PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE

Hope everyone had a Merry Christmas and survived with a few bucks left to buy a toy or two for each other. We made the Christmas trip to KY with the little white truck loaded down with prizes for all but came back a lot lighter. We lucked out and left the day before the NC snow and came back a few days after the WV and VA snows. Always glad to miss the snow adventure during our Holiday trip. We came back and celebrated Christmas in Greensboro and at home. We all have a lot to be thankful for. I would like to take this opportunity to thank the outgoing officers and board members for their efforts the past year. I have no agenda as your President except to do the bidding of the members. This is your club so let’s all join together to increase our membership, keep afloat financially and enjoy good fellowship. Please wish the officers, the board and me luck in doing your bidding. I ask for your help with whatever events or tasks that the club decides to tackle this year. I want to thank Dave Rich and Company for outdoing themselves again this year with a stellar Christmas shindig. I just don’t know where he finds such fine talent, especially the grapes and cowboys. As President, I recommend we invite his entourage back for a return engagement next December. We have an immediate need for hosts each month. This seems to be a problem since some members serve two times a year and some none. Please let’s all step up and take a turn.

Tal Johnson, President, Alamance RegionTal Johnson, President, Alamance RegionTal Johnson, President, Alamance RegionTal Johnson, President, Alamance Region

ANNOUNCEMENTS

It was announced at a previous meeting that one lock was changed on the club house door. All members were not present

and may not be aware of the change. If you need a new key or are a new member and need one, please see either Richard or

Rick Holmes. If you have an old door key please return it to them and save us the cost of a blank key.

The North Carolina Region annual membership meeting is January 15th and 16th at the Ramada Inn in Burlington. The AACA

National Judging School will be held on Friday, January 15, 12 to 2 p.m. followed by a National Apprentice program from 2 to 3

p.m. and the judging of member’s vehicles from 2”30 to 5 p.m. The annual meeting will be Saturday from 2 to 4 p.m. There

are several information seminars between 8 a.m. and 2 p.m. If anyone is interested, call George.

News Briefs

It’s time to welcome our newest members, Ande and Mary Shoe! Ande is the assistant funeral director at Lowe Funeral Home and Crematory. They have a 188Olds Cutlass Supreme Brougham and Ande assists Bill Simpson with his 1941 Packard Henney Hearse. The public and members got a good look at that vehicle at our annual Car Show in May. Jeanne Johnson, Treasurer, asks that you please remember to bring your annual dues to the January meeting or drop them in the mail (P.O. Box 565, Mebane, NC 27302), as soon as possible. The Club membership roster will be sent to National

in February and she wants it to include all of our members.

The Weak The Weak The Weak The Weak SparkSparkSparkSpark

Volume 8, Issue 1, January 2010Volume 8, Issue 1, January 2010Volume 8, Issue 1, January 2010Volume 8, Issue 1, January 2010 www.alamanceaaca.orgwww.alamanceaaca.orgwww.alamanceaaca.orgwww.alamanceaaca.org

It was good to see Wallace Compton riding the range again at the Christmas party after knee replacement. Check your calendar and be ready to sign up to host a monthly meeting in 2010. It

would be nice for our long-time members to ask newer members to host with them so the new

folks can learn the ropes. Our thoughts go out to Tommy Terrell as he is also recovering from knee replacement surgery. HAPPY DAYS There were three anniversaries among our membership in the month of January in years past. Sylvia and OT will mark theirs on the 18th , (but possibility, or probably, celebrated back on that cruise they took with Jane and Bob King). Pat and Sam Burke will celebrate on January 25 and the Hudsons, Kathleen and Charlie, on the 28th. Birthdays include Debbie Holmes on January 10th, Sam Burke on the 17th, Beckie Pickett on the 23rd, Bill Webster on the 25th, Vickie Webster on the 27th, and Chip King on January 31. Happy days to all!

Bess and the Candy Apple “Dress” By Rick Holmes

Bess is a member of my family that many of you may not have met yet. She is a lady only about a year younger than myself, that became a member of my family in the late 1970’s. Like many of us, she has many stories to tell, and more than her fair share of battle scars. Bess is a 1966 Ford Mustang that I have had since high school! She came into my life as a replacement to my first car, another ’66 Mustang that met an untimely demise. In 1981, Dad and I pulled Bess out of the barn and restored her with a new interior and a beautiful new Candy Apple Red paint job, and a freshening up of the Sprint 200 six cylinder engine. She was my daily driver through high school. Debbie and I went on many dates in this car throughout high school and later while I attended NC State. She joined me on a graduation trip to Myrtle Beach, SC, and was unfortunately hit from behind while sitting at a stoplight, and we had to limp back home. Once again, she was restored and used as a daily driver, reliably getting me through college life, marriage, and starting a family. I had to rebuild the engine and automatic transmission after she threw a rod on I-85 while returning home from work. After she participated in our spring car show in 1996, a monsoon combined with bald tires created an exciting ride again on I-85 in Burlington, resulting in expensive front end damage. She has been semi-retired since then, waiting patiently for me to get busy on her physical therapy. I currently am being “encouraged” (pestered!) by my children to get busy to bring Bess back from retirement. Hopefully I’ll be able to bring her to a show soon, sporting yet another Candy Apple Red “dress”!

