Director’s Thoughts for June 2013

Thinking of June, in general, it is the month of the year when many things are happening. Outside of the car event season, weddings are a big ticket event that goes on. How many of you were married, or know persons who were married in June? Nowadays, you hear more & more about how couples are marrying on Friday’s. Things do change, don’t they? Vacation is another big event that goes on in June. During this month, the weather is warmer than in May, but not as stifling hot as in July, furthermore, in August. It is a good time for traveling.

On Thursday, May 16th, 15 “Free Spiriters” enjoyed their day tour of the PA State Police Academy and Museum, Hershey, Pa. Everyone was punctual meeting at the Cracker Barrel, Hamburg, Pa by 9:30. From there, the group traveled to Hershey, Pa without a hitch. Once there, we met with Major Adam Kisthardt, son-in-law to our very own Joanne Smith, who gave us a very informative brief insight as to the Hershey PSP Academy history including some present day statistics. Major Kisthardt is a member of the AACA & owns a 1969 Pontiac Firebird Convertible! He mentioned he just attended the car show, GM On Display, held @ Macungie Park, Macungie, Pa. 

When the Major needed to return to his duties, Ton M., a volunteer from the PSP Museum, gave a more in depth detailed history of the PSP. In Hershey back in 1904, Milton S. Hershey sold land to the PSP for $1.00. He wanted the PSP to stay in Hershey area. The Hershey Academy was first started in an old barn. Today they have a fine facility for learning. The history of the police uniforms & patches were reviewed by looking at the pictures of the many changes that took place over the years. Since 1988 to present, the patch worn, contains 3 items: Pa Keystone crest, the color black which stands for coal, & the color red which stands for the blood of fallen troopers. In the center of the patch where the PA Keystone crest is located, it is inside the New Brunswick Star which is the symbol of royalty which originates from Great Britain. 

Today, there are approximately 4,600 State Troopers, 230 of them being females. Female troopers were first introduced in 1972. To become a PA State Trooper is very competitive. You need to be between the ages of 21-39 to be considered for the academy. It is a very vigorous & intense 27 week coarse. As a cadet, you are up at approximately 4 AM & do not return to bed til approximately 9 PM. Each cadet class contains approximately 80-85 cadets. Courses run approximately twice a year, depending upon the state budget. Today, there are approximately 510 PSP vacancies. 

On the grounds of the Academy, we viewed the K-nine area & horse stable. For the K-nines, they contain bomb /narcotic/excellerant/cadaver sniffing dogs. For the horses, they are donated to the PSP. Once they fulfill their duties, the horses are adopted out to loving persons.

Lunch was enjoyed by all at The Farmer’s Wife Restaurant, Ono, Pa. A question & answer period was conducted by Sally Getz between the appetizer & entree. Everyone received a golden badge for completing their task of learning what it means to become a member of the PSP. 

Please keep abreast of the many events happening in your areas. Remember the annual chapter picnic on June 16th. 

HAPPY FATHER’S DAY to all of our Father’s!

“Free Spirit” Meeting Minutes, May 7 2013

Director, Sally Getz, called the meeting to order @ 7:40pm. There were 27 members & 1 guest present. Sally introduced guest speaker, Elizabeth Kennedy, Volunteer representative from the Gift of Life Donor Program of the Lehigh Valley. She began by sharing with us the story of her 19 year old son. One night an officer knocked on her door to tell her that her son was killed in an automobile accident. Split second decisions had to be made. She & her husband were unaware of her sons wishes as to his body upon death. They were unable to donate his organs because he was killed instantly, but, they did make a decision to donate much of his tissue. Tissue from her sons body was able to help 43 recipients. She explained to us that the biggest gift you can give to your family is to make your wishes to be a donor or not to be a donor known to them. At least 78 patients are receiving transplants daily due to the kindness of donors & their families. Elizabeth was very informative & gave us all a lot to think about. 

A correction was noted by Ed Lenny in April’s minutes as printed. The Oldsmobile Club of America did not have a misuse of funds. It seems that there is a disagreement within their BOD. A motion to amend the April minutes, & accept the rest, was made by Isabel Lenny, seconded by Don Sterner, so carried. Treasurer’s report for April given by Clarence Getz, motion made to accept by Kelly Haas, seconded by Kathleen Duckett, so carried.

