2010 Club Meetings

Meeting November 4, 2010

The club met at O'Charley's Restaurant with fifteen members and two guests attending and George Greene presiding.

Our visitors, Bob and Judie Mabey, had driven with us in their white 1957 MGA on our October Fall Colors Drive, and they became new members at the meeting. They also own a yellow 1976 MG Midget and a red 1974 MG Midget.

We have $871.67 in the club treasury.

Our recent annual Fall Colors Drive was discussed including the police escort through a long section of narrow mountain road that was under repair. Everyone agreed that it was an especially enjoyable drive.

Our next event will be a drive to the Bush Brothers Museum on Saturday, November 20. Details will be announced soon by email and by posting on the club website.

Our November meeting of this year is the time designated to elect new club officers to serve the club for a two-year term beginning January 1, 2011. Jim Watson was elected as club President, Mark Bourne as Vice President, and JoAnn Hamilton as Secretary-Treasurer, each by a unanimous vote of all members in attendance.

Jim Watson's much appreciated offer to host the December meeting at his home with the club furnishing meat and members bringing a covered dish was discussed, but due to the distance and short daylight hours the members decided to decline and to meet at O'Charley's on our regular schedule.

A possible donation to a charity in December was discussed. Jim Stepp suggested a donation to "The Daily Bread" charity in Morristown. Members agreed to donate $100 from the club treasury and to bring some canned food to the December meeting, and Jim agreed to deliver it.

Meeting October 7, 2010

The club met at O'Charley's Restaurant with eleven members and one guest attending and George Greene presiding.

Our new member, Micky Walka, who is moving to our area from New Jersey, met with us for the first time and shared some photographs of his restoration work on his 1969 MGB. He also owns two MGAs of 1961 and 1957 vintage.

Jim Stepp of Morristown was our visitor, and he became our newest member at the meeting. Jim recently bought Jon Whitt's 1968 MGB.

We have $852.61 in the club treasury.

Al Bauerle who leads our annual Fall Colors Drive announced details. We will meet at Burger King near the traffic light on US 11W in Rogersville and depart from there at 10:30 AM. We will drive the same 80-mile route as last year and will again have lunch at the Pig & Chick Restaurant. Members of ABCS and ETMGDC are invited to drive together.

Jim Watson, our Drives Committee Chairman, will plan a drive to the Bush Brothers Museum for November 20.

Our October meeting of this year is the time designated to ask for volunteers and nominations for new club officers to serve the club for a two-year term beginning January 1, 2011. Jim Watson was nominated for President, JoAnn Hamilton volunteered to serve as Secretary-Treasurer, and our newest member, Jim Stepp, volunteered to serve as Vice President.

The meeting was adjourned to the parking lot around our British cars.

Meeting September 2, 2010

The club met at O'Charley's restaurant with fifteen members attending and George Greene presiding.

We have $852.61 in the club treasury. The club decided to use the proceeds from the raffle tickets to replenish the flower fund after having purchased a wreath for the funeral of Jon Whitt's mother.

The club decided by a majority vote to combine the club officers of Secretary and Treasurer into a single position, and to revise the by-laws.

Details for a the September drive and picnic at Paint Creek Recreation in the Cherokee National Forest on Saturday, September 18 were discussed. We will meet at McDonald's on highway 70 in Greeneville and depart from there at 10:30 AM. Mark Bourne will lead us and will have alternate plans in case of rain. Other clubs, ABCS, BBC, and BCCWNC will be invited to drive with us.

Jon Whitt spoke about his mother, Georgia Clark Whitt, who died on August 20. She was lifetime resident and member of one of the oldest families in Grainger County. She was a teacher for 37 years, a highly respected member of her community, and always a very big part of Jon's life.

The meeting was adjourned to the parking lot around our British cars.

Meeting August 5, 2010

The club met at O'Charley's restaurant with ten members attending and George Greene presiding.

George announced two new members, Micky and Linda Walka who will be moving from New Jersey to East Tennessee. They expect to move to Limestone, Tennessee in October or November.

The club issued a check for the $22.25 fee for our annual report which Susanne volunteered to handle for us. We have $852.61 in the club treasury.

JoAnn reported that the flower fund has reached $105. The club decided to stop asking for voluntary contributions until it falls below $100.

It was decided to cancel the August 14 drive to the fossil museum in Gray, and to participate instead in the August 21 Celtic festival in Big Stone Gap. We and ABCS will not be participating in the Sycamore Shoals Celtic Festival this year because of changes they decided to make to our standing agreement that our club members did not want to accept.

Ideas for a September drive were discussed, and we decided on Mark's suggestion of a picnic Paint Creek Recreation in the Cherokee National Forest on Saturday, September 18 and to invite ABCS members to join us.

Meeting July 1, 2010

The club met at O'Charley's restaurant with fourteen attending and George Greene presiding. We were pleased to have as guests, Terry Davis and son Danny, and Mark and Karyn Bourne brought their nephew Matthew. We were also pleased to have members Travis Whitt who just graduated from the Air Force Academy and Paul Kern who just returned from Australia.

George explained that the planned picnic gathering at Susanne Neidert's lakeside home was cancelled because he had been unable to reach her by email or phone to confirm it.

Chuck Hamilton discussed the upcoming drive and picnic at Hot Springs on July 10. Members should bring their own picnic lunches and beverages. See our events calendar on our website for details.

