| Newsletter President’s Messages |
| “Baby, it’s cold outside!” In spite of the cool, no, actually, cold weather, our club managed to fit in some interesting activities this month. Since we all like classic cars, and we ourselves are classics, we decided to go and see a classic Broadway Show, “Guys & Dolls.” To expand our cultural experiences, 28 of our members enjoyed an evening of reminiscing. The acting was great and the costumes were even better. And as we all knew the words to the songs, we were singing along . Responding to the last year’s questionnaire, you stated you would rather have more social events than just sitting in a parking lot. I hope this year we have provided something of interest for each of you. Your participation in our social events makes our club the most enjoyable in the County. I consider our club to be one big family, and while we all don’t agree on everything, the one thing we do agree on is…. having a good time, i.e.: cars, cruises, plays, boat trips and even croquet! Michael and Anita Douglas invited Mary & I to attend their annual Croquet Tournament. My first reaction was....does anybody still play croquet? But after a challenging and fun afternoon, I came to the conclusion, that to get the most out of your life, keep your mind open! If someone invites you to go bowling, to a rodeo or even kayaking, try it, you might just like it! In keeping with that idea, this month we are going to see the world famous Lipizzaner Stallions in nearby Myakka City, which involves a beautiful scenic drive. Our club will provide afternoon snacks and drinks and the show is at 3:00pm and lasts about an hour, date to follow. In addition, we are planning a boat trip and lunch at the Navigator restaurant. But since March comes in like a “Lion,” we will plan our trip during the “Lamb” part of March. Club pride is essential to the success and longevity of any organization. After passing out our 2009 Gilchrist Park Show brochures, the response from everyone was “WOW!” Our brochure creates a club image that we can all be proud of. With your help, on April 18th & 19th, we can produce a show that will set the standard for years to come. Thank you in advance for your help and support. Craig M. Henry |
| Our 35th annual show! As you can see by the pictures in this issue of the Oily Rag, our 35th annual show was the best yet! Everyone, and I mean everyone, had a wonderful time. So much so that even after spending the day enjoying the show many participants thought enough to give me a call at home saying our show was the best they have ever attended. WOW, that’s never happened before! There was something for everyone: Elvis for the ladies, remote cars and airplanes, scavenger hunts for both men and women, race cars and contests, etc., etc., .....I think you get the idea! Don Hawkins and I thank everyone for stepping up to help out. My buddy Don really came through, as two weeks before the show I underwent shoulder surgery. So contrary to what you may have heard I did not buy my arm sling at WalMart just for this show! (But that's a good idea for next year…..) Our May meeting will be the last one until October, but we will keep in touch via the Internet and mail. Have a great summer and whatever you do, or wherever you go, be safe and come back home soon. We'll leave the light on for you. See ya'all in October. Thanks and have a safe trip. Craig |
| MARCH, 2009 |
| Where did all the time go? April is a bitter-sweet time; a time when the excitement of our annual car show is reaching its peak; a time that we have planned for all year; a time when we pool all of our resources for a common goal. (I'm starting to sound like Bob Dylan!) It is a time when many of our friends start heading back up North and it’s a time when our minds drift back to the wonderful experiences we’ve had together. Remember our first trip to the most unusual Solomon's Castle? Howard Solomon gave all of us "pack rats" justification for never throwing anything away! Follow that up with the most successful Car Show Fisherman's Village has ever had. (Thanks to our dear friend Bill Hoyle.) Never to be forgotten was our boat trip to see the gorgeous Christmas lights in Punta Gorda Isles. The weather was even in the Christmas spirit, it made it seem like Christmas in Alaska. I’m sure we can all agree Christmas in Florida is different, so in keeping with that spirit, at our sold out Christmas party, instead of Santa Claus showing up.... we had "Elvis"! Sunshine and warmth finally returned in time and recharged our batteries for the Coral Ridge show. Then all revved up, thirty of us caravanned up to the famous Kaiser/Devereaux show. And of course, what club trip would be complete without a fabulous meal? This time at the waterfront Crows Nest restaurant. The warm weather also brought a rush of car crazy people to our monthly Gallery Walk. Finally, for those of you that are venturing North....please have a safe trip and come back home soon. And for those of you that are spending the summer here....turn on your Air Conditioner! Thank you in advance for your help and support. Craig M. Henry |
| APRIL, 2009 |
| MAY, 2009 |
| JUNE, 2009 |
| Summer News & Views Our club members are currently spread out over the entire east coast. I hope ya’ll are enjoying the summer. During the summer our illustrious Oily Rag Editor, Anita Douglas, thought it would be a good idea to keep in touch and I agree. A monthly newsletter is a great way to let you know what plans we have for the fall. And at the same time you can let us know what ideas you may have for day trips, excursions, club projects and ways you feel we could improve our club. Also, attached is our 2009 roster update form. Once we get accurate information for all club members we will provide you with a copy. In addition, Anita has located small 3x5 two ring binders which will contain a complete roster. She has generously volunteered to compile a list of all members’ names, address, phone numbers, etc. This convenient notebook can then be placed in the glove box for future reference. This is the first step in a program that I believe will make belonging to our club more pleasurable. Example: Let’s say it is a beautiful fall day and you have the urge to take a drive in your classic car, maybe go to lunch or a short trip. Why not call that couple you met at the last show or club meeting? You get the idea………. The reason I bring this up is that Michael and Anita Douglas asked Mary and I if we wanted to go to the “Old Town” Car Show that was celebrating their 19th year of Cruise-ins. The timing was perfect Mary and I have wanted to see what this weekly show/cruise-in was all about. For some time Edith and Don Fifer have been telling us that “Old Town” is a great “mini-vacation”. It is held every Saturday and most weekends there are 300 plus cars. However, this anniversary weekend we got “whiplash” from watching over 600 cars slowly cruise by thousands of spectators lining the main street. If you have never been there, then you must put this on your list of “Things to Do” before we get too old. And speaking of Michael Douglas, this summer he has volunteered to write a series of helpful articles related to our car hobby. We can all benefit from his experience, as in a past life, he designed and manufactured various products for Indy 500 race cars and kit cars. Dan Rice drove down to visit Nelson Smead and is happy to report that while still weak, Nelson is improving daily. Nelson told Dan, “Just give me a few weeks and I’ll be back on my scooter”. Dan, thanks for your kindness. This may sound a little “corny,” but I look at our club as an extended family. We don’t always agree on everything, but when the chips are down, we are there to help one another. If you need some help or assistance just ask, you would really be surprised at the number of club members that are more than willing to help out. Al Boscaglia was installing a bumper and just needed another hand to make it easier, one phone call and he had all the help he needed. Of course it took two hours! Half an hour to install the bumper and an hour and a half for lunch! New friends are the best investment you can make! See ya’ll soon my friends, Craig Henry |
FOR MORE PRESIDENT'S MESSAGES, PLEASE SEE OUR NEWSLETTER ARCHIVES! |