Farewell Northwest SVX

[WestCoastSVX]

First off, please note that there WILL be a 2007/5 Year Anniversary Awards Banquet held in February or March as our big send-off. Please plan to attend!

Later today I will deliver the following message to the 134 members of Northwest SVX:

To all my friends in Northwest SVX -

It is with a heavy heart that I write this. After over 5 years, 3 dozen events, and thousands of miles driven, the time has come to end Northwest SVX.

When Northwest SVX went online with a website and opened membership in September of 2002, I had big dreams. I think those dreams have been realized as we now have a thriving enthusiast community in the Pacific Northwest that was nearly non-existent before the club started. We have more annually scheduled events than any other region in the country. And we have a great group of dedicated members that make those events special.

But despite all the success, over the years it has become clear that the Subaru SVX doesn't quite have the following required to keep a specific and regionalized club thriving. Low attendance and lack of dedication has been discouraging in the past, but should be accepted with a low-production car that has not yet reached collector's status.

One of my biggest goals with a SVX club was to have a centralized web site with an appealing welcome page, something I felt all the online forums at the time lacked. One place to announce future events and to archive past events, complete with full details and pictures. A simple traditional web site that was easy to use and didn't require registering or sifting through messages to view information. NWSVX.com filled those needs nicely for 5 years, and many of our members relied on it to stay in the loop.

At the same time, it has been a lot work keeping the web site current and creating archives of past events. There are also costs involved, which are covered by donations from members and businesses. Meanwhile, the forums at the SVX World Network have grown and made improvements and have more plans for the future. The Network forums still lack some of the ease of a web site, but at the same time they are a valuable resource and over half our membership visits them regularly and often finds out about events there before NWSVX.com. Our own site is becoming redundant. What's more, the World Network also runs on donations, so it would be nice to direct all funds there and I would encourage all of my members to do so. Likewise with promoting the web address to other SVX owners - rather than giving out www.nwsvx.com, use the cards for www.subaru-svx.net.

On that note, if you have never become a member there, I would encourage that as well. Not only will we continue to plan and announce events in the Northwest through the forums, but you also have access to SVX owners all over the world. The SVX is still at the stage where it needs a club at a national level, rather than a smaller regional one, and the World Network fills in nicely in that regard, even if it isn't officially a "club" per se.

I have my full confidence in the SVX World Network and trust that by using these forums and building on the friendships we already have made through Northwest SVX, we can continue to have great events in our region and promote this car we love so much.

It is hard to say goodbye, but it is easier knowing that this club did make a difference and that a lot of SVX owners had the time of their lives. It's the end of an era, but just the beginning of something new.

Take care and don't forget, we're not done yet! We are going to send this club off in a big way with our 5 Year Anniversary Banquet! Please join us for one last time under the Northwest SVX name!

Thanks for 5 fantastic years!

- Troy