Intro/Letter From the Editor - Ryan Main - Sales
So much to report since the last newsletter......where to begin? New faces around the dealership; this month's newsletter will introduce you to two of the new faces that will be greeting you in the parts and service departments, stay tuned for more introductions in coming editions. Speaking of new faces, Jim Bridger is back to work after an extended length of time on the 'DL', so stop in and welcome him back while you're here.
Don has written about the storm that blew through here a while back and caused all kinds of problems from banged up trailers to Chicken Little references of 'the sky is falling' in the showroom. Dave has got all kinds of deals to pass on in order to make room on the lot for 2011 product. And, as always, we're looking for your feedback, questions, and comments at rmain@pikadilly.com. Enjoy the read, and we hope to see you soon.
Dealership News - Don Main - General Manager
Following is a quick update on the storm that passed through Brandon a couple of weeks ago. Many of you experienced at least a portion of the storm, hopefully, not to the extent that we did. Early Saturday morning, May 29, we arrived at the dealership to heavy rain and winds in excess of 120km per hour, with gusts even higher. Pieces of the roof from the neighbouring buildings were flying through the air like frisbees, unfortunately damaging several of our trailers as they blew around our yard. 4 x 8 sheets of roofing board were bouncing around the display lot as if it were a pinball machine. Fiberglass pink insulation was everywhere! A huge sheet of rolled metal roofing was moving like a hovercraft in the yard. We quickly tracked it down with the tractor and dropped the bucket on it to eliminate movement and further damage. As there was really nothing else we could do at that point, we headed for cover (very wet) to wait out the storm before we could assess damage!
Although it has not been confirmed, we believe that we experienced a small twister. The fiberglass pink insulation was torn into pieces by the wind. It appeared like kids had pulled it apart with their hands and the wind whipped it around the yard and blew it against most of our inventory. It looked like it had been shredded and shot through a high-pressure hose creating a terrible mess.
At the time, we weren’t aware that a patch of shingles had blown off of our showroom roof and the rainwater was driven into the attic. Later in the day, we developed a leak above two sales offices. During the night, enough water gathered in the roof to soak the insulation and the drywall ceiling. A patch of the showroom roof approximately 8’ x 8’ fell down creating an indoor mess to accompany the earlier outdoor mess.
Our power had gone off at 6:45am so we had no lights and no phone service. I apologize to anyone that may have been trying to contact us to no avail.
The insurance company responded quickly and the repair process began immediately. We have incurred in excess of $70,000 damage to our inventory alone. The building is another matter! Some units are damaged worse than others. In fact, one trailer is a complete write-off. It appears that the roll of roofing landed on its end on the roof of the trailer and caved the roof in, as well as causing sidewall damage and interior damage. The majority will need to be repaired prior to sale and again, sold at substantial discount. We are still working our way through settlement with the insurance company.
Fortunately, no one was hurt. The power returned at 2:00pm. In total, we received more than 6 inches of rain. Believe it or not, we actually sold a few units that day!
Business is back to normal but there is good news for anyone interested in any of the units that need repair, is that after repair, they will look like new, carry new warranty but will have huge reductions in price because of the circumstances!
Stay tuned.
Sales Department News - Dave Shepherd - Sales Manager
‘SCHOOL'S OUT’ – The cry every school age child has been waiting to hear.
It also heralds the start of the summer holiday and many use camping as their means for a summer get-away. We have a great selection of travel trailers for the seasonal campers, or for those who want to explore what Manitoba has to offer. Many family summer vacations are spent traveling to some of the great tourist attractions our country has to offer.
Using a fold-up camper on such journeys is still one of the most economical and fun ways to take in those attractions. We have a limited number of 2010 Coleman campers left that are ideal for the family get-away.
Over the past month and a half, we have been focused on reducing our 2009 inventory. Our efforts have proven very successful, and we now sit with but a handful left. This is also the time of year we start to think about reducing our inventory for the fall. With the 2011 models trickling in, our focus now shifts to reducing our 2010 inventory.
