President's Page - July 2014

Father's Day tribute to my Dad Lorne Siegel

What a great feeling to have the first day of summer, just around the corner.  The gardens, fields and lawns are flourishing from this last bout of rain and humidity. It’s nature’s great greenhouse. Car tour weather, not so much.

It was great seeing so many members out at our June meeting at Dinenamics.  The decision was made to hold the July meeting, (weather permitting) at the waterfront with lawn chairs with a display with our vehicles.   

NOTE: to accommodate those of us enjoy a dinner out, I have made arrangements with Myles for a 5:30 meal at Kingburger and the meeting at the usual 7:00 hour at the waterfront.  If by chance, we are faced with the threat of a downpour, which has happened, those already there can simply remain there.  Others only joining in for the meeting will be able to know where the meeting will be  Waterfront if it’s nice weather – Kingburger if it’s raining.  Myles will be happy to host meal and/or meeting.

On a sunny, breezy Monday morning, many of us joined Ellen and the Black family in the funeral procession of our good friend Brian, to his final resting place is to St. Patrick’s cemetery in Stafford.  It was a fitting tour for Brian through his beloved Micksburg countryside. Ellen graciously presented the club with a thank you card (see insert) and generous cash donation.

Our thoughts and best wishes are with Wayne Brohart as he recuperates from recent surgery. He advised that he will be undergoing some treatment over the next while. Wayne - we look forward to you and Chris being back “on the road again”.

Champlain Trail Museum organizers are delighted that ACCP members plan to participate in their Strawberry Social on Sunday, June 29^th at 11:30 am. You know the drill, set up before the opening time.

We had some interesting items at our last auction sale.  This always provides many chuckles and surprises sometimes discovering items that we didn’t know we had bought until we return home.  It seems old telephones are recyclable and good novels can be brought back to life with John Hanson’s ability.

So to recap – mealtime at Kingburger 5:30 and meeting at waterfront at 7:00 weather-permitting. you all at the waterfront for 6:30-7pm. With antique cars, trucks, treasurers, lawn chairs.  Bring a friend to join in for the brief meeting and social hour and many laughs.

Happy Trails to all of you.  Delores

President's Page - June 2014

Pembroke Street, Pembroke circa 1950

We are now through the month of May and able to enjoy all the values of spring.  A significant change in our little hamlet of Douglas is the arrival and settling in of a number of Orthodox Mennonite families to area farms.  We know that decades ago, horse-drawn wagons climbed the hill by our house taking grain to the grist mill here.  Now, we are blessed with the pleasant ‘clip clop’ of horse hooves and steel wheels echoing in the village.  With their work ethic and traditional farming methods, many acres of crops have been planted and already signs have sprung up at farm gates, Eggs for Sale (closed Sundays). This will no doubt bring about new farmers’ markets in the area and Eganville and Renfrew plan to install hitching posts for new horse traffic.

Our May meeting at Dinenamics had a head count of 33 people, including guests Rennie Patterson and Maurice Demers who turned back the pages of time with slides from the 60s and 70s.   Thanks for those memories fellas and to Don Stresman for arranging this. We also had two celebrity guests, Bob and Pam Lavoie, who’s 1962 Amphicar was filmed last August at Hazley Bay for the Cottage Life TV show.  This is a most unique vehicle and just as the name suggests, it travels on land and water.  Thanks to membership coordinator Wayne Brohart for inviting and introducing the Lavoies. We look forward to them joining in future. 

Although we had our auctioneer John Hanson on board, our available time was taken up with the picture episodes.  The auction will resume at the June meeting.   So ladies and gents, you know the drill, load your

trunk with some treasures from spring cleaning and bring them on the 4^th.

 

We welcomed new member Bonnie Fynn and look forward to what will be one of our older cars, a 1929 Graham Paige, being added to the roster.  Bonnie is anxious to take the necessary steps to get the car roadworthy.  Maybe we can organize an inspection of the condition of the car to help her determine what’s needed to get it in running condition.   

                                         

Ellen Black let us know that Brian was so pleased that their car was featured in colour in the April Flying Quail. With his passing, she has asked the club to be prepared to provide an old car procession for the upcoming interment in Micksburg when conditions are suitable.  Stay tuned for date.

Our next meeting will return to Dineamics for 5:30pm social hour and 7 pm meeting.  Look forward to seeing you all on the 4^th.  

