Director’s Thoughts- NOVEMBER, 2014

10 BEST REASONS TO LOVE FALL – After last winter, the first signs of fall may be met w/ dread. You know what I’m talking about. But I prefer to focus on everything we love about fall for now. Because I’m living in the moment & that doesn’t include snow & ice.
+ Fall Foliage. What everyone thinks of when they think of fall.
+ Nights are cooler. Which is nice after a lot of humidity & running the air conditioner 24/7. Leave your windows open, light a fire, or throw on a sweatshirt & take a walk w/ someone.
+ Pumpkin anything. Pumpkin bread, pancakes, seeds, muffins, scones, pie, lattes, oh my!!
+ Halloween. I haven’t outgrown this holiday, have you? Kids can help you rediscover the joy in dressing up & decorating w/ pumpkins, gourds, pretty fall mums & marigolds. Plus, there are so many fun Halloween decorations, including pumpkin carving!
+ My favorite shows are back. They’ve upped the ante on TV series. Well-known actors, writers, producers, & amazing scripts are finding their way onto the small screen, giving us so many options, especially w/ streaming & demand service.
+ My favorite “Buick Throw” is draped over the back of the living room couch.
+ The Swimsuit season is over. Enough said.
+ Apple anything. Apple cider, homemade applesauce & caramel apples.
+ Football. Cheering for the home team is a lot of fun. Add some dip & chips & a plate of hot wings, 7 that favorite “Buick Throw”. It doesn’t get better than that.
+ And, of course, Thanksgiving! Food, fun & family! Remember to give “Thanks” for all your blessings on this very special day!

Your Director, Don Sterner

“Free Spirit” Meeting Minutes, October 6, 2014

Director Don, called the meeting to order @ 7:45pm. There were 24 members & 2 guests present. Motion to accept September meeting minutes as printed in the October newsletter made by Isabel Lenny, seconded by Alice Schaffer, so carried. Motion to accept treasurer’s report of September made by Dolores Kennedy, seconded by Kathleen Duckett, so carried.

Bob Bohnenberger, a member of our chapter & a personal insurance agent, spoke to us on the “Ins & Outs of Medicare”. He explained the different types of coverage, & also expressed the importance of asking our doctors about using Generic drugs whenever possible to avoid high medication costs. Bob’s presentation was very interesting & informative. He left the group w/ many handouts that we can study & use as a reference when choosing our Personal Medicare Plan(s).

COMMITTEE REPORTS:
A. Historian –Stacy Sterner has volunteered to work w/ web master on learning to place newsletter & pictures on the web site.
B. Kempton – Flyers are still available. A Volunteer list for many Kempton duties was passed around for everyone to sign up. Kailyn Schaedel, granddaughter of “King” & Peggy Schaedel, has volunteered to help @ Kempton.
C. Membership –No report
D. Newsletter –No report
E. Programs – 2015 guest speaker scheduling is under way. If anyone has an idea, please let Sally know.
F. Publicity – Is there a volunteer to fill this position?
G. Ways and Means – No report

I. OLD BUSINESS
Calendar of Events: October 26 = Kempton show
November 4 = Monthly Buick Meeting
December 2 = Annual “Holiday Gathering”
December 13 = America on Wheels Train Display

II. NEW BUSINESS
Election of Officers: Listed below are the current officers whose terms are up @ the end of 2014:
Treasurer (Clarence Getz = 1 year term)
Secretary (Stacy Sterner = 1 year term)
Board of Directors (Shirley Schaffer = 2 year term)
(Thomas Sylvester = 2 year term)
The following nominations were taken 7 will be voted upon during the November meeting:
Treasurer (Vote for 1) Clarence Getz (1 year term)
Secretary (Vote for 1) Stacy Sterner (1 year term)
Board of Directors (Vote for 2) Shirley Schaffer (2 year term)
Thomas Sylvester (2 year term)
Don Atwood (2 year term)
John Moore (2 year term)
2016 Buick National, Allentown, PA – Sally will be attending the October 13th meeting in Allentown, PA. At this time she did not have anything to report. She will give us a full report during the November’s meeting.

