The Vintage Motor Car Club of America

An update from the Membership VP, Clare Oestreicher

- posted May 1, 2025

Happy Spring, Everyone!

I hope you’re out there on the road, enjoying the warm weather in your old cars.

This article was written shortly after the VMCCA Board of Governors and Annual Membership Meetings in February. We had a great time, and it was a pleasure to announce who earned Membership Awards for their years in VMCCA. You’ll find their names on page nine of this issue.

At the meetings, I shared some highlights of club projects from 2024 that benefit our members. We updated the club’s membership brochures, introduced a digital membership tier, and worked diligently to collect and record annual dues for 2025. We're also developing a plan to streamline the club’s regional structure to promote better communication with local members. If you have ideas for initiatives in 2025, I’d love to hear them.

Now, I’m pleased to introduce a guest columnist. Greg Rising, President of the Fredericksburg (Texas) Vintage Car Club Chapter, wrote a wonderful piece for the FVCC’s March 2025 newsletter. I’ve condensed it slightly for space, but I’m excited to share it with the entire club:

The True Value Is the People
- a story by Greg Rising

A friend is coming to visit, and I must be there to see him. Years ago, he changed my life. Have you ever had someone do that? Often, they don’t even realize it. That’s how it was for me.

Back in 1990, during my air traffic control career, I was promoted from tower control to radar. Moving to radar was like starting over—from working in two dimensions to working in three. Training was intense and could take months.

Midway through, I was doing okay, but my confidence was shaky. One day, my instructor, Terrell, was watching me when the supervisor walked by and asked how I was doing. Terrell replied, “He’s just showing me that he really does know how to do it.” Wow. That one comment turned everything around. My morale shot up. An old-timer believed in me. From then on, I flew through the training.

Terrell and I are both retired now and still in touch. Years later, I told him what that moment meant to me. He had no idea he’d made such an impact. Just an offhand remark—but it saved my career.

We all have someone like that, and sometimes we are that someone. Those connections matter. The car club is no different. Maybe it’s not as dramatic as saving a career, but helping someone on the side of the road, offering a ride, or simply being a good friend can mean the world—and you may never know the impact you’ve made. So help where you can. Do good as often as possible. And if someone has made a difference in your life—tell them. You'll both cherish that bond more. And when the opportunity arises, return the favor… or better yet, pay it forward.

I’ve always found this kind of spirit in car clubs. Yes, we love our cars—but the true value is the people.

Clare Oestreicher
Membership VP