Attendance at this regular meeting tonight was a bit disappointing as only thirteen of us made it to Rush Street Grill. Of course, Allen and Margaret Calcote were off gallivanting around somewhere on a boat, so we missed those two.
It was a beautiful Fall night and several of us actually showed up in British cars. Gerald Mitchell had his recently completed Jaguar XK-140 with him and it certainly looked good!
The traveling group reported a total of nine cars on the recent Middlesboro, KY trip. Progress report on the P-38 was that it is coming along and they had it rolled outside of the hangar for the airshow. Other aircraft of note included a low flyover by a P-51 Mustang and several aircraft from the Confederate Air Force including T-28s, an AT Texan. Also there was a YAK. The airplane, not the animal. Clarence Goodson noted that the organizers parked our cars off by themselves and, while there were some "Oohs" and "Aahs" to be heard, mostly they heard; "What is that?"
The President, Allen Calcote, has appointed a nominating committee for officers next year. Anyone actually wishing to volunteer to hold an office can contact any of these folks: Ben Bailey, David Valentine, and Robin Floyd
They are supposed to make their selections for officers known at the November meeting. Clarence Goodson, who now serves as Vice- President, made it known that he did not wish to serve as President next year.
Speaking of the November 9 meeting, the program will be a 'Show and Tell' session, so bring an auto related object to discuss with us. We have done this before and it proved to be a lot of fun.
The club has ordered some very nice quality caps that are khaki colored with the ABCS logo on them. The caps are adjustable, so size doesn't matter. They should be available shortly at a price of $15 to members. Send checks to Al Bradley to reserve yours now. Shirts are being explored for a similar offering.
The program at this meeting was very ably given by Bud Shinall, who discussed the production of batteries at our local Exide Battery plant where he once worked. The processes involved in the production of a battery were interesting along with the fact that they cost around $12 to produce! Thanks again, Bud!
Panther Creek Event Honors Dick Williams
Herren Floyd Writes . . .
Four British car clubs from our region came together at Panther Creek State Park on the beautiful Autumn Sunday of October 15, 2000 for a picnic and to honor Dick Williams for his many years of participation in and enthusiastic support of the sport of owning and driving British cars. I didn't count them, but I would estimate that there were probably over forty people and over twenty British cars. Bud Shinall, Chris Bordwine, Carl and Robin Floyd with young Mitchell and Piper, and Herren and Otti Floyd represented our club.
The Smallman picnic shelter commands a magnificent view high above Cherokee Lake. We gathered there before eating, so that Mark Whit could present Dick with a beautiful walnut plaque with a full color British flag and with an inscription commemorating Dick's long-time participation. Three other nice gifts were presented by individual clubs. An annual Dick Williams Award was established by The English Auto Society of Knoxville and awarded to one of their members, Don Caldwell, as the first recipient.
After the picnic, we were invited by Dick on a drive including some back roads and ending at the home and business of a gentleman known to Dick, who has been collecting Nash automobiles and selling parts for them since his father was a Nash dealer. About fifteen British cars participated in the drive. The owner of the Nash cars seemed to be as interested in our cars as we were in his, since his collection included a Nash-Healey sports car. To those who didn't come, you missed a very pleasant and memorable event.
The Appalachian British Car Society
wishes to thank the following companies
for their support of the annual ABCS Get Together:
Apple Hydraulics
British Car Magazine
Classic Motorbooks
Coker TireGriot's Garage
Moss Motors
TIP Sandblasting Equipment Co.
Victoria British
Please remember these companies when you buy the next products for your British Car!
Behind the Smile by Al Bradley About Joe Bowman
The A B C S lost one of its staunchest supporters recently in Joe Bowman. A younger member of the club both in age and length of membership, Joe surprised many of us with his willingness to support and participate in club meetings and activities. He would as quickly volunteer to assist as to suggest improvements. And he was just a generally likeable guy!
I have just held some e-mail correspondence with his sister who left a message on our web site asking where to send a thank you note for the flowers that the club sent for his funeral. In our discussion, I suggested that our meetings were much too quiet now and Jackie Vogel replied:
"Please tell all that Joe loved your club. We all got to hear about it a lot! It used to worry Mom, but I understood. Joe and I both loved cars. That was what we had in common. One of the big regrets of my life was that I didn't buy that Austin-Healey when I was 20 and had the chance. [It was because I didn't know how to drive a stick shift! So, I learned, but, alas, the car was already sold!] Joe loved his cars so much that he delayed his hernia surgery until after racing season was over! (He was supposed to have the surgery this month.) Yes, I'm sure your meetings are a lot quieter now. Our lives are a lot quieter now also."
Joe brought to us a touch of youthful exuberance that we all miss and his passing was very hard to accept even once we knew it to be true.
If I can speak for this club, our heartfelt sympathies are extended to all of Joe's family, his beloved daughter, Jane, his Mother, and brother John and sister Jackie.
I am sure I speak for us all when I say "I miss Joe". He represented the youthful enthusiasm that we need to enlist for this car club, and other clubs as well, if we intend to encourage the appreciation of British cars after those cars outlive this generation of owners.
Like that of his family, our lives are now much quieter and certainly none the brighter for Joe's passing. He was special to all of us and probably in different ways to each one, but he was one of us and we'll remember him affectionately.
The club is very grateful for the short while that we knew Joe Bowman.
ACB
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