President's Message

The weather in this part of the country never ceases to surprise me. I teach the equivalent of our DE events - called Friday At The Track - with BSR at Summit Point. Our yearly instructor update is normally held in the gloom of winter, when most people are looking for warmth in front of the fireplace. In stark contrast, the spring-like weather at this year's update in early February had most instructors shedding their coats and opening windows during the exercises.

When I lived in Pennsylvania, the harbinger of spring was the Robin. In the DC-Baltimore area, it is the moving van. In the sports car world, it's the Twelve Hours of Sebring. For the Chesapeake Region, it is the beginning of a full calendar of events.

The board met in January to plan the events for this year, and the calendar is shaping up nicely. We're starting the year with the New Member Party on March 29th. If you've joined the club in the last year, we hope to see you at this event. It's a great way to meet other people in your club.

John Patterson is working hard to arrange for a very informative series of tech sessions. These low-key sessions, typically held on Saturday mornings with an ample supply of coffee and doughnuts, will cover topics such as general maintenance, air conditioning, detailing, DE inspections, and more. John always organizes a great event, so don't miss these sessions.

We have six tours scheduled for this year, with additions possible as the season progresses. Ken Bullough is the Tour Master for these crowd-pleasing events. This year's tours will cover most of your favorites from the past, including Friendly Farms, Gettysburg, the Civil War tour, and the Covered Bridge tour. If you've never been on a tour before, this is a great year to join us. I'm one one of the club members who will experience a tour for the first time this year, and I'm looking forward to it.

Don and Nancy Malson are the organizers for this year's Crab Feast and Car Show to be held on August 23rd. This is a fun-filled family event featuring an excellent summer menu and games for all to enjoy. Don and Nancy are also working on a line of Chesapeake Region apparel featuring our new logo and name badges. Watch the web site and Patter for details, because I'm sure you will want to get in on these goodies!

Our 39th annual Chesapeake Challenge is scheduled for September 12-14. The Challenge is the oldest running PCA multi event weekend, and a part of your region's rich heritage. Don't miss being a part of this tradition!

As you can see, we have a lot of events planned for the year. These events don't just happen; they are the result of hard work by dedicated members of your region made easier when there are more hands to help. I'll wrap up this month's message with a request for a small amount of your time. If you see an event that interests you, contact the event chair and offer to help. I'm sure that he or she will appreciate it, and I guarantee you will meet some interesting people.

I hope to see you at an event soon!

Andrew