May 2016 Newsletter

Director’s Thoughts, May 2016

I trust everyone thoroughly enjoyed their Easter Holiday with their families & friends. Hope the Easter Bunny was good to everyone with supplying each & every one of us with diet, chocolate candies?! (HA, HA) One does have to enjoy at least once a year that sweet tasting chocolate taste of candy, right?

Besides those who have seasonal allergies & are miserable this time of year, we all are looking forward to getting those BUICKS out to let them run for another car season, right? Get them out & let them have some Spring time fun with you behind the wheel. Some of our members have already done some driving of their BUICKS. Don Atwood, Clarence/Sally Getz, Dan Reiniger, & Thomas Sylvester attended the 2016 Greater Lehigh Valley Auto Show, Stabler Arena, Bethlehem, Pa on Sunday, March 20th. Their BUICKS were on display outside the entrance to the Arena where everyone needed to pass by to enter the building. Although the day was cool & blustery with overcast skies, the group received many positives comments. The average comment made by persons was “Yes, I had a ???? Buick when I was younger but had to sell it because I got ……………(many reasons). Now I wish I had it back.” Have you ever said this about something you had? Now wish you had the item back. Chapter information (membership applications/newsletter), along with information about the upcoming 2016 Buick event was handed out to many passerby’s.

Here we are entering the month of MAY already, boy, the time is just passing by! I encourage all of you to remember to sign up for the upcoming day tours your fellow members are organizing for us all to enjoy during the next few months. It takes members like you to make successes happen!

Your Elected Director, Sally Getz

For all the “Free Spirit” mothers, the following is my wish from me to you:

Untitled
Here’s wishing you a Mother’s Day
That’s filled with every pleasure,
And a future that’s as happy
As the memories you treasure!

“Free Spirit” Chapter Meeting Minutes, April 5, 2016

Director Sally Getz called the meeting to order @ 7:30 pm. There were 22 members present. Our guest speaker is Mary Ann Snell. She talked about, “Who do you want to be in control of your decisions?” The Commonwealth of Pa or you? 2 items need to be thought of: Healthcare & Financial. No matter what, you NEED to appoint someone YOU CAN TRUST!!

Healthcare: if no living will/Healthcare POA, decision is as follows: spouse, children, parent, sibling, friend, Court appointed guardian.

Financial: during your lifetime & no POA, decision as follows: same as above.

After your lifetime, no will, decision? Spouse, parent vs. child(ren). Executor/executrix. Spouse inherits 30%, children inherit 50% of what is left. If no POA is decided upon, the STATE make decisions!

The same person you appoint for Healthcare can be same person for Financial. If you appoint 2 persons of WHOM YOU TRUST, both must agree & sign papers/checks, etc. Most important lesson learned during this presentation, APPOINT SOMEONE YOU CAN TRUST!!!

Treasurer’s report for March given by Clarence Getz, motion to accept, Rita Atwood, seconded, Alice Schaffer, so carried. Motion to accept March meeting minutes as printed in April newsletter, Don Sterner, seconded, Dolores Kennedy, so carried.

COMMITTEE REPORTS:
A. Historian – no report
B. Kempton – flyers are available. Ads are completed on 12 web sites.
C. Membership –“Welcome Back” Mr/Mrs. Dante Gamble. Quakertown, Pa D. Newsletter – no report
E. Programs –guest speaker for May = Ms. Jennifer Washney, American Cancer Society, :Raod To Recovery” .
F. Publicity – no report
G. Ways and Means – Looking into adding items to ways-n-means dept. Sold items during Hamburg meet in March.

I. OLD BUSINESS:
~Any member who would like to volunteer their time during the 50th Anniversary Celebration in July, please contact Mr. Dick Beckley, P O Box 128, Lewisberry, Pa. 17339. H=717-395-7128, dbeckley@epix.net

~GLVAS, Stabler Arena, Bethlehem, Pa = On March 20th, Don Atwood, Clarence/Sally Getz, Dan Reiniger & Thomas Sylvester had their Buicks on display.

~AOW during 2016 event –contact Dennis Snell if you have items you want on display @ AOW during the month of July.

