President's Page April 2013 ~ Our 50th Year

Mack Cab-Over-Engine - Tackaberry Collection

Happy Easter to all members and friends. As many of you will know, the second annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade in Douglas was outstanding along with wearing of the green elsewhere in the Valley. Kevin O’Gorman was joined by his brothers on the colourful O’Gorman Float, one of 80 or so entries and Kaye was wearin' the green too. The Irish have a wonderful way to bring winter to an end (despite its last gasp with the recent snowfall).

With April, the Spring Equinox and an early Easter celebration, it can’t be long before we’re on the road again with our old vehicles. Actually our ’31 Model A was out on the warm March 3rd Sunday for a short drive past the Fourth Chute. It nicely started right up after hibernation.

To kick off our first tour of our Anniversary Year, the Tour to Athens to experience the Tackaberry Collection is coming up on Sunday April 28th. Organizer Dan Hewitt has reserved a comfortable highway coach from Thom Transport. Please note that the deadline to reserve and pay for your $35.00 seat is by the April meeting. You can help Dan with this project by reserving ahead of time if you can. The best way to expedite this early, which will be helpful to understand numbers, is to drop into see Wendy at TerMarsch Fuels to put cash (preferably) into an envelope with your name, telephone number and pick-up location – Pembroke, Cobden or Renfrew (Jim Rolfe-style).

On our April 3rd meeting night Wendy and Dan will be able to give us the final count of ACCP members joining the bus tour, after which time, any available seats will be allotted to other car enthusiasts.

And just three weeks following, on the 19th of May (the Sunday of the long weekend) we take the “Tour to Boston” for Boston Clam Chowder at Juby’s on Lochwinnoch Road overlooking the Ottawa River. It’s a special birthday for Dub, so we’re expecting a good turnout. Frankie’s famous chowder will be served up with flair, you have to know!

Our calendar of events for the Anniversary Year has filled up nicely. With basic venues determined, details can now be addressed going forward. We know that everybody has other summer-time activities and priorities, but please be sure to reserve what time you can to participate during our driving months.

I look forward to seeing you at the meeting at Joey’s Restaurant, and let me suggest that as you get into your spring cleaning, you set aside some of those trinkets and treasures that could be brought in for the auction sale. The auction not only raises some cash (and gets some of the moths out of some pockets), proceeds have always gone to a good cause… this year, to the colour cover of your newsletter, The Flying Quail. While April isn’t officially our first driving month, I’ll bet that there are a few of the antiques out, weather permitting.

Delores