PRESIDENT’S LETTER for June 2012

The thoughts of having a Grand National in Florida had crossed my mind over the years. I thought someday we should look into the idea since Florida has so much to see, do and enjoy. It is known as the Sunshine State and a beach playground to millions of tourists every year. All sorts of sports and recreation and history can be found here. From the high style of Miami Beach to the fun and laughter of the Orlando theme parks, we sure have a lot to show off in beautiful Florida. 

But it wasn’t until 2007 the thought become serious. Our region had a caravan trip to the Savannah Grand National to celebrate our region’s 10th Anniversary. Our trip culminated in St. Augustine with a stay at the Renaissance Resort at World Golf Village. As soon as we saw the hotel we all thought what an ideal venue to host a Grand National. 

And what a great city to enjoy it in...St. Augustine which has to be our country’s first tourist stop! It was here in the year 1565 Pedro Menendez had orders from the king of Spain to establish a permanent colony in the new world in the land named La Florida for its beautiful flowers. 

I and many of our region’s members thought what a splendid way to welcome our guests is to invite them to enjoy our Nation’s First City....St. Augustine. We look forward to seeing our friends both old and new at the Grand National and hope that everyone enjoys our state as much as those of us who live here do.

I hope you all have a wonderful time here and consider staying longer to explore other parts of our beautiful Florida. 

Until next month,

David Chestnut

J   U   N   E     1   3  -  1   6       2   0   1   2

Grand National in St. Augustine!

2012 Grand National          Tour Descriptions

For all events and tours, you must be preregistered and you must have the appropriate tour ticket to gain admission.

Our Host Hotel

The Renaissance Resort at World Golf Village is a AAA Four-Diamond venue! The resort offers well-appointed accommodations, featuring 37-inch flat- panel TVs, high-speed wireless Internet access, wet bars, refrigerators and other luxuries. Within 15 minutes of the resort, enjoy 108 holes of championship golf, including the Slammer and Squire, located steps from your guest room. The hotel has golf packages and fishing packages; beach access available at your request. The Florida Suncoast Region contracted for rooms at $89 per night. Don’t miss Our Nation’s First City Grand National!

Our Tours and Events

Castillo de San Marcos Fort—The Castillo was built to defend Spain’s claims in the New World. A monument of stone, mortar and human determination, the Castillo offers a diverse range of pro- grams, including ranger talks, historical weapons demonstrations and living his- tory reenactments. The Lightner Museum features relics of America’s Gilded Age. Costumes and artifacts give you a glimpse into a past era. The Lightner collection includes the stained glass work of Louis Comfort Tiffany. Tour includes transportation to and from hotel and admissions to the Fort and Lightner Museum. Lunch is not included. Wear comfortable shoes—a moderate amount of walking is required.

Alligator Farm Zoological Park—Founded in 1893, it is one of Florida’s oldest zoological attractions. It has entertained millions of visitors, lured by the awesome presence of these mysterious reptiles.

St. Augustine Lighthouse & Museum— Climb to the top of this St. Augustine icon, built in 1874, and see the city from a fascinating view. You can now enjoy touring the lighthouse and lightkeeper’s house, visiting the museum store and relaxing on the beautiful grounds. Tour includes transportation to the Lighthouse Museum and Alligator Farm, admission fees and return to hotel. Lunch is not included. If you are unable to walk up or down steep stairs at the lighthouse, there are plenty of interesting activities on the grounds.

