To all of the 2021 Winter Tour participants:
After agonizing over the 2021 Winter Tour for months, we have come to the conclusion that we cannot assure your safety and enjoyment. There are several factors that remain beyond our control:
# 1 a spike in COVID infections (probably from Thanksgiving) as well as the upcoming Christmas and New Years gatherings make us even more uncomfortable. The infections and deaths are not decreasing as we expected earlier.
# 2 participants are coming from 24 states with increasing cases. This creates increased opportunity for transmission of other strains such as we've recently seen in the UK.
# 3 the general business impact of the COVID epidemic has resulted in most of the normally welcoming attractions / points of interest being anxious about the size of our group.
# 4 finally and most importantly, we are all friends. If anything were to happen to you during this tour, we would be devastated and heartbroken. We don't want this to become a "mass spreader" event.
Due to these factors, we must cancel the 2021 Winter Tour.
This will be a financial blow to our three charities that have been recipients of our support for many years. The MTFCI has built up reserves for their Scholarship Program, however Ford Piquette Avenue Plant and MTFCA-Youth Programs are not so well protected. Therefore, we ask that you consider making a direct donation to either or both of them, at this time of extreme need.
The Mission Inn has agreed to process cancellations for all reservations in our group (no need for you to call in). We want them to re-book if possible, to reduce our cancellation's financial impact. We will know shortly if there are penalties for our cancellation. After this is determined, we will calculate refunds for both your room reservations and the registration money that you have paid. This is an unprecedented situation, so please be patient and allow us a couple of weeks.
Be well, stay safe. Your health and safety must be our number one concern.
Steve
