As many of you know by now, we are officially one year old. This time last year we set out to provide a community with an alternative national forum that could unite the community and provide a means, for those supporting the community with innovative ideas and products but not necessarily brick and mortar vendors, a place to flourish and to go further.
Our goal was to provide a place that you would be welcome and feel part of a community family and know where you stand without fear of suddenly finding out you were no longer a part of that community for trying to help out, or fear of retribution because your thoughts ran counter to others.
The vision was to continue the excitement for the cars we love and to provide access to quality information and expertise to make sure that excitement didnt run out because the warranty did. Ive said before my goal is to create enough excitement around these cars that people who do not own one find themselves compelled to get one because they cant stand to be on the outside of this community and to not be a part of what is going on here.
That all said, visions and goals and ambitions are worthless without people and a community that gets behind that. I can scream from the mountain tops what I would like to see happen, what my goals are but they will never come to fruition without the support of members and a community such as yourself.
I did not want particularly explosive growth. I wanted steady growth that provided time to acclimate new members, give them time to catch the vision and carry it on and advance it. The problem with some communities such as ours is that they equate thousands of members and frequent new members to being successful. I do not. I view us successful because I believe anyone here that has been here even a short time can pick up on what we are doing and hope to accomplish and run with it. Success is not in the numbers, its in what those numbers can do if need and how well they carry on the same path should the need arise.
I am pleased to say that I am comfortable with the belief that if the Admins here were to suddenly be unable to carry on the community, that any one of you understand what we want do and what we are striving for and could pick up the vision and goal and carry on without missing a beat. To me, THAT is success. THAT is what defines us. THAT is what makes us more than automotive enthusiasts. THAT is what makes us a community. THAT is what makes us different and in my opinion, better.
We still have more to accomplish, more to strive for, but I am confident we will get there. I would very much like to see the Branson meet grow more than it has. I would like to see even more innovative products from the community than we have seen this first year. You out there tweaking and experimenting are the heart and soul that keep pushing the edge. You are bringing new knowledge, new ways of doing things.
Members like Chance that works tirelessly to keep the site operational and working as it should. Members like Chris that works for months on end to organize and pull off the Branson meet, and so many others here that are working all the time in this community to make it so much more than anyone dare imagine.
So many of you here give of your time, money and skills to help one another out. I have said before of the Open Source Software community that it is great and growing because it is comprised of people giving of themselves, their tallent, their time, etc to one another willingly and freely. This community is as great as it is for no less reason. I have seen it time and time again, members sharing of their time, their money, their resources, their skills and doing so willingly and freely.
So as we celebrate this first year of our community I want to say thanks to each and every one of you for making it possble and a reality. Thanks for catching on to what we are doing here and seeing the value in it and running with it to nurture it and grow it.
God bless each and every one of you and for the sacrifices that you have made to be a part of this community and for the contributions you make that in turn make this the successful community that it is. I just simply would not be possible without you.
I am very much looking forward to our second year.