        Happy Trails…                Delores

Brian Bernard Black

Our good friend and member Brian Black passed away this week.  Many of us attended the visitation and funeral service at Wesley United Church on Thursday May 1, 2014.  Brian had a passion for music and we were often entertained at meetings or tours when he could be convinced to get out his guitar and sing any number of old-time songs.  He and Ellen were regulars on tours with their pristine Ford Fairlane until recent years.  The club members had the honour of forming a cortege of vintage vehicles on a beautiful sunny Monday June 9th, accompanying the hearse and family cars to St. Patrick's Church Cemetery on the hill in Stafford.  The interment was in the shade of a tall Maple in the location of Brian's parents' and grandparents' grave sites.

President's Page - May 2014

April Showers, please bring May flowers!      

Many of us enjoyed the change to Dinenamics for our April meeting, the ambiance, the menu choices and excellent service. It was agreed that we return here for the May meeting and May being our first “driving month” we are hopeful that our nice vehicles will fill the parking lot on May 7th.  Surely to goodness we will have suitable spring conditions by then!

Membership renewal for 2014 is pretty well complete and we have the prospect of a new member with Bonnie Fynn who was invited to be our guest at the April meeting.  She has indicated her interest in becoming an ACCP member and is proud of her father’s Buchanan family 1929 Graham-Paige.  It will be a nice addition to roster of special automobiles.  On that note, Wendy updates the membership list each year and depends on your information to add or remove vehicles that you own.  There are a number of changes that have occurred over the past year.  If you have changes to be recorded, please prepare a list that duly describes your fleet with make, model and year of your vehicles.

An invitation has been received from organizers at Carefor.  They are planning an antique & classic car show and swap on June 20^th from 1:00 pm until 8:00 pm. The regular $10.00 registration fee will be halved to $5.00 for ACCP members. (Here’s where our membership card works for us).  As well, the ACCP will be given one free vendor spot at the event. If you need a table, one can be rented for $ 10.00. The Antique Car Tunes have been asked to play at this for a while as well and Neil will be organizing this part of our participation.  Neil is visiting rehab to get his guitar-picking arm back in action after some surgery to his shoulder.  It’s good to have you back Neil!

For those of you who read the Renfrew Mercury, you will be familiar with Valley author Mary Cook whos columns appear there regularly.  They are delightful reminiscences of the Depression Years as experienced at her homestead farm at Northcote along the Bonnechere River between Renfrew and Douglas.  We have been in conversation with Mary and she is pleased to let us reprint her weekly essays in the Flying Quail.

So needless to say, we’re all looking forward to some of those lazy hazy days of summer.  It can’t come too soon.  

We’ll see you all at our May 7^th meeting at Dinenamics.  Join us for social hour at 5:30, followed by dinner and the meeting will commence at 7:00 pm.                               

Delores

President's Page - April 2014

Welcome Spring!  Welcome Equinox!

In that winter has been hanging around since its arrival in November, nobody can argue that we have had a true Canadian winter.  Some of our group were fortunate to enjoy the sunny south and others of us enjoyed the true Canadian winter - keeping the home fires burning and all that stuff.  Seeing the last of the fishing huts on Golden Lake, I’m glad that in our household, we’ll soon be thinking whitewalls not white fish.

Our February meeting at Algonquin College campus, besides being educational, was a great kick-off event for 2014. Thanks to Daniel Hewitt for making this possible and to instructor Mark Stevens who took the time after his regular day to present the Motive Power Program and give us a tour of the new Algonquin College Pembroke campus with its state-of-the-art shops, labs and classrooms.  Thanks to Jamie Bramburger for arranging meeting room # 200, the Gerry and Doreen Binhammer Room, which we had for our brief March business.

It will soon be time for all of us to clear a path to the door to maneuver our antique vehicles from storage and get them all shined up for the next seven months of touring.  It’s sort of good excuse to commence certain “spring cleaning” and that should mean that we see a new batch of good auction items.  We think that our sometimes zany auction does make for a light-hearted conclusion of our meetings - a little fun to raise a little money in support of club projects.

Thanks to Margaret and Howard Moore for featuring their 1971 Chevrolet truck, recently purchased at the Barrett - Jackson auction in Las Vegas.  We look forward to the addition of this beauty on our upcoming tours as it adds to the Chevrolet complement within the club.                         

                                                                                                                                                     
Our April 2nd meeting will be held at Dineamics Food and Drink (formerly Shots Sports Bar) located at 185 Pembroke St. E., directly across from the Pembroke Post Office.

There’s plenty of parking in the back or if you come early there is parking in the front as well.   Our social time will commence at 5:30 in the dining room/bar area.  You may wish to order off the menu or check as to what the appetizer may be for that day.  The management and staff have allowed for us to use their large meeting room afterwards for 7pm.  Thanks to Don Stresman for arranging this change of venue.  Look it up on line – it has lots of good reviews. 

