March 2018
Greetings Corvette enthusiasts! Spring is just around the corner, and I can’t wait for all the car shows, gas n’ goes, and summer activities to start up again!
If you are new to the web site, welcome! I am so glad you found our club web site. Our club has grown, not by sheer number of members, but by the strength of our club member’s camaraderie. We have truly developed a “car family.” I hope you find our site easy to navigate as well as informative. Please take a few minutes to cruise around the site to see what we are all about.
Some of our yearly events include the Spring Fling car show on the Square in Leonardtown, MD to kick off the season, gas n’ goes (during daylight savings time), monthly gatherings (usually for lunch or dinner), a trip to the Dragon in Deals Gap, TN (318 curves in 11 miles…just in case you have never been), a road trip to participate in the Tri State All Corvette show in Peddler’s Village PA (arranged by one of our members…plenty of shopping for the ladies too), and the Leonardtown Veteran’s Day parade. For several years, we have been honored with the request to lead the La Plata Veteran’s Day Parade. The club is committed to a minimum of five Corvettes to transport the Mayor and the town council members. The club tends to have way more than five participants. This past year, the organizers decided to split the group, with the dignitaries in the front of the parade and the remaining Corvettes at the rear of the parade so spectators could see Corvettes at both ends of the parade.
It is an honor to pay tribute to our “Heroes” who made the greatest sacrifice a person could ever make for their country…and also for those who are still serving. Please keep our service members in your prayers, as they are continuously being pulled away from their family to keep our borders safe. Please pray for their safe return, and keep their families in your prayers; they are making the same sacrifice while their loved ones are away.
One of the last events of the year is the collection of toys for the “Toys for Tots” campaign, which we take to the Marine Corps League drop off site as a group. This year, we were invited to participate in the MOPAR club’s Toys for Tot’s toy run, starting in Prince Frederick, and ending at a local dealership in Lexington Park. Thank you for your support club members!
While some of our members still have their cars stored, and are patiently waiting for the cruising season to start back up, some of us (me included) are still cruising in our Corvettes. Several members made the major decision to upgrade to the legendary C7 (Grand Sport and Z06). One member got what they always wanted a 64 convertible. Others simply wanted more reliability and excitement as they cruise the Dragon and the Snake by adding an upgraded steering system and an EFI (me included) for that little bit of extra power.
For those who do not know me, I like to tinker…mostly that translates to working on cars…mine…yours… doesn’t matter. It keeps the mind and hands busy. I did finish the 79 I mentioned awhile back; it has a new home with one of the club members (it will soon get an EFI upgrade). Oh yeah, the first two car shows it was entered in, it placed in the top 50 of the show. Two members are about to get an upgrade (a 1972 and a 1979 will soon be fitted with an EFI). Our passion for these iconic cars is contagious; I like to say “corvettes are like potato chips, you can’t have just one.” On the other hand, my wife likes to say “cats are like potato chips, you can’t have just one.” That is a conversation you will need to have with her.
We had a changing of the “Guard” for 2018 with a dynamic duo to chair our activities (husband and wife team). We also have a new chair for membership, and merchandise. The board from last year was re-elected to continue with the great work for the club. Thanks to our activity chairs, I am excited to share that we have a club house, where we hold most of our quarterly meetings, and a few other events. We had our yearly club picnic and holiday get-together at the club house, so checkout the photos from those events. Thank you Bobby and Maria!
We are beginning to make plans for 2018, we had our yearly “Valentine’s Day brunch at the Rod and Reel Restaurant. Plans are in the works for an Ingleside Winery tour in May, a trip to Damascus VA in July where several members will be introduced to the “Snake” (route 421 in Mountain City TN). I sure hope they like twisty roads. Our yearly “Tail of the Dragon” trip is being planned, and we will continue our monthly dinners and our gas ‘n goes. Keep those ideas for fun activities coming!
I thank God for all the strength and skills he granted me and the ability to share them with the club members, and thank you to all the members for keeping our club alive.
Thank you for visiting our site, I hope you found something that will revive that “boyish” passion for cars (Corvette...or otherwise) and join us during one of our club events. “Don’t crush them, re-build them”! God Bless.
Ben Mendoza
Southern Maryland Corvette Club (SMCC)