Daytona International Speedway—Discover what makes Daytona International Speedway the world center of racing. On the approximately 90-minute all-access tour, explore the drivers’ meeting room, NASCAR Sprint Cup Series garages, Gatorade Victory Lane, and go inside the Houston Lawing Press Box seven stories above the Speedway. Daytona is approximately two hours from St. Augustine. For the tour on Thursday, choose from tour and lunch option or add on an opportunity to drive your car on the track. The host Region will coordinate transportation to and from the track if you are not planning on driving your car. Advise if you are willing to take extra passengers in your car. The tour on Friday is only a ridealong with a driver in a race car and lunch. Track drive requires a minimum of 50 cars. In the event 50 cars do not sign up, members will be transported by motorcoach at additional charge.                                                                                                   

The Fountain of Youth and dinner at the famous Columbia Restaurant— The Timucua Indian Village of Seloy existed here for almost 4,000 years before the arrival of the Spanish in 1513, and with Ponce de Leon’s claim of possession for the Spanish King in 1513, “La Florida” was born. Our exploration begins with a drink from the legendary Fountain of Youth. Explore a 15-acre waterfront park with a museum and recreated Indian vil- lage. After this, our motorcoach takes us to the Columbia Restaurant, featuring marvelous Spanish cuisine. This century-old establishment first opened in Tampa by Casimiro Hernandez Sr. The award-winning cuisine is set in a distinctly Spanish atmosphere. Tour includes transportation, the Fountain of Youth and dinner.

Ladies’ get-together— On Wednesday afternoon while the men are busy with their seminars, join us from 2 to 2:50 p.m. for a casual get-together. It is our chance to get acquainted and talk about what activities you would like offered at future Grand Nationals. There will be a drawing for some fabulous gifts.

Proposed Youth Activities— To be determined, based on ages of youth and participation.

World Golf Hall of Fame IMAX Theater— Located right on the grounds of our host hotel, the theater features the Southeast’s largest IMAX 3D digital screen! IMAX theaters are specifically designed to deliver the world’s most immersive movie experience. Now the 299-seat World Golf Hall of Fame IMAX Theater includes totally new 3D system and equipment.

Visit Ripley’s first and oldest Believe It or Not! Odditorium, with unusual art and unbelievable artifacts from around the globe! The museum features “weird class” family fun. Collections include real shrunken human heads and the Peel Car, the world’s smallest production car. Marvel at the largest operational erector set Ferris wheel and even take your picture with The Lizard Man! Over 800 other unique exhibits await you! This tour will be enjoyed by kids of all ages.

The St. Augustine Pirate & Treasure Museum— Discover a collection of authentic pirate artifacts, coupled with elements of interactive technology revealing historic adventures from the Golden Age of Piracy. Among more than 800 museum-quality artifacts, threaded through the storyline is the original journal of Captain Kidd’s last voyage, the only authentic pirate treasure chest in the world that originally belonged to Captain Thomas Tew, and the oldest pirate wanted poster for the capture of Captain Henry Every.

Bayfront Mini Golf is located next to the Bridge of Lions in the heart of historic St. Augustine. Bayfront Mini Golf originally opened in 1949, making it the oldest miniature golf course in the oldest city!

Saturday Ladies Tour—Take a break from the car activities and join us for a sightseeing tour of Old St. Augustine on the Red Train. The Red Train offers a fully narrated historical tour of the “Nation’s Oldest City.” Step off and re-board at your leisure at over 20 convenient stops. It’s your agenda; choose from an eclectic selection of boutiques, antique shops, art galleries, historic sites and attractions. Tour includes transportation, three-day train pass and lunch.

LATE BREAKING NEWS IF YOU ARE ATTENDING THE

2012 CLC GRAND NATIONAL IN ST. AUGUSTINE, FLORIDA

We just found it and it is too good to pass up!

A special viewing of the Robert Shearer Private Car Collection in Mims, FL.

Tuesday, June 12^th from 10am – 4pm

Tour includes coach transportation to and from the collection, tour & lunch.

Limited seating available on a 32 passenger coach.   The cost of the package is $38 per person.

If you will not be able to take the coach and would like to join up with the tour, the cost will be reduced and directions will be provided.

This special tour is not included on the registration form, please contact Len Berman for reservations.

