CORVETTE GAZETTE

December, 2008

The next club meeting:  

7:00 p.m., Tuesday, December 2 , 2008 at the Golden Corral, Dothan. We dine at 6:00 p.m.

Don't forget the Christmas Party on the 20th at the Rawl's Hotel in downtown Enterprise at 6 p.m.

 

Jim and Charlie at the NCM - read about it below

National Corvette Museum

Tech Tips

New Members

Events approaching and departing

Check out our website at www.circlecitycorvettes.com

Merry Christmas and  Happy New Year Everyone!!!

   Well the time has come to write my final Presidents Comments.  I thought something reflective and pithy would be appropriate but when I look back on everything we have done in the last 4 years there's only one thing I can say.  "Thank You."   For all your support and your hard work to make our club the best it can be. 

   Congratulations Bruce, you know you have some big shoes to fill! Just Kidding! With your past experience and leadership skills I see great things for the clubs future.

   Well that about does it. I'll see you all around the circle and be sure to wave.

God Bless America

Kelly Walker-President-Circle City Corvette Club (BDCS)

Click for the Museum Homepage: National Corvette Museum - opens in its own window.

The Museum Homepage has links to all museum pages!

Click here for Charley's NCM Newsletter page.

Greetings from your NCM Ambassador!

         - Charley

Improve your gas mileage

Every little bit helps

Drive Sensibly - Aggressive driving (speeding, rapid acceleration and braking) wastes gas. It can lower your gas mileage by 33 percent at highway speeds and by 5 percent around town. Sensible driving is also safer for you and others, so you may save more than gas money.

 Observe the Speed Limit - While each vehicle reaches its optimal fuel economy at a different speed (or range of speeds), gas mileage usually decreases rapidly at speeds above 60 mph. You can assume that each 5 mph you drive over 60 mph is like paying an additional $0.24 per gallon for gas. Observing the speed limit is also safer.

Remove Excess Weight - Avoid keeping unnecessary items in your vehicle, especially heavy ones. An extra 100 pounds in your vehicle could reduce your MPG by up to 2%. The reduction is based on the percentage of extra weight relative to the vehicle's weight and affects smaller vehicles more than larger ones.

 Avoid Excessive Idling - Idling gets 0 miles per gallon. Cars with larger engines typically waste more gas at idle than do cars with smaller engines.

 Use Cruise Control - Using cruise control on the highway helps you maintain a constant speed and, in most cases, will save gas.

 Use Overdrive Gears - When you use overdrive gearing, your car's engine speed goes down. This saves gas and reduces engine wear.  My 1998 Corvette runs 1800 rpms at 68 mph, if I speed up to 70 mph, my rpm increases to 2100 rpm. I think Corvettes are geared perfectly for highway traveling.

Figures based on $3.84 per gal.

Terry

Upcoming Local Events:

December

      Christmas Parades on various dates.

      20   Circle City Corvettes Christmas party/dinner  6 p.m. With all the rave reviews about our last years party at the historic Rawl’s restaurant in Enterprise, we decided to go back again this year.  Chicken for $20; prime rib for $24. Check your email, give your choice to Bruce.

      31    New Year’s Eve Party at Bruce and Jean’s!!  Bring a covered dish to share, and your own adult beverages.  Bring your favorite Mexican dish. Games, fun, and food!!  Starts at 6:00.

 National Peanut Festival Parade - November 8th:

	Thanks to all that participated.

This months Mystery Cruise was organized and conducted by Russell Lewis – Thank You Russ!!  We had 11 cars make the trip to Ebro where we had a terrific dinner overlooking the dog track.  Some tried their luck in picking the winning dog (which is Very Difficult), and a few tried the poker tables.  All in all, a really good time.  Sorry, no photos, it was a very brisk night!!

Bruce

Assisting the community:

        To help out those whose paycheck only last three weeks of the month:

    to help out at the Parkinson's and diabetes clinic at SAMC:

Russ (and Connie!) Smedley won the 50/50, and ...

donate the proceeds to the Wiregrass Humane Society.