The deals offered on our 2009 and 2010 inventory combined with our willingness to deal, and some great financing rates, make right now the ideal time for a new camper, trailer or 5th wheel.
Service Manager News - Heather Arthurson - Service Manager
This month we would like to introduce you to our new service writer, Dave Dauphinais. He has been with the service department now for a couple of months and is proving to be a very valuable member of the Pik-A-Dilly family.
Dave has previous service experience gained while working in car dealerships performing very similar duties as he has here. His past experience has made his transition to this job easy for him, which allowed me to get away for a week during a very busy time of year. Dave recently moved to Brandon from Erickson, and is a proud father of two grown children who have made him a proud grandfather of three. The next time you call for service work, you'll have a chance to speak with Dave, please take the opportunity to introduce yourself and say hello.
Parts Department News - Shannon Davis - Parts
The staff would also like to welcome our newest parts employee to Pik-A-Dilly. I'm sure you'll all join us in welcoming Brianne Fulmore to our employee family, as she has been with us now for a couple of months.
Originally from The Pas, MB, Brianne came to Brandon looking to further her education. Upon completing her schooling, she was working at a clothing store in the Shopper's Mall. Fortunately for us, she decided that wasn't quite what she wanted to be doing, and we were able to get her started here right away. She is proving herself to be a great addition to the Pik-A-Dilly family with her hard work and dedication to her position. Next time you're in, be sure to say hello to Brianne, she'll be more than happy to help you find whatever you're looking for.
Also on the Parts and Accessory front;
Dometic has just announced a new promotion on the 9100 model power awning from their A&E awning division called 'POWER UP SHADE-A-BRATION'. Thousands of coupons for a $300 discount will be sent by email to registered A&E owners. It will also be promoted on their website www.dometic.com. As well, coupons will be available at our dealership. If your current awning is nearing replacement, this is an excellent opportunity to install a new, state-of-the-art, powered awning. It’s pretty cool to push a button and watch your awning go in or out. Those with electric awnings report fewer incidents of wind or rain damage, simply because it’s so easy to extend or retract that there’s no need to leave it up if you intend to leave it unattended for any lengthy period. This opportunity is so new that none of the promotional materials are available yet but should be soon. Thanks to this newsletter, you are the first to know. It runs from July 1 to August 31, 2010. If you are interested, call us for details, 1-877-728-8570 toll free or 728-2015 direct to parts and accessories.
Campfire Recipe - Campfire Hobo Stew
Prep time: 5 minutes
Cook time: 15 minutes
Ingredients:
Ground beef or stew meat cut into small pieces
Vegetables of your choosing - corn, green beans, carrots, onions, bell peppers
Garlic
Butter
Salt and pepper
Preparation:
Tear off a piece of aluminum foil large enough to fold into a pocket to put your ingredients into
Spray the foil with cooking spray
Add meat first, then vegetables
Top with seasonings and then butter
Close foil on all sides, leaving some room for steam to build
Be sure to mark your packet so it doesn't get mixed up with anyone else's
Put packet into the coals
Cooking time depends on how hot your fire is, it's recommended you check in roughly 10 minutes
July Calendar of Events
July 1 - Canada Day Celebrations - Day long celebrations at various locations throughout the city and province
July 1 - Cruisin' the Dub - 6pm-9pm between 6th and 13th Street on Rosser Avenue
July 1-3 - Vincent Massey High School 50th Reunion - Activities planned at various locations around Brandon, check www.VM50.ca for more info
July 7 - Brandon Humane Society and Chiquita Fundraiser - Bud, Spud, and Steak night at Canad Inn's Roadhouse, Brandon from 5pm-8pm
July 23 - Drive In Movie Under the Stars - Dusk at the Riverbank Discovery Centre
July 30 - Cruisin' the Dub - In conjunction with SuperRun 2010, possibly the biggest Cruisin' the Dub night ever, 6pm-9pm between 6th and 13th Street on Rosser Avenue
Be sure to watch for Friday Night Farmer's Markets all month long from 4pm-7pm in the Zellers parking lot