Members again discussed the possibility of our hosting a British car show sometime in 2011. Jim Watson suggested that we might make it a Euro Car Show and invite all European car clubs to come and show their cars grouped by club. As chairman of our new car show committee, Jim will begin to plan the event. George will be looking for a good place to hold it.

Paul Kern talked about his experiences in Western Australia which has about two and a half million inhabitants and is quite isolated from the rest of Australia. Perth is about 3,000 miles from Sydney. The British Car Club there has about 650 very active members. Paul's fiancée Glenice will be presenting the ABCS program in Kingsport next Thursday and will tell us about Australia and about her work with gold, diamonds, and jewelry.

Meeting June 3, 2010

The club met at O'Charley's restaurant with ten members attending and George Greene presiding.

The club treasury balance was reported to be a little more than $860 and the flower fund balance is $100.

Jim Watson announced that Herren Floyd won second place and Travis Whitt third place at the 23rd British car show in Townsend with only one point difference in their scores. Jim gave Herren his trophy plaque.

The Sunday drive on June 13 to Pine Mountain State Park in Kentucky was discussed. Everyone will meet at McDonald's in Tazewell at 10:30 AM. Lunch will be a little before noon at the Park's lunch buffet.

The picnic gathering at Susanne Neidert's lakeside home on Saturday, June 26, was discussed. It was decided that the club will buy the meat, buns, and condiments or possibly fried chicken at Walmart to avoid having to cook. Members should bring a side dish and arrive about 11:00 AM. George will contact Susanne who was not present at the meeting.

Chuck Hamilton announced that John Beck would like to invite British cars to be shown in conjunction with the Celtic Festival in Big Stone Gap on August 21. Unfortunately, the date conflicts with Arnie and Sue's Fun Rally.

Members again discussed the possibility of our hosting a British car show sometime in 2011. Jim Watson suggested that our club is not too small to sponsor a car show next year and that we might invite other area clubs to come and show their cars grouped by club. We could make up a sign for each club that agreed to attend. George Greene suggested that we award only one trophy to the club with the most British cars. JoAnn Hamilton suggested that we schedule it in Spring or Autumn rather than in the hot Summer. Jim asked members to think about this idea before the next meeting.

Meeting May 6, 2010

The club met at O'Charley's restaurant with eleven members attending and George Greene presiding.

Our meeting place was moved to a small partitioned section at the back of the restaurant to accommodate an annual meeting of a group of some forty people in our usual meeting room. We received apologies and special discounts on drinks and appetizers as compensation.

The club treasury balance was reported to be $862.98.

The meeting place and departure time for the Saturday drive to the British car show in Townsend were discussed. Members will meet at McDonalds in Alpha at the intersection of US 11E and Route 160 and depart from there at 9:30 AM.

The Sunday drive on June 13 to Pine Mountain State Park in Kentucky was discussed. Lunch will be at noon at the Park's lunch buffet.

Susanne Neidert invited the club to another picnic gathering at her lakeside home next month on Saturday, June 26. Members discussed the possibility of our hosting a British car show sometime in 2011 as had been suggested at the April meeting. Complete agreement of all attending was reached that our club is still too small and that we should not attempt to sponsor a car show next year.

Meeting March 4, 2010

The club met at O'Charley's restaurant with twelve members attending and George Greene presiding. Good food and fellowship were enjoyed by all.

The club treasury balance was reported to be $885.98. Members were reminded about club dues.

Details of our drive to the Ship Pub near Gatlinburg, and the drive to the April British Car Fools Bash near Chattanooga were finalized.

Jim Watson who is on the board of the Blount County Childrens Home told us about the important services that this organization has provided to troubled young people for 115 years. Since the state portion of their funding has been eliminated, they have a very urgent need to raise additional funds to be able to survive. Chuck Hamiltion's motion that we donate $100 from the club treasury was approved without objection, and members also contributed as individuals at the meeting.

JoAnn Hamilton will send cards to members who have not attended any meetings recently.



Meeting February 4, 2010

The club met at O'Charley's restaurant with fourteen members attending and George Greene presiding. We were very pleased to have Susanne Neidert in attendance, her first meeting since her husband's recent funeral.

The club treasury balance was reported to be $754.98 before club dues were collected from members at the meeting. Our Drives Committee has planned a drive on Saturday, March 20 to the Ship Pub near Gatlinburg. More details on that drive and others being planned will be announced later. We are invited to join the Appalachian British Car Society on their club drive to Bays Mountain Park on Saturday, February 13.

Jim Wilson suggested that the club consider sponsoring an annual car show. Jon Whitt suggested that the club establish a trophy in Jim Neiderts memory to be awarded each year at such a car show or gathering. JoAnn suggested that the trophy be awarded at a gathering with other area clubs. Susanne suggested that other departed club members could also be remembered by the trophy including Ann Kern and our founder Mark Whitt. The ideas were well received, and our officers will consider all of them.

Susanne suggested having area newspapers publish notices of our club meetings. She and JoAnn will contact several newspapers.

Jim Wilson who is on the board of the Blount County Childrens Home announced that they are in need of an event to raise funds since their government funding has been cut. Our club will be invited to participate. Jim also announced that Travis Whitt, the son of our founder, Mark, will be graduating from the Air Force Academy in May, and he will furnish our club with the exact date.

George and Teresa gave each member a beautiful club calendar for 2010 featuring color photographs of our members' cars.