SEAMO Update
It has been a busy few months since the last issue of SEAMO
News, but now that I have a few minutes to stop and catch
my breath, it's time to bring everybody up to speed on SEAMO's
latest programs.
Recent SEAMO
luncheon meetings have brought out the industry's hottest
new products for SEAMO members to test, right here in our
own back yard. Notable amongst the rides were the Chevrolet
SSR Roadster, the Nissan Titan, Pathfinder Armada, Quest
and Z Convertible, as well as several products from the
Toyota/Lexus/Scion stable, and a tenth anniversary look
at Ford's SVT lineup.
And if you thought
those programs sounded fun, just wait till you see what
our regional directors have lined up for the lunch meetings
in 2004. Any manufacturers or suppliers that would like
to host any of the upcoming lunch meetings should contact
the SEAMO office ASAP, so we can get the events on the calendar.
On the "bad
news" side of things, the 2004 SEAMO Directory will
be slightly delayed, due to some last-minute ad updates.
Distribution is now planned for early December, we'll likely
have the early copies to hand out at our holiday reception.
Speaking of the
holiday reception, you'll find details on that and the upcoming
Miami Auto Show activities listed below.
Miami
Auto Show
Although it has been a lot of work for SEAMO's South Florida
Director, Ron Beasley, and the crew here at SEAMO HQ, it's
beginning to look like we're in the home-stretch on preparations
for the first-ever "Dream Rides - Student Concept Car
Design Competition," to be held in conjunction with
the Miami Auto Show Press Days (11/6-7).
The Dream Rides
program provides an opportunity for highschool students
throughout the Miami metro area to showcase their artistic
talents and give the auto industry a sneak-peek into the
vehicles that the next generation of buyers would like to
drive. The top eight designs, as determined by a panel of
the auto industry's best designers, will be awarded college
scholarship money totalling over $8,000.00.
Judging of the
designs will take place during a VIP reception at the show
on Thursday, November 6th, and the awards will be presented
during the press-lunch on Friday, November 7th. Interview
and photo opportunities with the industry's current and
future designers will be available during both events, so
make your plans now to attend.
Contact Ron Beasley
at xjron@aol.com for
details or to RSVP for any South Florida luncheon events.
Holiday
Reception/Ride & Drive - Atlanta Auto Show
The second annual SEAMO Holiday Ride & Drive is now
set for December 4th and 5th at Chateau Elan in Braselton,
Georgia. A dinner reception will be held Thursday (12/4)
evening, at the Chateau's Legends Clubhouse, followed by
an all-day ride/drive event on Friday. We have reserved
a block of reduced-rate rooms for those who will be traveling
from out of town.
Several manufacturers
have already planned to bring the best and newest from their
press fleet, so the event is sure to be great again this
year. We'll be sending out invitations in the next few weeks,
so keep an eye on your in-box!
We're still working
out the schedule for press activities and the Concept Vehicle
Award ceremony at the 2004 Atlanta Journal-Constitution
International Auto Show. As of press time, the opening of
events at the show will begin with the Dealer Preview on
the evening of Tuesday, March 9th, with press conferences
to be held the following morning, continuing until the show
opens to the public after lunch on Wednesday, March 10th.
Contact Susan
at ScottieMedia@cs.com
for details or to RSVP for any Atlanta luncheon events.
The Lighter
Side . . . Of Charity
A man was walking down the street when he was accosted by
a particularly dirty and shabby-looking homeless man who
asked him for a couple of dollars for dinner.
The man took
out his wallet, extracted two dollars and asked, "If
I give you this money, will you buy some beer with it instead?"
"No, I stopped drinking years ago," the homeless
man said.
"Will you
use it to gamble instead of buying food?" the man asked.
"No, I don't gamble," the homeless man said. "I
need everything I can get just to stay alive."
"Will you
spend the money on greens fees at a golf course instead
of food?" the man asked. "Are you NUTS!"
replied the homeless man. "I haven't played golf in
20 years!"
"Well,"
said the man, "I'm not going to give you two dollars.
Instead, I'm going to take you home for a terrific dinner
cooked by my wife."
The homeless
man was astounded. "Won't your wife be furious with
you for doing that? I know I'm dirty, and I probably smell
pretty bad."
The man replied,
"Hey, man, that's okay! I just want her to see what
a man looks like who's given up beer, gambling, and golf!"
Contact
Info & Links
Here's how to join SEAMO, be added to or removed from the
mailing list, submit news items or photos for upcoming newsletters,
or just make your opinion known.
Send
your comments, complaints, newsletter submissions or mailing
list updates to:
South
East Automotive Media Organization
4429 Back Creek Church Road
Charlotte, NC 28213-5251