The details about the Tuesday tour to Bob Shearer's collection are:

 leave hotel at 10:00 am

 lunch 11:30am-1:00pm

 tour 1:00pm-2:30pm

 arrive hotel 4:00pm

If you would like to sign up for this last minute tour, please contact Len Berman.  Remember space is limited, so please sign up quickly.

Len Berman              941-923-7436 email lsb1946@verizon.net

The 2012 Grand National is coming...
Our Nations First City Grand National

Here in Florida we seem to have been enjoying a nice spring for several months now. This time of year Floridians spruce up their gardens and snow birds come down and get sunburnt as they forget how long they have spent in the sun. 

The Florida sun has beckoned so many for so long. In 1513 Juan Ponce de Leon was the first Spanish explorer to record a visit to what is now Florida. He left Puerto Rico on March 4 and arrived on Florida coast on April 2 with three ships, the Santiago, the San Cristobal and the Santa Maria de la Consolacion. He named his discovery La Florida in honor of the Easter season and the Spanish festival of flowers.  How could those early explorers imagine the beauty and peace that can be found in Florida today. I am sure that many of the members of the Cadillac and LaSalle Club are looking forward to exploring Florida and especially St Augustine in June.

Our CLC Grand National will surely be a busy event with much to see and do. One thing I hope our members, our welcome visiting friends will be able to do is to take a few moments out of the bustle 

of the event to enjoy the flowers. From the beauty of the crape myrtle trees along the drive to our hotel or the fine oleander bushes along the highways and found in the vista of the golf course out side of our hotel. There are certainly too many flowers to name but so many to enjoy reminding us why our fair state was named La Florida!

August 2011

Presidents Letter      The Grand National
In August 1492 Columbus sailed the ocean blue…  Christopher Columbus, an Italian, was hired by the monarchs of Spain to find a route east to Japan and Asia. Although he was wrong about how much earth there was between Europe and Asia he did possess valuable knowledge of the trade winds. His ships followed the “easterlies” that landed him in the new world islands and then on his return he headed north and east to catch the “westerlies” which blew the ships back to Europe. He made four trips to the new world landing in the Caribbean and Central America, but did not find North America. In those days they followed stars, today we have GPS.

This year’s GN theme is “Discover Columbus”. The promoters of this year’s meet in Ohio invite us to travel by motor coach through historic Dublin, Linworth and Old Worthington, and along the famous High Street area of the Ohio State University campus. Other stops will be the Short North art district, the arena district and the ship Santa Maria. Other stops will be the Ohio Theater with a lunch at the Ohio State House, the German Village, and the Columbus Museum of Art and Franklin Park Conservatory featuring a Chihuly art glass collection. This is truly an explorer’s expedition around the city as you “Discover Columbus”.

Surely members of the CLC will enjoy their visit to Columbus and I hope the Central Ohio Region enjoys great success in this year’s Grand National. Our Florida Suncoast Region will be promoting our Grand National in Columbus with a promotional table and a presentation at the Awards Banquet. Members of our region will be working diligently to prepare for the “Nation’s First City” Grand National in St. Augustine in 2012. 

Until next month,

David Chestnut

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Now that the Columbus Grand National is over we hope that it was a great success and enjoyed by all, especially the many members who worked hard to put this event on. We must remember that all these events are put on by volunteers. It is through the great efforts of these volunteers that makes our club a success.

Thanks go out to all.

The Florida Suncoast Region is diligently working on the plans for the 2012 Grand National

 June 13th Through June 17th

Visit us in St. Augustine where we are excited to share our sub-tropical paradise that beckons your pleasure. St. Augustine is blessed with soft white sandy beaches (considered some of the best in the country), beautiful sunrises over the Atlantic Ocean and tropical breezes swaying the palm trees. While our Grand National will be in our country’s oldest city, our host hotel is fresh and new. With a recent $10 million renovation, the elegant Renaissance Resort at World Golf Village with its attached convention center is a perfect venue, with ample room for an indoor swap meet. It allows us to experience the unique flavor of St. Augustine including tropical, Spanish and British influences while enjoying the most modern amenities. Sharing the manicured grounds with the hotel is the World Golf Hall of Fame. We hope that when our guests leave us they will have learned a little history, enjoyed fine art and discovered what makes Florida such a unique destination that entices millions of visitors each year. You will feel like you made out like a pirate with our luxury room daily rate of only $89 plus tax.

