JCNA CLUB NEWS

At our second club meeting held in the undercroft of the St, Joseph Cathedral in downtown Columbus on Tuesday, July 24, 1973 and after a lengthy discussion about the needs and expectations of each attendee, a formal application was made to JCNA for the establishment of a new club.  Secretary Barbara Getz noted the name for the newly formed Jaguar Club was chosen by the members.  It was decided the "Jaguar Club of Central Ohio" would be a very fitting title for the club.  When the club later filed for incorporation with the state it was misfiled as the "Jaguar Association of Central Ohio."  Rather than hassle with a branch of the government to have it changed it was decided to leave it as such.

Members adopted a Constitution and elected a slate of officers.  The first president was Fr. Pat Sorohan, a priest at the church and an XK-120 owner.  (how cool)  Chairpersons were appointed for various tasks:  Newsletter, Membership, Education and Social Activities.  The consensus among members was that primary interest of the club would be the care and upkeep of the Jaguar.  To implement that concept, manuals were collected, parts lists and locations were assembled, and names of reputable dealers and repair services were listed.

Charter members of the club were Clark and Carol Amos, Tony Amos, Richard and Jenny Lewis, Robert and Diane Lewis, Norman Lobdell, Ernest and Janet Parsley, Lewis and Louise Parsley, Patrick Sorohan, Richard Curren, R.E. Dunzweiler and Sue and Jerry Neff.

Diane Lewis presented the first drawing of an emblem to be used for our club logo.  After several years the logo was updated by George Keller to incorporate the Union Jack in the background. 

The first newsletter with its very fitting name, The Trafficator, written by Louise Parsley was praised for its information and speed in which it was circulated to the members.  Editors to follow included Suzan Knudsen and George Keller.  Club information is now communicated by email.

Bob Lewis informed the group of the recent Jag meeting in Wooster, Ohio and suggested a future joint meet with the other clubs.  The Jaguar Club of Ohio, based in northern Ohio, started in 1972, with Ron Smith from Wooster being very instrumental in its infancy.

Carol Amos, original membership chairman, and the executive members agreed to collect and keep on file information concerning each Jaguar belonging to the members of the club.  Also, a parts registry was suggested which would contain parts members had to sell or trade.  Newer membership chairmen include Sarah Smith, Dave Putnam and Jim Baker.

Plans were made to attend a Jaguar concours at the Botsford Inn in Farmington, Michigan hosted by the Jaguar Affiliates Group of Michigan on September 14-16, 1973.  As a result of attending this show, and seeing the benefits of hosting such an event, the membership would decide to host their first concours the next year in July 1974 at Stouffer's University Inn, close to the Ohio State University.  Participants gathered from Washington DC, West Virginia, Michigan, Ohio, Virginia, Indiana, Illinois and Canada and exhibited 32 Jaguars, one of which went on the win national acclaim.

After two years the annual Concours was moved to the Holiday Inn on the Lane adjacent to the OSU campus.  The venue had the advantage of a parking tower with open top floor.  The show could be moved down a floor if rain threatened, but in 8 years there was just one rain that caused a move.  In July 1984 the club changed the concours site to the Stouffer's Dublin Hotel on the northwest side of Columbus, and it has been there ever since, barring one held in conjunction with the JCNA regional event at the Mid-Ohio race track, and one show with Bill Welsh and his well known Jaguar parts establishment in Steubenville, OH.  In 1994 the club teamed up with the Arthritis Foundation to have a "show within a show" during their annual, quite large show at the same Dublin location.  Concours chairmen have included John McFadden, Jim Baker, and George Keller.

The club continues to exist on the enthusiasm of its membership.

Written by: John McFadden  JACO