[Mulletwagon]

Great comments and I agree with all of them. If survival and expansion of a club is the goal, attracting youth is the key – and the challenge. The evolution of youth culture development and the activities that hold kids’ interest have changed. There are many exceptions, but in general, teenagers and young adults do not work on cars, boys do not play sandlot baseball, nobody makes model cars or airplanes, and kids spend most of their free time indoors rather than outdoors. Not to say this is wrong, it is just the new normal. All too often I have observed Junior inheriting Grandpa’s Army .45, gold pocket watch, musical instrument, and classic car only to sell it all to buy the latest computer games. What has not changed is these are still good kids that are largely influenced by the environment and their peers. Perhaps these classical interests are disappearing into obscurity because kids are not exposed to them. If that is the case, we can help propagate the Model A hobby by making the effort to introduce youth to this most notable automotive icon and the remarkable story behind it. As so many have suggested, those kids who take an interest today will be the ones to carry the Model A into the future, and in the process, ensure Model As are running long after the Starship Enterprise is mothballed.

Just one final thought. While the boys are spending countless unrecoverable hours playing computer games, the girls are moving out smartly. The majority of college students are female and the ladies are moving into leadership positions in business, industry, government, and the military. We have one especially talented gal in our club who is an expert on Ford history and a fully capable mechanic. A future source of club members may also be young ladies; and they will be welcomed.