II. NEW BUSINESS
~David Markel Auto Collection, Skippack, Pa-Sally has invited our chapter to participate in a day tour with the Ontelaunee Region AACA group on November 6th via Robert Hobaugh, Jr. Further details as this tour nears.

~ A “Thank You” note was received from the LVHN “Street Medicine” Program for the chapters’ kind donation.

~2016 Tours: Friday, April 22, 2016 – Mack Truck Museum & Lehigh County Historical Museum tours, tour masters Kathleen/Thomas Duckett.

Friday, May 27th – QVC tour, tour master, Stacy Sterner. Reserve = May 6th!

Saturday, June 18th- tours of JWR & Bob Greens’ Auto Museums. Reserve by June 12th!

~BCA Windshield Cards-The final design is completed. Many suggestions were to keep it easy. So, the middle of the card is empty. Therefore each chapter has the maximum flexibility to adapt these cards to their event. On the back side will be the National BCA member application. In addition, there is the 20% discount offer. The application is there because this is a concrete way to put the membership application in the hands of active hobby participants. By offering a discount @ the National level, this is also a prime opportunity for you to make a pitch for new membership in your chapter. It is anticipated that these cards will help promote the BCA & our chapter! Sally order the chapter allotment for now, 150.

~”TIME TO VOTE”-Remember to vote & mail in your ballot for BOD of National BCA. Forms are on the jacket cover of the April Bugle. Inside the bugle then, you can read about each proposed candidate!

~Ed Lenny-spoke about his day @ the Bulgari Complex, March 17th.

~Mr. Kriebel -“Model A” club members will volunteer time to park car trailers in designated areas 2 days during the 50th Anniversary Celebration in July.

~AOW -will have staff volunteer @ the gates during the July event.

~2016 1st Kempton Registration – Harry Lewis with a 1970 Buick GNX.

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

Respectfully submitted: Thomas Duckett, Secretary

Friday, May 27, 2016, QVC Studio Tour, West Chester, PA

Since opening in the fall of 1997, QVC Studio Park, West Chester, PA, has become a popular destination for thousands of visitors interested in seeing live television @ its finest. At this state-of- the-art broadcasting facility, guests will see & experience how QVC products are sourced, tested, brought to life on air, & delivered to millions of QVC customers. There are views into QVC’s more than 58,000 square feet of studio space where guests may be able to watch QVC programs in progress & may even catch a glimpse of a favorite host or guest!

Our tour time = 11:00 am. Walking shoes required. EVERYONE MUST HAVE ID! Plus, ALL guests will go through a security search, including a metal detector & bag search. We will meet @ Starlite Diner & Lounge & leave by 9:00 am SHARP! For those who are coming from a different direction & do not want to meet @ the diner, meet at the entrance of QVC, 1365 Enterprise Drive, West Chester, Pa 19380, at 10:30 am. Lunch will follow the tour.

Member = $5.00 per person, child (age 7-12)=$4.00 per child
Non-member = $10.00 per person, child (age 7-12)=$8.00 per child
Please send check, made payable to “Free Spirit” Chapter, to: Stacy Sterner, 121 Pheasant Drive, Kutztown, Pa 19530, by Friday, May 6, 2016.

Annual “Free Spirit” Chapter Picnic, Sunday, June 12, 2016

Annual picnic to be held @ Weeping Willow Pavilion, Macungie Memorial Park, Sunday, June 12, 2016. Lunch to begin @ 12:30 pm. You can join in & eat whenever you get there for we eat all afternoon long. The chapter will provide the meats, beverages, utensils, & paper products. You are responsible for bringing your EMPTY BELLIES, good foods, good Humor & good stories!

Last names which begin with letter:

A-I = hot dish
J-R = Dessert
S-Z = cold dish

This event is held RAIN or SHINE, so come on out & enjoy the day with your many Buick friends! Dolores Kennedy will be available to accommodate you to renew your “Free Spirit” Chapter dues, 2016-2017.

Saturday, June 18, 2016, SAVE THIS DATE!