Alamance Region AACA Minutes

December 12, 2009 The December 2009 meeting of the Alamance Region AACA was held at the Lake Mackintosh Club House on Saturday, November 12th at 6:30 PM. The meeting was called to order by our president, Bill Webster, who thanked the hosts, Dave and Pat Rich. This being our annual Christmas party, Pat Rich had the tables decorated in a Christmas theme. We had 48 members, 23 guests, and 17 children for a total of 88 in attendance. President Bill informed us of the following: 1) George and Mary Jo Milne are continuing editorship of The Weak Spark on a month-to-month basis until someone steps forward and accepts this position. 2) Richard and Rick Holmes have new keys made to the clubhouse. Any members needing the new key please see them.

2009 Officers President: Tal Johnson

919-563-0184 V. President: Chip King 336-227-8619

Secretary: Dave Rich 336-226-4805 Treasurer: Jeanne Johnson 919-

563-0184

Board of Directors Ex-Officio: Bill Webster 336-228-0419 2009 Glen Thomas, Tommy Terrell

2010 Mary Watson, Rick Holmes, Ray Fowler

Committees

Bldg/Grnds Richard Holmes,

336-578-1511

Editors G & MJ Milne, 919-563-0494

Hospitality Barb & Jim Ivey, 336-282-4642

Membership Floyd Smith,

336-228-1526 Show Chairman Chip King, 336-227-8619

Chief Judge Rick Holmes, 336-578-5334 Webmaster Ed Tulauskas,

336-684-8085

Youth Coordinator Rick Holmes,

336-578-5334

Club Photographer Dave Rich

336-226-4805 Hosts:

Jan. Floyd & Elsie Smith , Tal

& Jeanne Johnson Programs: Jan.: Chip King

Car Article: Jan.: Rick Holmes

BABY OF THE

YEAR !!!

Just Call Bill Webster, or email him, with your

answer: 336-228-0419

or wltootie@aol.com

3) Dave Rich is to get pictures of the cars selected for this year’s dash plaque to George Milne so that he may order the dash plaques. 4) Board voted to continue baby photo contest and member’s car articles in each monthly edition of The Weak Spark. Please submit to George Milne. 5) Dues for 2010 are due so please give to Jeanne Johnson. 6) Thanked everyone for his or her support of our car club during 2009. 7) Showed us photo album given to our club by Faye Boswell from Hopice of pictures taken at recent Hospice Car Show. Faye noted in album that Alamance Region had raised $136,000 for Hospice over a 12-year period of car shows. 8) Our meal was being catered by Feed-Em-A-Lot caters (Dave & Pat Rich) and included grilled chicken quarters, beef tips and rice, baked ham, sweet potato casserole, green beans, cheese/potato casserole, salad bar, homemade sourdough bread, variety of desserts, tea and coffee. Jeanne Johnson, our treasurer presented our November financial report and it was accepted as presented. Minutes of November meeting were approved as printed in December Weak Spark. Bill turned the meeting over to Dave Rich from MELAL (Make-Em-Laugh-A-Lot) Productions for our program entitled “Alamance Region’s Got Talent”. This was a variety talent program featuring the following acts: 1)I Heard It Through The Grapevine-The Alamance Region Grapettes, 2) Elvira-The Alamance Region Cowboys, 3) Piano Medley-Kay Kirkpatrick, 4)Santa Baby-Tonya Davis, 5)The Christmas Song-Jimmy Cartner, Four Christmas songs by the entire membership-led by Jimmy Cartner and Candi King, 6)Dancing Queen-Tonya and Michaela Davis & Tyra Ray, 7)Glory, Glory-Gary Ray, Dave Rich, Jeff Downs, Jimmy Cartner, 8)Not That Far From Bethlehem-Tonya Davis, Tyra Ray, Kelly Crawford, 9)O Holy Night-Kelly Crawford, 10)Merry Christmas With Love-Jimmy Cartner. The meeting was adjourned immediately following the program. Respectively submitted by your elected secretary,

Dave Rich

ARE YOU OUR NEW EDITOR?