To book your reservation, 800-266-9432 and use reference code CLC Grand National

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Last months regional event was a visit to the Armed Forces Military Museum in Largo Florida

Here are some photos...

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September is a hot month in Florida, but a great way for our members to cool themselves is around a dinner table in a COOL restaurant!

We all love to watch reruns of the Golden Girls…and what did they do in almost every episode to talk about life around the table over a nice piece of cheesecake. Let’s visit our own Cheesecake Factory located at the Brandon Town Center at 5pm on

Sunday, September 18.

June 18 event news

Update!  This is an update and reminder of our Cadillac & LaSalle Club event on Saturday June 18th

photos courtesy Doubledaves 

Come join the Florida Suncoast Region on Saturday June 18 at   2:45 pm at the visitors center on the left of parking lot, as we visit one of the rarest sights in central and south Florida…the Gamble Plantation! The only surviving plantation house in South Florida.

For those members who would like to join a caravan of cars to the sight coming from the north. Drivers may meet up at the North Skyway rest area at 2 pm, this is the location of the Blackthorn Memorial. Drivers should depart at 2:15 to caravan over the beautiful Skyway Bridge.

Drivers will proceed to the first exit south on I-75, which is exit #224. Turn right off exit onto US-301 and proceed about 1 mile. The mansion will be on the right.

After our history tour of the Gamble Mansion, at approximately 4:30pm we will caravan about a mile up US 301 to Hickory Hollow BBQ. Robert and Donna opened the restaurant in Jan of 1984 using family recipes from the Chesapeake Bay area and North Carolina. They were rated 3^rd in the nation in the “USA Today” for BBQ eateries. They feature pork, beef, chicken and fish and over 30 home made sides. The restaurant ONLY ACCEPTS CASH, so plan accordingly. There is an ATM nearby at a local bank.

See their web site for menu;   http://www.hickoryhollowbbq.com/

The Gamble Plantation took six years to build. This antebellum mansion was completed by Maj. Robert Gamble in 1850 and served as his home on the surrounding sugar plantation. The columns in the front as well as the rest of the house are constructed of tabby, which is a mixture of locally available materials such as burnt oyster shells. Of note is that the walls are two feet thick! During the time that Gamble was at the plantation, he ran up a debt of $190,000 partly due to the drop in sugar prices. He sold the property in 1856 to satisfy the debt and moved to Tallahassee with all of the mansion’s furniture. He placed the furniture in a storage warehouse, and 13 hours later the warehouse burned to the ground! 

After Gamble left, Capt. Archibald McNeill, a famous Confederate blockade runner, moved into the mansion. With McNeill’s help in May of 1865, the Confederate Secretary of State, Judah P. Benjamin, took refuge in the mansion following the fall of the Confederate States of America. He departed for England from the plantation’s landing on the Manatee River.

Following the Civil War, the mansion fell into disrepair, most noticeably by the early 1900’s. In 1925 the house and 16 acres were purchased by the United Daughters of the Confederacy and then donated to the State of Florida.

Tickets for a guided tour of the mansion at 3pm can be purchased in the visitor center. Price for the tour is $5.00 per adult, Children 6 through 12 $3.00; Children under 6 are admitted free. 3708 Patten Avenue, Ellenton, Florida 34222             Take I-75 exit #224…then west on US 301.

Check out the Gamble Plantation web page at

http://floridastateparks.org/gambleplantation/default.cfm

News for June

Presidents letter for June 2011

June is here and gosh that means the year is about half over! I’m going to need to start my Christmas shopping soon.