Motion made to adjourn by Isabel Lenny, seconded by Dave Brady, so carried @ 8:55 pm.
Respectfully submitted by: Stacy J. Sterner, Secretary

“FREE SPIRIT” ANNUAL HOLIDAY GATHERING, DEC 2, 2014

WHERE: Starlite Diner & Lounge, Rts. 100/78.
WHEN: Tuesday, December 2, 2014. Social hour with cash bar, 5:00 pm.
Dinner, 6:00 pm.
MEALS: Dinner includes: Soup-n-salad bar, entrée, baked potato, vegetable,
Soft drinks (hot/cold), & a Premium Dessert!
ENTREES: Please pick your choice for everyone in your party. (The chapter will be assuming the cost for members & their spouse.)
Black Diamond Steak_________
Roast Turkey _________
Broiled Salmon _________
Dinner will be followed by our famous “CRAZY BINGO”. As each person brings a $10.00 WRAPPED gift, they leave w/ a $10.00 UNWRAPPED gift! Please mark your gift if it is for a man, woman or either.
Members Name__________________________________(FREE)
Spouses Name___________________________________(FREE)
Guest Name_____________________________________($25.00 per person)
Children 12 years & under_____________________ (Menu choice w/ price)
Please include a check for each guest, payable to “Free Spirit” Chapter, along w/ your reservation(s) & send to Stacy Sterner, 121 Pheasant Drive, Kutztown, PA 19530. Reservations will be received no later than Friday, November 21, 2014. ! If you never attended this event, you should, for everyone has a GRAND time!! Guaranteed, it will be a memorable night for YOU!!

Thieves Want your Car

Vehicles are equally inviting targets. According to FBI data while home burglaries have decreased 3.6% from 2011 -2012, car thefts rose 1.3%. Even if your car isn’t taken, property inside the vehicle can be grabbed. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration says vehicle thefts can be traced back to owner negligence nearly half the time- &, also nearly half the time, vehicles can’t be recovered.
New technology is a double-edged sword. While cars today have many electronic enhancements that make it easier to keep them safe (when driving & while parked), thieves have access to the digital world too & use it to target their automotive prey. For example, while vertical transponder key systems use non-repeating access codes (making it nearly impossible to start your car wo the key), hacker-minded burglars-armed w/ Laptops- can load their own pirated software into the car’s diagnostic port, deactivating the security system & even erasing the cars
VIN. The takeaway? No matter how many bells & whistles your vehicle has, it’s vulnerable, so take steps to protect it.

PARK IT AS SAFELY AS YOU CAN. If you have a garage, use it. If you’re parking elsewhere, use a well-lit, monitored lot whenever possible. Look for highly visible areas, but stay off the road if possible-& try not to leave the car parked for long, since thieves notice when a car seems to get little attention. If you must leave it for days on end, talk to your mechanic about disabling the fuses-or consider installing a starter interrupt (a kill switch).

LOCK IT. ALWAYS. That may seem like a no-brainer, but you’d be surprised how often people forget to lock the doors-& then their vehicle, or property inside it-gets stolen. The NHTSA reports that thieves will take anything in your car that sells, but the most popular items go beyond sound systems. Engines, air bags, transmissions, GPS units, iPods, laptops, & of course purses are all big-ticket items for robbers.

MAKE IT HARD TO TAKE. Interpol, the international police organization, advises car owners to park in front of obstacles-even if a thief can get into your car, it makes it that much harder to move. Turning wheels toward the curb creates a hurdle for burglars too. Never leave your keys in the car.

STAY ANONYMOUS. Never leave anything in the vehicle bearing your social security number along w/ your name & address. Your identity can be stolen along w/ your car.

USE ANTI-THEFT DEVICES. Pedal locks & steering-wheel clubs are a pain in the neck for thieves to disable; rather than struggle w/ them, they will often look for another target. Another option is a steel-encased engine disable, which presents a high hurdle for hotwires.

Keeping Kids Safe!

For Parents, keeping their children safe is a top priority. But even w/ the best intentions, accidents can still happen. Unintentional injury from car crashes, drowning, suffocation & fires is the leading cause of death for children ages 1-15. The statistics are tragic; however, many of these accidents can be prevented. So State Farm partnered w/ the Habitot Children’s Museum in Berkeley, California, to show families hoe to protect their children from some of the most common causes of injury & death. For the past 11 years State Farm has supported the museum’s annual Early Childhood Safety Campaign by providing $126,500 in grants, “We want to help parents keep their young children safe, whether they’re in the car or running around the house,” says a public affairs specialist representative in the State Farm Operations Center in Vallejo, California.