Sally Getz is organizing a day tour to Frackville & Orwigsburg, Pa for “Free Spiriters”. They will be viewing 2 private collections of marvelous cars of Mr. John W. Rich & Mr. Bob Green. We will be meeting @ the Starlite Diner & Lounge, Allentown, Pa @ 0930 am. Our 1st stop will be Frackville, followed by Orwigsburg, followed with supper @ the McKeansburg Inn.

Member = $8.00 per person Child (4-12) = $4.00 per child
Non-member = $12.00 per person Child (4-12) = $6.00 per child
Please submit check, made payable, “Free Spirit” Chapter, to Sally Getz, 1060 Main Road, Lehighton, Pa 18235. Please RSVP = June 12, 2016.

BCA 50th Anniversary Celebration, July 27-30, 2016, Allentown, PA

Now it’s’ only 3 months away for this SPECIAL CELEBRATION to take place! If you haven’t registered yet, please do so for only 1000 cars will be allowed for display! REMEMBER, YOU MUST BE A NATIONAL BCA MEMBER TO DISPLAY YOUR BUICK!! It has been printed in the local newspaper that this event will definitely surpass the 100th Buick Anniversary Celebration held in Flint, Michigan in 2003! Aren’t you curious to know whether or not this statement will be be fact or fiction?

Motorists & Cyclists Can Share the Road Safely

Bicycles share same rules & same right. Millions of Americans ride bicycles to exercise, have fun, & get where they need to go. Today’s high tech 2-wheelers are not only perfect for fitness & recreation; they reduce road congestion & greenhouse gas emissions. Cycling can also be hazardous. Bicycles are associated with more childhood injuries than any other form of transportation except the automobile. During the summer, child bicycling deaths increase 45% above the monthly average. That’s not to say that bicycle safety is strictly a children’s issue. Statistically, cyclists ages 45-54 suffer the highest fatality rates. Head injuries are the leading cause of death in bicycle crashes & wearing a properly fitted bicycle helmet has been shown to reduce the risk by up to 85%.
Motorists bear a special responsibility to share the road safely with bicyclists, pedestrians, & other legal forms of transportation. Many don’t realize that in most states the law treats bicycles like any other vehicle & they should be given the same consideration. Motorists should double-check before changing lanes or making a turn – once for cars & trucks, & once for bicycles & motorcycles. Cutting into the path of a bicyclist while making a right turn is one of the leading causes of car-bike accidents.

Drivers should never tailgate a bicycle. Following too closely may cause a rider’s attention to be distracted from the road & traffic ahead. Don’t honk your horn. Honking near or behind a cyclist could startle the rider & cause them to swerve into traffic or lose control.

Be careful when opening your vehicle door. Road widths often force bicyclists to ide close to parked vehicles where they may be injured by an opening door. In Pa, it is the law that when passing, you must allow at least 4 eet between your vehicle & a bicycle to pass safely. When in doubt, yield to the bicyclist. Reduce your speed before passing so you have better chances of avoiding a sudden maneuver.

Rules for Cyclists = Because of the hazards inherent in sharing the road with motor vehicles, bicyclists need to ride cautiously & observe the following safety tips:
Ride on the roadway or shared pathways, rather than on sidewalks
Follow the same rules of the road as other roadway users, including riding in the same direction as traffic & following all the same traffic signals;
Signal all turns;
Wear a bicycle helmet every time & on every ride;
Be visible by wearing bright colors during the day, reflective gear in low light conditions, & use head & tail lights @ night.
Remember that respect is a 2-way street. Show motorists the same courtesy that you expect from them.

Close Calls

At least 1,500 people a year could avoid getting injured or killed on the road, government & university researchers say, if road rage could be eliminated. How to stop it? One way to do that, is to reduce tailgating, especially by young drivers. The most contributing factor noted by police in crashes caused by new drivers was following another vehicle too closely. Most crashes were tailgating was the primary cause factor happened between 2 & 3 pm, about the time high school classes are done for the day. In other words, the typical crash caused by a 16- or 17-year-old driver doesn’t involve a car careening off the road during a boozy, late-night joyride.