 I know most of our members have very active lives. Whether one works or is retired it seems there is always something on the calendar to do. I remind myself not to complain as this means I am out of the house, busy and hopefully enjoying myself. Checking this month’s calendar, this is the month to think of and remember the man in the house. Father's Day, a holiday which honors fathers worldwide, is celebrated in the United States on the third Sunday of June. It originated in the United States in 1910; a few years after the country began celebrating Mother’s Day. However, Father’s Day didn’t become an official U.S. holiday until 1972!

Some men may want to kick back and relax on Father’s Day. Many of the men in the Cadillac & LaSalle Club may think a great way to enjoy Father’s Day is to get the old Cadillac out of the garage and take it to a car show or even one of our regional events. Our Florida Suncoast Region of the CLC plans events every month in the hope that our members will want to join in the activities and also enjoy the camaraderie of fellow club members. We have a meeting and planned event every month and hope that our members and friends will enjoy what we have planned.

Here in Florida we are very fortunate to live in a state that is so conducive to the car culture. There are many small to large regular car shows all around the state. There are many web sites and several magazines like “Mike Kelly’s Cruise News” that list events around Florida. There are 50 listings for Friday and 132 for Saturday and more found every night of the week. Recently I checked out the first Friday of the month show in downtown Palmetto hosted by Slick’s Garage. This was a fun night out and although at many car shows not many Cadillacs may be seen, I was delighted to see several at that show.

If you know of a local car show that our members may enjoy let us know so we can let our members know.

Some of our members may wonder what the roads are like before they make a trip in our fair state. Check out this helpful link for Florida Road conditions and improvements, construction zones. Floridas traveler alert system

Go to  http://www.fl511.com/

Activities Director's Corner

Hello again!

A big thank you goes out to Gordon Koncelik for suggesting a tour of the Bok Tower as a club event.  This is an event that was more than two years in the making.  It just seemed every time we tried to plan a visit, something else conflicted.  Ironically, Gordon wasn't able to attend afterall!  He was back in China to visit with his family.  We also suspect there were a few more local dishes that he missed on his last trip to China!

The trip to the Bok Tower was well worth the wait.  It really is a great place to spend a quiet day just relaxing and listening to the carillon bells and taking in the panoramic view by the tower.  Ruth and George Meyer were so excited by the event that they took off by themselves to tour the grounds!  They were so involved in seeing the grounds that the remainder of the club couldn't find them for the rest of the day. Club

 

Club member Bob Berlin brought his enthusiasm to the event, and I have to say that Bob tries to make as many events as possible.  When the tour of the gardens concluded, the group met at the local Chili's for dinner.  Dave Chestnut, the Region’s president, was his usual bubbly self…especially after a large Presidente Margarita . Also in attending were Mr. & Mrs. Brash, who live near Bok Tower.  The Brash's brought their immaculate 1970 white Cadillac convertible.  They mentioned his was the replacement for their 1969 Cadillac convertible, both of which are stunning models. 

As a coincidence, a group from the Olds Club of Florida was also at the tower for a tour that day.  Many of us were drawn to them with the appearance of a '53 Oldsmobile Fiesta, owned by a Mister Stutzman, who by the way does have his eye out for a Stutz Bearcat.  For those not familiar with the '53 Olds Fiesta, this one of the four “dream cars” that GM put out for public sale in 1953.  The others were the Cadillac Eldorado, Buick Skylark and Chevrolet Corvette.  While the Cadillac got most of the glory (thanks to President Eisenhower) the Fiesta, besides being a one year only model, is one of the rarest GM cars of that era you will ever see.  You will seldom see any of them at any car shows.

