Dear Members,
I am sure you have been inundated, like we all have, with emails and news stories of what is being done and should be done to try and prevent the spread of COVID-19.
We are no different. Many of our upcoming events have been, or expect to be, cancelled or rescheduled to later in the year and we want to make sure we are doing what we can to look after the health and wellbeing of our friends, members and the public.
Many clubs like ours are cancelling everything on their calendar for the foreseeable future, regardless of event type and location, and some of our members have suggested we should do the same. There are lots of reasons to do so but there is also a lot of misinformation and unwarranted panic out there too… ie buying up all the toilet paper!
We feel, for now, that we should try and live as normal a life as we can within the Government and Health Department guidelines, so this is what we plan on doing. If you are at all concerned about going out in public or indeed are feeling unwell, then you should stay home and self-isolate for as long as needed, or until you feel it is safe for you to go back to a normal life.
Of course, should advice from the Government and Health Department change, we will follow the directions as required.
You will be getting emails or seeing changes to upcoming events as we assess their viability on a day to day basis, both in line with Government and Health Department guidelines and also in what we consider to be acceptable and safe.
Whist we are mindful of all the guidelines, there are still some ways we can all get out of the house, enjoy the fresh air and regain a little sanity in these stressful times. Mental health is especially important in times like these and to some, sitting at home and worrying can be unhelpful.
We are looking at replacing some events that would require gathering together in a space to going for a drive instead and just enjoying our cars and friends from a distance. We can still talk on the radios, enjoy the countryside and driving our favourite BMW, without putting our health at risk.
April Members Meeting
Our April Members meeting scheduled for Eastern Tyre Centre has been postponed. We will instead holding a small casual meet and greet at Adex Detailing in Airport West for those that want to come out and meet our latest club sponsor. This is in a large space that will allow for social distancing. As there will be far less than 100 people we think it is safe to go ahead. Make sure you register if you are intending to come so that if we do have to cancel we can let you know in advance.
Good Friday Appeal
The next event that has been cancelled for us is the Good Friday Appeal Display at Birrarung Marr. We have instead decided to go on a drive to Hanging Rock for a picnic lunch so we can still have event and raise money for the Royal Children's Hospital. So, on Good Friday we will meet in Warrandyte and Wallan, we'll then drive to Hanging Rock where we can each bring our own picnic, sit a good distance apart, enjoy the day, watch a raffle and still raise some much needed funds for the Royal Children’s Hospital.
2020 Yokohama/Traction Tyres Drivers Championship
At this point the next round of our championship is still happening at Winton. We are working closely with AROCA, Motorsport Australia and Winton Raceway to assess the situation daily. We do ask that if you are interested in attending Winton please let us know by replying yes or no to motorsport@bmwdcm.com.au so that we can assess if there is still enough competitor interest for the day to run.
Be sure to keep an eye on the website and social pages for upcoming events as the situation is changing daily.
I can’t stress enough that we all need to be mindful of the current situation and take every precaution we can for our own health and those around us. However, it is important to remember that life can be as normal as we make it, if we are all careful and look after each other.
If you want to call or need help in any way, we are here and will remain so going forward.
Stay safe.
Graeme Bell | President
BMW Drivers Club Melbourne Inc.
Links:
P.O. Box 81, TYABB, VICTORIA. 3913
Incorporated in Victoria #A0102695G
BMW Drivers Club Melbourne Inc is a member of: BMW Clubs Australia and the BMW Clubs International Council
Motorsport Australia Affiliated Motorsport Club