The Cause. Tailgating is so high on the list of accident causes because stopping involves more than just applying the brakes. It also includes perception time (realization that you need to stop) & reaction time (moving your foot to the brake pedal). At 60 mph, by the time the vehicle begins to slow down, it will have traveled more than 130 feet.
Most drivers know they should maintain a minimum of 3 seconds between a car & the vehicle in front. However, depending on factors such as vehicle condition, size & type, speed, time of day, road & weather conditions, & visibility, the time it takes to fully stop, & increasing speed from 35 mph to 55 mph nearly doubles the required stopping distance.

What Can You Do? If you find that another vehicle is tailgating you, remain calm & don’t let ego get in the way of safety. Do not slam on your brakes, honk your horn or use angry gestures. Instead, if there is an alternate lane, safely move over so the other car can pass. If you can’t move over, slowly increase the distance between your car & the one in front of you. That way, if the tailgater hits you, you’re less likely to hit another.

Over 40

According to today’s regulators & bureaucrats, those of us who were children in the 40’s, 50’s, 60’s, or even the early 70’s probably shouldn’t have survived, here’s why…..
We had no childproof lids on medicine bottles, doors or cabinets, & when we rode our bikes, we had no helmets. (Not to mention the risks we took hitchhiking).
As children, we would ride in cars w/ no seatbelts or air bags.
Riding in the back of a pick-up truck on arm day was always a special treat.
We drank water from the garden hose 7 not from the bottle!
We ate cakes, bread & butter, & drank cold drinks w/ sugar in it, but we were never overweight because we were always outside playing.
We shared 1 soft drink with 4 friends, from 1 bottle, & no one actually died from this.
We would spend hours building our go-carts out of scraps & then head down the hill, only to find out we forgot the brakes. After running into the bushes a few times, we learned to solve the problem.
No one was able to reach us all day! No Cell Phones…..Unthinkable!!
We did not have PlayStation, Nintendo, X-boxes……no video games, at all……no 599 channels on DSTV, video tape movies, surround sound, personal cell phones, personal computers, or internet chat rooms.
We had FRIENDS!! We went outsider & found them.
We played Red Rover, & sometimes, the tackles would really hurt.
Our baby cribs were covered w/ bright colored lead-based paint.
Tests were not adjusted – for any reason.
We fell out of trees, got cut & broke bone & teeth, & there were no lawsuits from these accidents.
There were accidents. No one was to blame but us. Remember accidents?
We had fights & punched each other & got black & blue & learned to get over it.
Some students weren’t as smart as others, so they failed a standard & were held back to repeat @ the same standard. Horrors!
We made up games with sticks & tennis balls & ate worms, & although we were told it would happen, we did not put out very many eyes, nor did the worms live inside us forever.
Out actions were our own. Consequences were expected.
The idea of parent bailing us out if we broke a law was unheard of. They actually sided w/ the law. Imagine that!!
If we got in trouble in school, & got punished…guess what? We got punished again when we got home…even worse!
This generation has produced some of the best risk-takers & problem solvers & inventors, ever.
We’d leave home in the morning & play all day w/ the neighbor children, as long as we were back when the street lights came on.
The past 50 years have been as explosion of innovation & new ideas.
We had freedom, failure, success & responsibility, & we learned how to deal with it all.
……And if you’re one of them! Congratulations!!
You had the opportunity to grow up – before lawyers & government regulated out lives… for our own good.

A Day At The Bulgari Complex

Thursday, March 17th, I spent a long day at the Bulgari Complex here in Allentown, where the Buick Club of America is conducting its 50th anniversary celebration this July. A couple of weeks ago, I had been asked to help in the filming of a documentary being made on the life story of Nicola Bulgari, and his involvement in the collector car hobby. The intention was to get about 30 of Mr. Bulgari’s cars out of the museums and onto the tracks at the complex so the film crew could capture them in action. I was one of the drivers.

In the morning, I drove the 1948 Buick Roadmaster Estate Wagon, a beautiful vehicle in deep green. The creative talent for the film were all from Rome, and the technical crew was from New York City. We were instructed to drive around the loops continuously while the crews used a drone to shoot the film, or video. Others were shooting still photos and also recording audio. We just kept driving around the loops until instructed to stop.

In the afternoon I drove the 1940 Buick Super Estate Wagon. This vehicle was once owned by the actress Bette Davis, and was given to her by the Warner Brothers studio after it had appeared in at least two of her films.

