, and are required to be financially self-sufficient.  The fees we collect at regional plate meets don't cover all of the expenses associated with holding the meet and operating the region.  Also, we've decided not to charge membership dues for the privilege of being a member of this region. 

For these reasons, we're dependent on your donations.  A popular activity at our plate meets is the donation auction, where those in attendance donate license plates to the region, which we then auction off to raise money.  Your generous contribution of plates and bids certainly are a big help to us.  Of course, you can still donate plates for our auctions even if you can't actually make it to our meets.  Feel free to also donate other transportation-related collectibles which may be of interest to our members. 

If you're so inclined, there's no reason why you can't directly contribute money to the support the region.  Make checks payable to "ALPCA Chesapeake Region" and submit them to our regional President, Treasurer or other officer. 

We would be negligent, however, if we failed to inform you that your donations to ALPCA and to the Chesapeake Region are not tax-deductible.