I. COMMITTEE REPORTS

A. Historian – No report
B. Kempton – Kempton flyers are available for those who need some. 
C. Membership – Don Sterner reminded everyone that their chapter renewal dues will be due next month. 
D. Newsletter – No report
E. Programs – guest speaker is scheduled for September meeting. Sally reminded everyone to keep abreast of the Calendar of Events during their summer hiatus. 
F. Publicity – No report
G. Technical – an article was shared, which was in the Long Beach Island Chapter e-newsletter, on the dangers of using extended life antifreeze in your cars over 10 years old. Under no circumstances should an extended life antifreeze, which utilizes Organic Additive Technology (OAT, H-OAT, or N-OAT) as one of its chemicals, ever be used in the cars over 10 years old. It attacks the gaskets & gasket cements in the cars, causing major leaks & forcing ultra-expensive repairs. It has been documented, massive cooling system failures apparently caused by this antifreeze product. Antifreeze that can be used safely in the cars uses older-fashioned Inorganic Additive Technology (IAT) additive. You cannot tell by the color of the antifreeze if it’s safe to use. Also, the product may be labeled “Safe for Older Cars”-meaning 10 years old at most. Brands to be avoided are ALL Prestone lines & Zerex’s G-05 in the Gold-color container. Avoid any “extended-life antifreeze. None of us wants to pull & rebuild our cars’ engines. Acceptable brands are Peak, Peak’s HD Product “Sierra,” & Zerex Original Green in the WHITE container. While the original Zerex (the “green stuff”) is available @ NAPA stores & Pep Boys auto parts, Peak is available @ Advance auto parts. 
H. Ways-n-Means – blanket throws have been ordered. 

II. OLD BUSINESS

May 16 (Thursday)=PA State Police Museum & Academy Tour – Wear good walking shoes for approximately a 1 hour guided walking tour. Meet in back parking lot of Cracker Barrel, Hamburg, Pa @ 9:45am. Cost= $3.00 per each member, $6.00 per each non-member. Following the tour, we will all enjoy lunch @ “The Farmer’s Wife” restaurant.

DAF 2013 – Don Sterner announced he received a sponsorship for use for DAF 2013. Shirley Schaffer reported that Buick registration was doing very well. (Friday=45; Saturday=83; Sunday=71.) Sally has been in contact with a fellow BCA member from CA about sponsorship to be used for Friday night Hospitality night, and/or Sunday at Peaches n’ Cream Social. 

John Schieb, NE Regional Coordinator of BCA has suffered a major medical illness, but is now home recuperating. Best wishes to John.

Winery Tour – our chapter has been invited to meet up with the “BOOM” chapter of MD for a Winery tour, May 25th. Stacy & Don Sterner will look into a Winery Tasting tour in our area. Read on in this newsletter for more details.

III. NEW BUSINESS

Ballot – On the front of the April Bugle, you found a 2013 BCA Board of Directors Ballot form. Please take a few minutes to read each & everyone’s profile located inside. Then fill out the form & mail by June 1. Sally has received several emails from the candidates asking for their support, but, as always, voting is your choice. Remember, these are the people that make the decisions on what the BCA can & can not do. 

BCA Member from WI contacted Ed Lenny & Sally looking for assistance on a 1937-38 4 dr Buick Sedan, Special, or Century. If anyone knows where he may be able to locate one of these, please contact Sally for his information.

BOD meeting will be held May 29th @ Dave Brady’s at 6:30 pm.

50/50 Drawing – Alice Schaffer was the lucky winner of a “BUICK” flag. Congratulations Alice!

Motion made to adjourn by Kathleen Duckett, seconded by Alice Schaffer @ 9:10 pm, so carried. 

Respectfully submitted by: Stacy J. Sterner, Secretary 

‘FREE SPIRIT’ ANNUAL PICNIC

Sunday, June 16, 2013 at Weeping Willow Pavilion, Macungie Park, Macungie, Pa. Will partake in the sharing of lunch by 12:30pm. Bring your chairs & good stories to tell. ‘BUICK’ will be played & enjoyed by all! As always, as the chapter provides the meats, plates, drinks, cups, & utensils, members provide other foods by the following: Last names that begin with A-I, bring hot dish (hot plates provided) J-R, bring dessert S-Z, bring cold dish Picnic is held RAIN or SHINE! Come out to share the day with us! 

