Member stories are beginning to pour in (over 1,100 have responded already) and we are so excited for the way the ACBS 50th anniversary Oral History Project is already taking shape!
A few quick notes about this project..
ACBS has contracted with Publishing Concepts (PCI) to assist with creating our 50th Anniversary Oral History project and by now you have likely received a postcard asking you to call a toll-free (in the US) phone number to get started.
The phone call has two purposes. First, it allows ACBS to verify that your information is current for our 50th Anniversary and final printed directory, which will come out this winter.
Second, it will be an opportunity for you to share your ACBS member stories on a recorded line… Stories about your chapter, vintage boats, the family and friend connections you have made, etc. These stories will be transcribed, edited and returned to you to verify that you are happy with the content and by this time next year, PCI will have created a wonderful coffee table book and digital archive – just in time for our anniversary celebration in Clayton, New York!
Read on…
Nearly 15 Years of ACBS Fun and Still Counting!
Here’s Bob Kircher’s story, Southern California Chapter
“I’d spent four years restoring a boat myself and I thought it would be fun to see what others thought of it. I knew of the Arrowhead Boat Show, but the only way to enter it was to join ACBS. That was in 2010 and its been a great experience ever since, one that my wife Janet and I both enjoy. We’ve met a lot of really great people, real boaters, the kind of people who, when you break down, help each other out.
The people, the venues, the boat shows, the social events — we’ve been tied together for the last nearly 15 years. The friends we’ve met through ACBS are important to us and ACBS is something we plan to continue.”
Helpful Information When Sharing Your Stories with PCI
- The postcard isn’t a scam. PCI has created a toll-free 800 telephone number so that our US-based members can easily call. With over 5,000 ACBS members, the ACBS Headquarters staff of two does not have the capacity to field so many calls. PCI has been asked to verify your address, phone, email, chapter and join date to ensure an accurate printed member directory.
- Your privacy is very important! PCI will only confirm your information and collect stories that you wish to share. Member privacy is an integral piece of the contract between ACBS and PCI. Your data is only sent back to ACBS Headquarters and ACBS owns the copyright to the book and all information from the oral histories will go into our archive.
- You are under no obligation to purchase the 50th Anniversary Celebration coffee table book or any other memorabilia created by PCI. Some members have mentioned they’d like to see a draft of the book before making a decision. As this project is in the early stages there is no ACBS-specific example to show, however, PCI has shared examples of similar books produced for organizations like ours and those images are below.
- To give you an idea of pricing for PCI created items, the ACBS 50th Anniversary hard cover coffee table book is expected to be $189.96. A digital version of the book will be available for $169.98. PCI is also creating a travel bag with an embroidered ACBS 50th anniversary logo priced at $159.96 and an embroidered sweatshirt and T-shirt set that combined will be $104.96. PCI has created value priced packages such as a hardcover and digital book, travel bag, sweatshirt and T-shirt for $489.96. All prices include shipping and handling but taxes will be additional. PCI has created other packages as well and, if interested, they can share more about them during your phone call.
- The Oral History Project is not an ACBS fundraiser. This project was created for the enjoyment of our members and to enhance the ACBS digital archives so that 50 years from now our members will continue to understand and enjoy our unique history just as we do today.
- If you prefer not to be contacted by PCI, please call ACBS home office at 315-686-2628 as soon as possible to verify your information for the directory and ask to be placed on the PCI Do Not Call list.
- Most importantly, whether or not you wish to purchase the book, please consider calling to share your stories about what ACBS has meant to you. You are a very important part of this organization and our history, and THAT is worth capturing for generations to come!