Okay, we’re back. We haven’t succeeded in retiring yet but the fact is there: we will retire as soon as someone, that’s someone who does not already have a club job, offers to take our place. We really do have other activities on our own Agenda but we will continue to give as much of our time and energy as possible to the club, however, our Agenda will come first. That’s just plain old logic, common sense, whatever.... We wouldn’t be here at all if it were not for several of our members who always manage to come up with some type of help and support. Dave Rich must be the busiest man in town. We know he gives of himself and his time to his church. And we know he gives us a lot of his time and energy: club secretary, Board secretary, photographer, reporter, CEO of the Production company which gives us at least one program a year and a lot of laughs, assistant to the CEO of the FEAL Caters who feed us so well, and so much, at our annual party. And we can’t forget his wife Pat, (the real CEO of FEAL) who seems to be doing most of the work. She’s priceless. Then there is Ed Taulauskas, who not only works for a living but manages to keep tabs on our great, frequently updated website, and also is a constant contributor of knowledge, copy, ideas, machine maintenance, and just plain old support when we yell “HELP”! He even calls from out of town when we need him.

NC Region AACA Annual To be held at the Ramada Inn, Membership Meeting Agenda Burlington, NC Friday, Jan.15, 12-2 pm AACA National Judging School 2-3 pm National Apprentice Program 3:30-5 p.m. Judging Members Vehicles Saturday, Jan. 16, 8 am-10am NC Region Board meeting 8-9 am American Classics 9-10 am Truck Beds 10-11 am Judging Etiquette 10-11 am Pedal Cars 11-12 pm Blue Ridge Com. College 11-12 pm Trailer Purchase 12 Noon LUNCH 1 -2 pm Accident Investigation 2-4 pm NC Region Annual Business (Officer Poer, HPPD) Meeting

Several of the others also do their thing now and then. We’ve heard frequently from Mary Watson, Gayle Terrell, and Jeanne Johnson, Bob King, Rick Holmes, Chip King, and a few others, occasionally. And Barbara Ivey has never failed to cheerfully complete her assignment on time. And guys like Floyd Smith, OT Smith and Bob King do lots of dirty work for our Hospice Commitment. And practically everybody helps Chip with our car shows. As is the case every month, we don’t believe in repeating what’s been printed by National when we know you all receive their publications. That means, sometimes we have more pictures than news copy. However, if it doesn’t bother you, it doesn’t bother us, and we’ve heard no complaints. Seems we’ve built up a loyal following. One of the reasons for this, in our humble opinion, is that we, as a club, are a close group of people. We talk among ourselves, we cover most info in the newsletter, and though most of you don’t admit that you read it—we bet you do! We count approximately 85 paying members/families, with close to 70 members who come more often to the meetings than they miss them. So there you have it. Pat each other on the back (gently, gently) and get ready to sign up for hosting, car articles, programs, and whatever else you have time to do for the Alamance Region. That’s what being “a member of the Club” is all about. Mary Jo & George Milne

Woes of a Roadie By: Dave Rich

Vice President of Meat Procurement, Grillin’ and Smokin’ Feed-Em-A-Lot Caters Company

When I applied for a job with FEAL (FEED-EM-A-LOT) Company, President and CEO, Pat Rich, promised me a position with a title, a position of importance, and lots of excitement to go with it. If it gets anymore exciting, I don’t think I can handle it. Take for example my recent experience of helping this company cater the AACA-Alamance Region Christmas party. We finished so late on Saturday night of the event that I had to come back the next Sunday to get all the equipment. I wasn’t worried because Alamance Region out-going V. President, Bob King, promised to meet me at 3 PM on Sunday to help me load the heavy stuff. I decided to take one load early Sunday morning and on the way home, the right tire of the cooker blew out. After driving a couple of mile with the tire and rim on the shoulder of the road, I ditched the cooker at the intersection on Hwy 61 and Brick Church road so I could get home to go to church. In the afternoon, I went back for second cooker and heavy stuff. Retired VP Bob forgot me so I had to load heavy stuff myself. On the way home, company truck called “Old Blue” runs out of gas forcing me to call President and CEO to bring me gas. On Monday morning, I decide to give retired VP another chance to help me by changing flat tire on cooker. On the way to meet Bob, Old Blue, won’t start after stopping to fill it up with gas. Call President and CEO again asking her to bring me another truck. In the mean time, I get call from retired VP asking me if I knew where I was, cause he didn’t. He said he had found me a new used tire for cooker for $20. I finally meet Bob and pull cooker across Hwy 61 to Battleground Tire Service. They charge me $25 for tire, and after they put it on, retired VP Bob tells me the tire I just bought will probably last longer than the cooker. Working with the public sure is tough. I wonder if FEAL Company cares how I feel?

AND A AND A AND A AND A

MERRYMERRYMERRYMERRY TIME TIME TIME TIME

WAS HAD BY WAS HAD BY WAS HAD BY WAS HAD BY

ALLALLALLALL

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

A NIGHT TO REMEMBER DECEMBER 12, 2009

Alamance Region AACA

P.O. Box 565

Mebane, NC 27302

Bess, the 1966 Ford Mustang owned by Debbie and Rick Holmes