I am talking about benefiting the Z community, not specifically Z cars. The only volunteering that would make any difference in that case is volunteering to help you with yours.
Some of us never let the fear of reaching farther than we have before control every aspect of our lives-we never lost that thirst for taking on a challenge-I am sorry that you have. I volunteer when I am needed and have something to contribute, not when it is necessarily convenient for me- or for a job with in my comfort zone. When I get a tap on my shoulder I lend a hand, and when I see a way to help, I don't wait to be asked, I jump in and ask for directions as my foot falls.
Assuming you ment to talk about benefit to the community and not to the cars, and since I don't know your situation, and am certainly unqualified to get into it, lets look at mine!
I have driven a Volvo-yes, I did say a Volvo-to three ZCons(a 1,600 mile trip among them) because none of my Zs(I have several) were up to it. Showing up and participating was for me, not for any residual benefit it might or could have given the Z community. Volunteering was to become a part of the community, and not simply to remain an attendee.
I have a Z32 convertible, that I bought as a worn basket case with a dead engine, and over the last four years, I have put tons of time and energy and a decent amount of money into it. It was essentially an abandoned vehicle when I bought, and I have brought it back from the brink. I entered it in the show at Nashville(a 1,000 mile round trip) and entered it in the show this year too. I have pictures of the transformation, but I don't know that Z32 progress is welcome on a Z34 forum...
Using your logic, How did my work on that car, and our attendance at Zcon help the community?
I'll give you It kept a somewhat rare Z on the road.
I'll even give you that its path from a sows ear to silk purse and that is an inspiration to some.
But, how did what I did to the Z or the trips that I took in it actually help the community?
Now lets apply my logic to exactly the same situation.
I have volunteered at every Z event I have attended even when driving a Volvo on a long trip to do it-because I wanted to be a part of the Z community not simply an attendee at a Z function.
I bought the car for $1000 because I saw more than the worn, lifeless chassis it was, I spent time on it to bring myself enjoyment and to see immediate progress and results from my work, and to ultimately enjoy a somewhat rare car-I did recognize that my progress could represent a challenge and some motivation to some to get more done on their Zs...
I entered the car in the show and drove to Nashville -expecting to spend several hours after the drive, and several more over the days prior to the show to clean her up, and finish installing and correcting her issues-I had already volunteered to help with the car show. When we(my family and I) entered the hotel and I saw the registration line around the lobby, I showed my family the issue, got them situated, and I bee-lined it back down stairs to help out-from sometime after lunch to 3am, I was actively working specifically to help the Z community-no grey area here, this isn't like giving a donation in the fast food line to get your name on cutout taped to the wall and a tax deduction-that effort was 100% for the Z community. The next morning, I jumped in again in at the first Nissan Plant Tour, and after getting back from that, I jumped back into the store/registration room...working again until the wee hours of the morning, and again later by working the entire car show(I was in the lobby for that freak thunderstorm right before the group left to get ready for the day at 4:30am, and I worked until 5pm, grabbed a shower and headed back down to help get ready for the awards banquet. I put in some time in the three days because I saw leading members of the Z community doing everything they could and struggling because of not having enough help.
Using that time to get my car ready for the show probably would have gotten me an award, ( I brought everything tools, new parts, etc...to sew up all of the details that ultimately cost me points(plus a few more
), and may have done something for the community, but giving my time to help everyone there was undeniably helpful to the community.
I entered my car again this year with out taking the time to prep it for show-too many details to sew up for the community to worry about my car.
With your logic, taking that time to work on my car would have been more beneficial to the Z community than the volunteering I actually did? Explain that to me, I can't see it.
As to my way being the only way-no it isn't-never said it was, there is a part for everyone who wants one, and if you really want to be a part of something you will be. There is absolutely value in people getting better and working together, and bettering their cars, but I can't see you making any reasonable argument that spending focused time, energy, and money specifically and entirely on the Z community will be less effective than the residual benefits of anything not so specifically targeted at benefiting the Z community.
The best way for everyone, maybe not, the most effective way for benefiting the Z community-clearly and absolutely. How can you expect to be a beneficial part of the Z community with out actively contributing directly to it?
If you do a shitty job because you really don't want to be volunteering, that will be painfully evident-posers need not apply! If you do a shitty job because you are committed but clearly outside of your element, that is something else entirely-but delegating only works when there are committed and talented people to delegate to-those talented and committed people are called, um, volunteers-but, when the room is empty and there is still a job to be done, if it is to be, it's up to me, even if what ever the job is well outside of my talents-the buck stops with me.
Are you saying that if there is a chance someone will come with a bad attitude we should just cancel everything and give up? Just because they come in with a poor attitude does not mean they will leave with one. You can choose not to drive the Z because there might a pothole in the road if you want, but I am taking the journey in my Z and I am going to enjoy the ride.
A few direct questions-I don't need the answers, I just ask you to think about them.
1) How does anything I have done to my Z help you specifically as a member of the Z community?
2) How does My attendance of a Z function(volunteering completely ignored) help you specifically as a member of the Z community?
3) If you attended Zcon in Savannah, how much of what I did as a volunteer gave you an opportunity you would not have had with out my efforts?