Saturday, June 15, 2013

“Clover Hill” owners, John and Kari Skrip, are riding a 200 mile bike race across the state of Massachusetts and have pledged to raise more than $8,000 to be donated to the Jimmy Fund for cancer research. We invite your car club to help us reach this goal by joining us on Saturday, June 15th from 1-5pm to show off your favorite ride. For a suggested donation of $10 per classic car each car owner will receive a token for a free glass of wine. 100% of the money raised will be donated to the Jimmy Fund! Naturally your club members would be invited into our tasting room to sample our wines as well.”

This very nice invitation comes to the “Free Spirit” chapter & its’ members to participate in the “Clover Hill Classic Car Event”. This winery is located: Clover Hill Vineyards & Winery, 9850 Newtown Road, Breinigsville, PA 18031. Their web site is events@cloverhillwinery.com, 610-395-2468. If you would be interested in attending, please let Stacy Sterner know, 610-285-2346, staze1016@aol.com ASAP. 

Stacy Sterner

Advance Maintenance Technology Simplifies Proper Car Care

Surveys have found that newer cars with built-in maintenance reminder systems are allowing owners to spend less time worrying about when to service their vehicles & more time enjoying vehicle ownership. 63% of motorists drive vehicles with a built-in maintenance reminder system that alerts them when it;s time to have service work performed. More than half (51%) of those drivers rely solely on the reminder system & have maintenance done only when the system says it’s due. Motorists should always follow automakers’ maintenance recommendations as found in vehicle owners’ manuals, including the use of in-vehicle maintenance reminder systems (where equipped) as an accurate indicator of when a car needs service.

Maintenance reminder systems make vehicles ownership easier, & having required services performed at the appropriate intervals results in better overall performance & longer vehicle life. Reminder systems can also save money by helping drivers avoid unnecessary service work. 

Reminder Systems & Vehicle Maintenance. Unlike traditional maintenance schedules based on time and/or mileage, maintenance reminder systems use various sensors & a computer algorithm to monitor vehicle operation& determine engine oil life based on real world use. The factors considered vary by reminder system, but commonly monitored values include hours of operation, engine rpm, cold starts, outside air temperatures, vehicle speed & more. This analysis of real-time vehicle operating conditions makes choosing an oil change interval based on traditional “normal” or “severe service” driving conditions obsolete.

Frequency of Scheduled Maintenance. Motorists who follow their in-car reminder systems may also see a change in the frequency of recommended oil changes. While older vehicles sometimes required oil changes as often as every 3,000 miles, advancements in engine & lubricant technology have extended oil change intervals to 5,000 miles or more on most newer cars. In some cases, engines that use synthetic or semi-synthetic oils can have oil change intervals of more than 10,000 miles! Today, motorists are beginning to accept longer oil change intervals, with 48% of drivers changing their oil every 3,000-6,000 miles.

Not All Oils Are the Same. While maintenance reminder systems typically call for extended oil change intervals, those recommendations are based on an assumption that the oil used in the engine meets the automaker’s specifications. Nearly 75% of motorists whose cars have built-in maintenance reminder systems understand that the accuracy of those systems depend on using engine oil that meet the vehicle manufacturer’s specifications.

Many newer cars today require the use of semi-synthetic oil (a blend of conventional & full-synthetic stocks) to maintain the warranty & ensure proper engine protection between oil changes. The use of full-synthetic oils is very common in European imports, high-performance models & engines equipped w/ turbochargers or supercharges. Using lower quality oil than required will compromise engine protection, decrease the accuracy of the maintenance reminder system & potentially void the engine warranty. It is important that motorists & service providers be aware of the relevant standards for each vehicle & only use engine oils that meet them. 

Highly Recommended. Motorists are advised to follow their vehicle manufacturer’s recommended maintenance schedule &, if their vehicle is equipped with a maintenance reminder system, to perform necessary maintenance when prompted by the vehicle. Ignoring maintenance reminder can increase vehicle wear & tear & potentially cause long-term damage. It is also important to know what type oil your vehicle requires & ensure that your service facility uses an appropriate product. The wrong oil could void a vehicle’s warranty, leaving the motorist to pay any needed repair bills. 

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639 W Tilghman St. Allentown, PA 18102
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610-820-9188