EMPOWERING PARENTS; Becoming a first-time parent is going into uncharted territory. There are so many things you want to watch out for, & it can feel very intimidating & frightening. Buy having the right information can make all the difference. Habitot’s annual safety campaign offers a 5-month-long series of events aimed at helping parents protect their children from injury or worse. The highlight of the campaign is the car seat safety inspections at various community locations. Using a car seat is essential for child safety- but to provide adequate protection the seats must be installed correctly. The museum offers trained technicians & police officers to inspect & correctly install car seats for participating families. Who also receive a free pass to the museum thanks to the State Farm grant.

The effort has paid off. More than 90% of the 1,287 car seats that have been inspected over the past 11 years were installed incorrectly, the museum reports. In addition, 28 families have received free car seats to replace their unsafe or expired ones.

MAKING AN IMPACT. Habitot’s safety campaign also includes an annual 2-day child safety fair that features safety experts from multiple organizations, including State Farm. To ensure all families have access to the event, the grant from State Farm provides guests w. free admission. Parents & children can learn about choking hazards, toxins in their home; & water, fire & earthquake safety. They can even purchase a child’s bicycle helmet for just $9. The State Farm funding has helped expand the reach of the safety campaign. Because of this support, Habitot has:
+distributed 2,133 bicycle helmets, including 918 provided free to low-income children
+handed out > 600 choke tubes, which help parents discern whether an object of food is small enough for a child to choke on
+given away 5,000 safety handouts on many topics
+provided > $34.000 in free museum admissions during safety events.

Old Car Trivia
What was the 1st official White House car?
1090 White Steamer ordered by President Taft.

Who opened the 1st drive-in gas station?
Gulf, Pittsburgh in 1913.

What city was the 1st to use parking meters?
Oklahoma City, July 16, 1935.

Where was the 1st drive-in restaurant?
Royce Hailey’s Pig stand, Dallas in 1921.

True/False? The 1953 Corvette came in white, red & black.
False, 1953 “Vetts” were available in 1 color, Polo white.

What was Ford’s answer to the Chevy Corvette & other legal street racers of the 1960’?
Carroll Shelby’s Mustang GT 350.

What was the 1st car fitted w. an alternator, rather than direct convert dynamo?
1960 Plymouth Valiant.

What was the 1st car fitted w/ a replaceable cartridge oil filter?
1924 Chrysler.

What was 1st car to be offered w/ a “Perpetual Guarantee”?
1904 ACME, from Reading, PA. Perpetuity was disturbing in this case, as ACME closed down in 1911.

What American luxury automaker began by making cages for birds & squirrels?
George N. Pierce Co., of Buffalo who made Pierce Arrow, & also iceboxes.

What car 1st referred to itself as a convertible?
1904 Thomas Flyer which had a removable hard top.

What car was the 1st to have its radio antenna embedded in the windshield?
1969 Pontiac Grand Prix

What car used the 1st successful series production hydraulic valve lifter?
1930 Cadillac 453, the 1st production V16.

Where was the World’s 1st 3-color traffic lights installed?
Detroit, Michigan in 1919. 2 years later they experimented w/ synchronized lights.

What type of car had the distinction of being GM’s 100 millionth car built in the US?
March 16, 1966 saw an Olds Toronado roll out of Lansing, Michigan w/ that honor.

Where was the 1st drive-in theater opened & when?
Camden, NJ, 1933

What auto was the 1st standardized production key start system?
1949 Chrysler.

What did the Olds designation 4-4-2 stand for?
4-barrel, 4-speed transmission & dual exhaust.

What car was the 1st to place the horn button in the center of the steering wheel?
1915 Scripps-Booth Model C. The car also was the 1st w/ electric door latched.

What US production car has the quickest 0-60mph time?
1962 Chevy Impala SS 409. Did it in 4.0 seconds.

What’s the only car to appear simultaneously on the cover of Time & Newsweek?
Mustang.

What was the lowest priced mass produced American car?
1925 Ford Model T Runabout. Cost=$260, $5< 1924.

What automaker’s 1st logo incorporated the Star of David?
Dodge Brothers.

