Too begin with I had joined HPOCA after purchasing an Ol 60. I guess I wasn&#039;t much out of my teens then. The main reason I joined, I must admit, was to get information on my tractor. Boy, after talking with other members and meeting many at Rough&amp;amp;Tumble, last time HPOCA came too Lancaster, Pa. I knew I was apart of something much more then an average collectors club. I immediately wanted to participate and find a way to make HPOCA better. A place to fit into never fell into my lap. I admit I never asked, nor was I asked where I could fit in and help. Plus back then I was pretty bashful about expressing ideas. Even to members I knew. I guess the fear of having stupid ideas may have been my main reason for not expressing any. So many years and many  Olivers later I&#039;m prepared to express some of my ideas.
    With 6000 members (i believe that was last count) we certainly do have a strong force.I wonder how many of those members are like me. Would like to be active, Just don&#039;t know how. So they become passive readers. Or how many members think HPOCA is just a magazine that holds a neat tractor show. 
   I have heard it said that HPOCA magazine is a product of HPOCA. I can&#039;t dispute that. However I believe its more then that. The magazine is the #1 form of communication too HPOCA members and for members. I don&#039;t think it is being used as such. I would like to see a page dedicated to HPOCA news. Not all news is good news. (failed museum for instance). Thats okay, go ahead and print it. I would also like to see a section dedicated to suggestions, comments on &amp;quot;club news&amp;quot;, and ideas to improve HPOCA. In most magazines this would fit under letters to the editor. However I believe this should have a section to itself and perhaps be answered by the president or a director. This will give members a chance to get to know HPOCA leaders better.
     Second topic I&#039;d like to bring up. Is the formation of committee&#039;s. I have never seen or can&#039;t recall seeing in the magazine. Where a committee is being formed and what its function will be. Most important if any members would like to join this committee. Thanks too the internet it is possible for a committee to discuss topics without even meeting. I do realize there must be a member of  the committee who is able to act as spokesperson for the committee to the board of directors and folks should have knowledge of what would be expected of them before joining the committee.
   My last thought is about the HPOCA museum. I do believe we will have a museum. It may not be as large as first hoped and its location may not be our first choice. But when it is finally established, like our club it will grow. For that matter who ever said a museum had to be in a building or on a piece of property. Why can&#039;t it be in a series of books, on my bookshelf. With all the resources available to the HPOCA and all of our talented writers. Why can&#039;t we start a series of books about Hart Parr, Oliver and Cletrac. We can publish stuff, never published before. Just a thought.
    A final note: This post was not written to encourage blaming, finger pointing, or name bashing. So I ask any one who responds to refrain from doing so. Having said that nor is this post written to take any light off of ongoing controversial issues. So please don&#039;t thank me for changing the subject. I only wrote this post to provoke thought and encourage comment and other ideas. 
Thanks for reading all this,
                     Danny