Our 50th Anniversary Corvette

Our 50th Anniversary Corvette is a very special car.  Not only did we get to help build it but during the 2002 NCM Kick-Off, we also renewed our vows in front of the car, during the NCM Labor Day Event.  Jim & I wanted to order a 50th Anniversary Corvette for our 25th Wedding Anniversary celebration.   When we put down a deposit, in early 2002, we were concerned that we would not be able to get one, since the orders were limited per dealer. We placed our order with Bruce Glueck Chevrolet hoping that it would be accepted.  We knew Bruce & Becky, and if anyone could get us our car, they could.
Since we had planned on picking up the car at the National Corvette Museum, at the Labor Day Corvette Show, and knowing that this car was to celebrate our 25th wedding anniversary, Becky came up with the idea of us renewing our wedding vows at the NCM at the same time.  I told her that we would do it if she got us an allocation for a car and a Labor Day delivery date.  Never did we think she would be able to pull off both requests, but she did, even though General Motors would only allow her one allocation before November!    Now, I had to find a priest who would be willing to perform a ceremony in a Corvette museum.
A friend at church suggested that we use Father Lance, a priest that once was the pastor at our local parish,  but got special dispensation to work in Italy.  She told me that he always took a vacation back to the states, at the same time we planned to renew our vows.   Once we asked we received an enthusiastic yes! Everything was now in place, and we waited to hear when the car would be built.
The Corvette 50th Anniversary Kickoff was held at the NCM at the end of June, 2002.  Jim & I volunteered to work in the Corvette plant as tour guides.  Then we heard the exciting news.  Our car would be built during the event while we were working in the plant!  That Thursday we got to see our engine and chassis.  The  employees & us got to sign the chassis, but it was Friday that was most exciting, as we walked the assembly line watching the car being built.  As the line would dip into areas that even tour guides were not allowed the employees would hide us so that we could continue to walk along our car.  Finally, after lunch, our car approached First Start.  Not only did I get to put gas in the car but then I got to start it for the first time and drive it off the assembly line.  We were so excited and the car was beautiful.  But, the best part was visiting and talking to the people who build the car.  They were all very happy for us.  When the event was over it was hard leaving knowing that our car was built and would sit in the parking lot for two more months.
Finally the Labor Day show arrived and our friends drove us, and Father Lance, to Bowling Green.  We were scheduled for a Friday morning delivery and a Friday afternoon renewal of vows.    First we met Becky in Wendell Strode's office to sign all the paper work.  Jim surprised me by putting the car in my name so I got to sign the papers.  Then we headed out into the museum to get our car.  With many friends around we were given a wonderful surprise when David Hill, the Corvette Executive Engineer, arrived to present the keys to us.  He also gave a speech about how he knew us and all the things we did for the NCM.  After the presentation of the keys the car was moved to the Atrium.
3:00 was our ceremony time and we went to change clothes.  I wore a Corvette dress & Jim wore his 50th Anniversary shirt.  As to the ceremony itself, I assumed the priest would make it short since we were standing in a large room filled with Corvettes, and other people were walking around checking out the surrounding cars.  I had asked Father Lance how he would do the ceremony and he just laughed and said "I am going to surprise you".  Obviously, this made me very nervous!
I thought of flowers but ran out of time at the last minute to pick up any.   But, just before the ceremony some friends came up with a big white box and told me to open it.  When I did there was a beautiful bridal bouquet.  I was really touched that someone would have thought of it and it made our ceremony even more special.  Finally, the ceremony began with many of our friends, including some of our club members standing with us.  It turned out that Father Lance did a most beautiful and very funny ceremony.  He had everyone laughing and feeling very comfortable with a religious ceremony in the middle of many museum quality Corvettes.
When the ceremony was over we had some great pictures but I never thought of  having someone video tape it.  A few weeks later, at the Petit LeMans race some  friends came up and presented us a video of the ceremony.  We were really blessed on how everything turned out so perfectly, both in the building of the car and renewing our vows.
Although we thought the 50th Anniversary a beautiful color we wanted the 2002 Indy pace car graphics.  I was fortunate to watch the actual Indy pace car being unveiled via online.  It was fun being able to control the camera.  When the unveiling was finished I was looking at what I thought was the most beautiful Corvette.  However, GM was not going to release a graphics package.  Several of us "stormed" GM with requests and by December of 2002 we got our graphics package.
Our car is now over 6 years old, yet we still get just as excited when we get in and turn the key.  Hearing the Corsas light up, shifting the gears, and hitting the gas pedal reminds us of a very special time in our lives, back in 2002.

Jim & Charley Robertson

We welcome our new members to the club!!!

Jeffery and Micky Young -  2001 Red Convertible

Bobby and Linda Johnson - 1981 Red

Birthdays and Anniversaries:
 

HAPPY December BIRTHDAYS    3  Marty Cochran    6 Jerri Gourley    8  Cindi McAlister   12 Len Simpson   14 Judy Lewis   18  Russell Lewis   20  Tom McAlister   21  Suzanne Hammitt   22 Roy Williams   22  Brenda Hancock

December ANNIVERSARIES:    3  Mike & Cindy Walker   12 Jeffery & Micky Young   16 Russell & Judy Lewis   21 Dave & Teddy Lummus   27  Dan & Hassie Green   28 Richard & Irene Stuhmer

For Sale:

Seen on the Web:

Motor Trend, April '08

Imitation is the finest compliment:

It's a MB Smart Car with a body kit. It's real, there's an entire line of these!

                       President:     Kelly Walker
               Vice President:     Bill James
                       Secretary:     Barbara Pattberg
        NCM Ambassador:     Charley Robertson
                       Treasurer:     Bruce Carter
     Caravan Coordinator:     John Hickman
Local Event Coordinator:     Bruce Carter
           Newsletter Editor:     Terry Weldon
           Member at Large:     Jackie James
           Member at Large:     Charlotte Countryman
                    Webmaster:     Brent Gourley

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