We have survived yet another St. Patrick’s Day celebration with lots of traffic in good old Douglas, but it’s time for some spring weather! 

See you all soon.                              Delores

President's Page March 2014

Whether March comes in like a lion or a lamb, nice spring weather can’t be far away and I know some of you have toes tapping, maybe for St. Patrick’s Day.  Not to mention, we’re all anxious to bring vehicles out from winter storage.  With all the snow this winter, farmers will be happy to have that moisture in the ground and our waterways will be replenished. 

What a great turnout of members, children, grandchildren and guests for Family Day at Northfork, Quebec.  We were blessed with clear and calm full-sunshine blue skies as we enjoyed the woodland trails on the blanketed sleigh that was gently pulled Blondie and Brandy and doggy mascot Maggie. Afterward we warmed up in the chalet and enjoyed some good old Valley songs thanks to Dawn, Neil & Lori and Don. Rumor has it that there was a step dancer in snow boots up on the floor rather briefly too.

All this was topped with hearty meal of chili, Caesar salad and homemade dinner rolls as rays of the setting sun streamed in the dining room windows.  What more could one ask for?  Thank you to all who came from near and far to make Family Day such a success.

Without belabouring our schedule of events, it has been said that there’s no shortage of events in the area that we can tag on to.  One such event would be the July 13^th Merrickville Car Show / Cruise and Shop.  This presents a nice tour to take in and thanks to Wendy and Phil, they will organize and steer us to Leeds & Grenville County.  Sounds like a great time for all to consider.  The President’s Mystery Tour will take place August 10^th.  Two dates, you should circle on your calendars for the ‘driving months’.  We discussed an early spring “Shake Down Tour” too for April or May. Please give some thought to planning a driving tour and speak up at the meeting.  We always look forward to new ideas.

Most members have renewed their memberships for 2014, at the cost of $ 35.00.   Bob has told us at the last meeting, that those who haven’t paid won’t be reading this in their Flying Quail, as he cuts off mailing after February.  It’s refreshing to report that honorary members Ellen and Brian Black dropped off their $35.00, insisting that it be a donation to the club.  Thank you so much! 

Our March 5th meeting will take place at the Algonquin College campus starting at 7:00 in room 200.  (There is an elevator to the second floor) The meeting will be brief to allow us to be escorted by Mark Stevens to view and be updated on the Motive Power Technician Program.  Thanks to Daniel Hewitt for initiating and planning this special evening.  Given the visit, there will be a light agenda and for this month, we will forego the auction sale.

Looking forward to seeing all of you on the 5^th of March.   Delores

President's Page - February 2014

What roller-coaster winter weather!  From Arctic vortexes to Chinooks, we’re getting quite a ride.  Groundhog Day is coming up quickly, so let’s hope spring weather soon arrives. 

Our January meeting succeeded in giving us all the opportunity to brainstorm on events for this year.  The Kingburger venue is most enjoyable for a good meal with some social time and the layout seems to work OK for our meeting needs.

This time of year takes me back to the ‘good ole days’ of sleigh rides at my parents’ farm and other places in the Valley.  The sound of the bells on the harness and the scrunch of the runners cutting across the crisp snow are great memories to look back on.   But how about a 2014 sleigh ride in February? Perhaps a day time may work better for a number of us. We could choose a date and location at this meeting, be it Willy’s Ranch or maybe a return to Northfork followed by a dinner.   Let’s talk.

The February meeting will be the time to try to pencil in some of our regular tours and events. The challenge has been made for couples to consider taking on the design and organization of a tour.  Please think about this ahead of time and come to the meeting prepared to take on a tour.  You all have special places and ideas – let’s hear from you.

Our meetings can take on new twists once warmer weather arrives, whether it be at the waterfront park, a member’s patio or cottage, or a new eatery to discover, think about these things as we go forward into the new year. As was discussed last meeting, one of the fun projects that we did was to showcase members when they were young in a picture that included an early family vehicle.   With so many new member couples having joined since we completed that project, it’s time to capture our newer members.  So here’s another challenge – dig up an old car-related family picture, do a brief write-up and we’ll feature this in upcoming Flying Quails.  Look for the first 2014 entry on another page in this issue.

Dan Hewitt has been successful in connecting with the new Algonquin College campus for a special tour of the Motive Program as part of our March meeting.  Information is included elsewhere in these pages.

May you all have a healthy, happy rest of the winter – stay warm and safe.  

I look forward to seeing you all at our next meeting on February 5th at the Kingburger, where Myles and staff are most gracious in making us comfortable with tasty food and cold refreshments.  Socializing begins at 5:30,  Supper by 6:00 and Meeting at 7:00pm.  See you all then.    Delores