Members of both clubs got into a conversation of possibly trying to have “bi-partisan” events. The BOPC show was brought up.  While this is would be a great show for Buick, Oldsmobile, Pontiac and Cadillac enthusiasts, attendance in recent years by Cadillac owners has been just about nil!  The show will be in the fall at Old Town in Kissimmee.  As many know, Old town is a great location for a car show.  The BOPC show would be separate from the regularly scheduled Old Town cruise-in that day. The BOPC show will be held during the day and will be over before the evening cruise-in starts. As soon as the date has been established, I will let you know.

Mr. Stutzman asked if anyone from our region would be at the BOPC show to judge Cadillacs.  I volunteered to do judging, and I hope I don't end up just judging my own car!  Hopefully we can get enough Cadillacs, the crown jewel of GM, to make a decent presentation.  The last GM show we hosted was at Massey Cadillac in Orlando and we had more Cadillacs than the rest of the GM marques! 

Our June event is a tour of the Gamble Plantation in Ellenton on US 301 just west of I-75 exit #224.  Bob Berlin suggested this venue some months ago, and this should be another great event for the club.  After the tour, the club will head off to the nearby Hickory Hollow restaurant.  Dave West has assured us that the Carolina-Virginia style barbeque there will be "to die for".  You might want to make a full day of the event, as Ellenton is also known for the large outlet mall which is just on the other side of I-75.

                                                                                                  John Fleming

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Presidents Letter for May 2011

Presidents Letter for May 2011

Spring is a time when many people hear wedding bells. Starry-eyed women with romance on their minds often dream of a lovely spring wedding. Some of you may have caught a glimpse of the recent royal wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton in London. The royals of Britain have always had a knack for do a fabulous wedding. Just a hint as to the scope, they had 21 chefs prepare 10,000 canapés in 18 varieties just for the luncheon reception and a special beer from the Windsor and Elton brewery was made for the occasion. One notable part of the wedding day was when the couple is seen in a classic Aston Martin. There had been many comments made of the beautiful cars seen that day.

Most couples planning a wedding have much less than a royal budget to work with, but one custom for many is renting a limo or special car for the big day. Some couples may also own or have a family member with a special car for the occasion. Here in Florida as in much of the United States, one favorite car of choice is a Cadillac. Whether it is a classy vintage convertible or a modern Cadillac limo, a statement is made for the wedding party.

Special cars like Cadillac limousines can help make some of life’s milestone moments really memorable. Think of the young man who wants to take a special date to the high school or college prom night; he may rent a Cadillac limo. Many couples include the limo in their wedding photo album and look forward to a few other special occasions like seeing the children finally get married. A limousine may not be seen again in the family photo albums until a family funeral. Whatever the special occasion from first date to last ride, a Cadillac limousine or other model is a top choice to mark the many milestones in a family’s life journey

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Plans are underway for the 2012 Grand National hosted by the Florida Suncoast Region

The Cadillac & LaSalle Club will most certainly enjoy The Renaissance Hotel at World Golf Village  in St. Augustine  for  the 2012 Grand National!

The Renaissance Resort has recently earned AAA 4 Diamond distinction! The Renaissance World Golf Village Resort offers fresh, well appointed accommodations featuring 37-inch flat-panel televisions, sparkling new bathrooms and furnishings, high-speed wireless Internet access, spacious work areas, wet bars and refrigerators among many modern luxuries. Meet in the largest combination hotel and convention center between Orlando and Atlanta. Within 15 minutes of the resort enjoy 108 holes of championship golf, including the Slammer and Squire, located just steps from your guestroom.

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Activities Director's Corner

Our April Picnic

Our May event is a visit to Bok Tower and Gardens

These meandering gardens are one of the best known achievements of famed 1920’s landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted Jr. A place for personal renewal and enjoyment, the Gardens offer you tranquil resting places, expansive panoramas and splashes of vibrant color. The acres of palms, ferns, pines and oaks create a year-round green backdrop to the seasonal splendor of azaleas, camillias and magnolia blossoms. One can also observe native wildlife species such as birds, reptiles and butterflies.