What was the 1st car to use power operated seats?
They were 1st used on the 1947 Packard line.

When were seat belts 1st fitted to a motor vehicle?
1902, a Baker Electric Streamliner racer which crashed @ 100mph on Staten Island.

What do the letters, AC, stand for on AC Spark Plugs, Oil Filters, etc?
Albert Chrysler.

In July of 2016, what will the big Buick event be called: BCA National Buick Meet or BCA 50th Anniversary Buick Celebration?
BCA 50th Anniversary Buick Celebration.

December 13, 2014

Please join me @ America On Wheels to see the model trains, autos & the Lego village on Saturday, December 13th. We will meet @ the Trivet Diner, Tilghman St. Allentown, for lunch (PAY your own). Then, promptly @ 1pm we will leave the Trivet parking lot for America On Wheels. Since it is December (not a great time for touring), we will go directly to the museum where we will have a guided tour. After our tour we will relax in the Hubcap Café @ the museum & enjoy some ice cream. The Hubcap café is a restored 1950’s soda fountain. You can play the juke box there! There will be time after the tour to re-visit the displays, if you choose. I have found that our grandchildren love the displays, especially the LEGO’S. Please think about having them join us!
Member=$5.00 per person
Member child(ren) up to age 12=$3.50 each child
Non-member (guest)=$10.00 per person
Non-member child(ren) (guest)=$7.00 per child
Make checks payable to “Free Spirit” Chapter of PA.
Mail to Kathleen Duckett, 6023 Riverview Rd., Slatington, PA 18080
Questions? 610-760-2467 R.S.V.P. by December 1, 2014.

CALENDAR OF EVENTS

NOVEMBER 2014
4 – Monthly chapter meeting, Starlite Diner & Lounge, Rts 100/78, supper @ 6:00pm, meeting @ 7:30pm. Guest speaker is a representative from Miller-Keystone Blood Center. Also, elective nominations will be voted upon for the previously mentioned positions
DECEMBER 2014
2 – Annual chapter “Holiday Gathering”, Starlite Diner & Lounge. Social hour=5:00pm, dinner @ 6:00pm. “Crazy Bingo” will be played. Watch for more details in future newsletters.
13 – “America on Wheels” tour w/ Kathleen/Thomas Duckett
JANUARY 2015 (WEATHER PERMITTING)
6 – Monthly chapter meeting, Starlite Diner & Lounge, Rts. 78/100, supper @ 6 pm, business meeting @ 7:30 pm.
16-18 – Auto Mania, Ag Hall, Allentown, PA

CARS/PARTS “FOR SALE”

1917 Buick Roadster All restored. $25,000.00, 860-982-3001.
1927 Buick Sport Roadster (54) 3p, very rare car. Jack Bennett, representative for Rose Nemeth, (Erno’s wife,) Ringoes, NJ 908-303-5391
1956 Buick Century Riviera Series 60 – 4 dr htp. Original 322 “Nail Head” V8 Road Master engine (255hp) w/ “Dyna Flow” A/T & factory dual exhaust. PS, PB, PW & S. Sonomatic push button radio, factory deluxe lighting pkg. 72,700 original mi. Frame/body solid. Garage kept. Pics available. $15,000.00/negotiable. 570-309-2367, Robert.stavish@gmail.com
1969 Skylark Convertible – kimberly.pavlick@scranton.edu
1981 Buick Regal – 4 dr dark green. Garage kept. 75,000 mi. 717-576-7588
1937-40 Buick Straight 8 Engine, $1500 OBO,610-349-7760, robinbrumfield@rcn.com
1937 MINT Buick Owner’s Manual, $35.00. kriebel12@verizon.net
1972-’87 pr. of NOS brake rotors for FS Buick, $45.00. 610-489-1253
1983-’86 Buick Regal NOS headlight frame LF in original GM box, $25.00. kriebel12@verizon.net, 610-489-1253
In Search Of
1951-52 Buick Roadmaster RH grille bar extension. C. Wenger @ 443-710-6624, crewzn@broadstripe.net
Late 1980’-Early 1990’s Buick LeSabre/Electra – In good running condition for daily driver use in local town driving, reasonably priced. Does not have to be in perfect condition. Harold, 610-826-2639.
1967 Buick Electra Convertible, 610-730-4599, dwebster80@gmail.com