CALENDAR OF EVENTS

MAY – HAPPY MOTHER’s DAY!
1 – 33rd Annual Ciff Cowling Field Show, Bath Pa
1 – GM on Display Show, Macungie Park, Pa 610-608-7904
3 – Monthly chapter meeting, Starlite Diner & Lounge, Allentown, PA. Supper @ 6 pm, business meeting @ 7:30 pm. Guest speaker is Ms. Jennifer Washney, Program Manager, Mission Delivery East Central Division, American Cancer Society, Inc. Do you know, or have heard of “Road to Recovery”? Please join us to find out that compassion is still living inside of each one of us in today’s society.
15 – 33rd Annual Show, Wind Gap, Pa 610-704-6586
21 – 8th Annual Show & Shine, Quakertown, Pa 610-349-6985
22 – 15th Annual BBC Pre WWII Car & Brass era show, Railroad Museum of PA, Strasburg, Pa. 215-313-2734
27 – QVC studio Tour, West Chester, Pa (Chapter event)

JUNE 2016 – HAPPY FATHER”S DAY!
10-12 – The Elegance at Hershey, Hershey, Pa.
11 – Paoli Methodist Church Show, Paoli, Pa
12 – Annual Chapter picnic, “Weeping Willow” Pavilion, Macungie Park
17-19 – GM Nationals, Carlisle, Pa
18 – J. W. Rich & Bob Greens Museum tours. (Chapter event)

JULY 2016 – HAPPY 4th of JULY!
3 – Anthracite Region AACA 31st Annual Car Show, McAdoo, Pa
7 – Sam’s Pizza & Pasta Cruise, Schnecksville, Pa, 6 pm.
10 – Antique & Classic Auto Show, Newtown, Pa
27-30 – BCA 50th Anniversary Celebration, Allentown, Pa

CARS/PARTS “FOR SALE”

1939 Buick Special (41) 4-DR Trunk back Sedan, unrestored original car, Straight 8, manual transmission. Runs well! Rebuilt engine & components, brake system, drive train, transmission. Upgraded carb, electronic ignition, oil filter, NEW exhaust system. WW tires. Pics available. $16,500/negotiable. Ken Davis, 610-489-1649. kwmcdavis@verizon.net

1951 Buick Super (51) 4 dr. Excellent condition. Everything works, drive anywhere. Original paint interior. All mechanical things have been replaced or improved. 59,000 original miles. $11,500. William@ 610-970-7183, 484-948-6213.

1962 Buick Skylark Conv. Overall GOOD condition. Various NOS chrome installed. Runs/drives nice! Transmission, rear, top & rear window good. Dave’s Int. restorations, 525 Chestnut St., Emmaus, Pa 18049

1975 “Free Spirit” Buick Super Rare. Has the whole package minus the pace car script. T- tops bucket seats & console floor shift. Tilt wheel w/ original brushed aluminum three spoke wheel. 1800 made. This car is 100% complete minus trim rings & center caps. Comes w/ four original wheels & 4 appliance spoke wire wheels. 350 Buick 4 barrel & t-350 automatic. Needs complete restoration. CLEAN TITLE! $3500.00 obo Paul 605-9960.

1981 Buick Regal 4 DR dark green, garage kept. 75K mi. 717-576-7588

1987 Buick GN, T-Top blk w/ grey/blk int., orig parts, EXCELLENT condition, 3200 ORIGINAL miles. Stored in heat controlled garage. $28,500 (OBO), gbrentano@verizon.net

1996 Buick Riviera Diamond White w/ excellent burgundy leather interior. 106K miles. Supercharged, chrome wheels, astroroof. Garaged kept. New tires 9,000 miles ago. Super clean; not driven in winters; used for BDE Tours. Cold AC. Well maintained Buick. $7000. If not sold before, will be at BCA Celebration in July. Ed Lenny BCA # 7534 Allentown, PA. lugnuts36@icloud.com , 610-751-7700

1951-52 Buick Mustache Bar to be rechromed, very hard to find! $400.00. William, 610-970-7183, 484-948-6213.