Bok Tower rises 205 feet above the gardens and houses one of the world’s finest carillons. Sixty bells in the carillon are featured in concerts at 1 and 3 pm daily, so if you want to enjoy the carillon concert, arrive in plenty of time for the 3pm performance!  Admission is $10 for adults and children under 12 are $3.

SEE YOU THERE!

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Sarasota’s 26-foot-tall

“Unconditional  Surrender”

May 8, 2011 marked the 66^th anniversary of V-E Day…the day WWII came to an end in Europe.  In our area, the controversial statue based on the famous photograph of a sailor kissing a nurse in Times Square stands proudly in

Sarasota.  Local debate is whether it is art or kitsch, but whatever the statement made, the sculpture certainly draws tourists and locals alike to downtown. Many couples have their pictures made mimicking the classic pose. Especially popular among the many WWII retirees in the Sarasota area, it’s certainly worth a visit on one of your one-tank-trips.

 

Hello again!

As Forrest Gump might have said if he attended our last monthly meeting: "Life is like a box of chocolates, you never know what you are going to see".  Members who were in attendance were treated to being able to get up close and personal with member Len Berman's recent acquisition, a late model Bentley Continental GTC.  Len and his brother, Ben are devoted car enthusiasts and also possess a nice assortment of Cadillacs in their collection.  Len was very enthusiastic demonstrating many of the different features incorporated into this masterpiece, using much of

today’s available technology. One such feature was the push-button trunk opener that was merely activated by the presence of the key fob.  Thanks to Len for bringing and sharing the recent addition to his stable with us.
 The next day was the Region’s annual Spring Picnic.  Like last year, this year it was held at the home of David Chestnut and David West.  This was a little change from some of the past picnics that were usually held in a local park.  The hosts played DVD's showing past car commercials from the 50's, 60's and 70's, plus other commercials from the early days of television.  It was interesting to see how life was depicted back in the day.

 May's event is a trip out to the Bok Tower and Gardens in Lake Wales on Saturday the 21st.  This is an event we have tried to schedule for the last few years, but it seemed one thing or another came up and we had to reschedule this trip.  This year it is all systems go!  We hope to see some new faces from the area at this worthwhile event. The Gardens are truly a place of peace and tranquility and transport us back to a more genteel era in our past. Plan to meet at the Gardens a little before 3pm, since the last carillon concert of the day is at 3. Admission is $10 for adults and children under 12 are $3. We plan to allow an hour to an hour and a half to tour these fabulous grounds, then we plan to caravan to a local restaurant to enjoy our patented camaraderie, and some good food as well.

In June we plan to visit one of the rarest locations in our part of Florida, the Gamble Plantation in Ellenton. This is the only surviving antebellum mansion that was built in this part of Florida, and the historical significance of this site cannot be overstated. It will make a fabulous photo-op for you and your Cadillac! Make sure you mark Saturday June 18 on your calendar. This has been changed from Sunday the 19^th as the Hickory Hollow restaurant nearby we will visit following our tour of the mansion isn’t open on Sunday. We strongly encourage you to experience their home-style Southern cooking ! It’s incredible and well worth the change of date, in fact their Mango Pie is well worth the trip in itself!  

John Fleming

2011 Regional Activities Schedule

Note changes and additions!

MAY   21, Sat, Bok Tower and Gardens, Lake Wales FL, 3pm. Restaurant following

JUN     18, Sat, Gamble Plantation, Ellenton FL, 3pm, Hickory Hollow restaurant following

JUL     16, Sat, Military Museum, Largo FL, time TBA        

AUG    Grand National, Columbus OH

SEP     TBA

OCT    TBA

NOV    20, Sun, Annual Fall Picnic, Philippe Park, Safety Harbor FL, 11 am

DEC    17, Sat, Annual Holiday Party,  Meyer’s home, Haines City FL, noon