Friday, October 31, 2008

Hoosier Cruisers Donate to Riley Childrens Hospital


This year the Hoosier Cruisers initiated the 50/50 Raffle. The proceeds were earmarked to go to a state charity. Roy Connor, past treasurer, sent a check of $140 to Riley Children's Hospital. Our chapter is proud to support those in need in our state. Hopefully next year the amount will be even greater.

It's That Time Again


Hoosier Cruiser Dues are due for 2009. For those of you who were able to participate in the 2008 rallies, I am sure that you will not want to miss the upcoming rallies. Tentative rallies will include traveling to Louisville, KY, viewing antique autos, car racing, visiting the model aviation museum, and more.

Dues continue to be $15.00 and are payable to our new treasurer:
Norma Wamsley
23256 Greenleaf Blvd.
Elkhart, IN 46514

You won't want to miss a single rally. Please send your dues promptly so that our membership list will be accurate when submitted to FMCA.

Thanks,
Greg Wessel

Monday, October 6, 2008

Fantastic Rally in Spencer

The weather could not have been better with cool evenings and warm days. Gary Hand planned a rally that was full of adventure and new experiences. It began with dinner at the Hilltop Restaurant. The food was excellent and served family style. The rustic atmosphere and good fellowship made this a memorable evening.










The rally continued with Corn Hole Toss, a Luau, many campfires, a roast beef dinner, panning for gold, and golfing. It concluded on Sunday with a church service around the fire lead by Bettie Wessel who was assisted by the Hoosier Cruiser Choir, Jean Connor, Jerry Hardacre, and Bruce Bailey. Read on to experience the fun that the participants had.

The nights and mornings were pleasantly cool and that called for campfires every morning and evening. Dick Minniear showed us how to make the campfires even more beautiful with blue and green flames. If you take a foot length of copper tubing with holes drilled in it, put a length of garden hose in it, and place it in the fire you will have colored flames.










Have you ever played Corn Hole Toss? Well, the rally goers got the opportunity to participate in a tournament and all had fun even when their corn bags didn't go where they wanted them to go.











As you can see the Hoosier Cruisers enjoy a good party. Friday night members were invited to a Luau and you can see that they really got into dressing up for the occasion. Van even wore a Parrot Head for the dinner. The roasted pig and sides were excellent and no one left hungry.










Van and Sandy were the winners of the Corn Hole Toss tournament. The grand prize was a cruise. Little did they know that the cruise was across one of the lakes in the campground, and they had to do the rowing.





Hoosier Cruisers were treated to a new experience, "panning for gold". Vicki, campground owner, gave an introductory coarse in panning for gold. She explained how the gold and gems found in the area had come from Canada. They were moved by glaciers and the gold is called "placer gold". It is 22 to 24 karat gold.
















After practicing in the shelterhouse, members were transported to a nearby stream to try their luck.









Don Orman was the winner of the 50/50 drawing. The proceeds of this year's drawings will be donated to the Riley Childrens Hospital. The club will be donating approximately $150.
Great friends, great fellowship, what could be better!
Many thanks go to Gary Hand, who organized and implemented the rally. Thanks!

Everyone's Favorite Corn Dip from Jean Connor


Members were wowed by Jean Connor's dip, and she has graciously agreed to share it with the club.
CORN DIP
1 Can Mexican Corn, drained
1 Cup Parmesan cheese, shredded
1 Cup Mayonnaise
1/2 Block Pepper Jack cheese, shredded
Combine all ingredients
Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes
Serve dip with tortilla scoops

Hoosier Cruiser Officers for 2009

Judy Asbury tabulated the ballots for election of officers. She reported that the following members were unanimously elected. Please contact any of the officers listed below for information concerning the Hoosier Cruisers Chapter.

HOOSIER CRUISERS OFFICERS - 2009

PRESIDENT ------------------------------GREG WESSEL
EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT---------RICHARD HAHN
SECRETARY-------------------------------SANDY HAHN
TREASURER-------------------------NORMA WAMSLEY
NAT’L. DIRECTOR--------------------JERRY HARDACRE
ALT. NAT’L DIRECTOR---------------MELANIE BOYER
NORTH V. PRES.------------------ROSEANNE GARDNER
CENTRAL V. PRES.-------------------------GARY HAND
SOUTHERN V. PRES------JUDY HOHL & MARY REMLEY
*NEWSLETTER EDITOR ----------CHERYL SCHMIEDT

Sunday, September 7, 2008

Sincere Sympathies

The Hoosiser Cruisers wish to extend their sincere sympathies to the family of Joe and Juanita Rush.

Wanted

Ernie and Jane are wanting names of those that will be in Florida this winter. We would like to continue Charlie Snow's idea of having lunch together in January and February. We need your Florida location, phone number and e-mail address.
Send to jeec50@gmail.com or call:
Jane: 765-617-6708
Ernie: 765-606-4067

What do seed corn, antique cars and chocolate candy have in common?



The September Rally offered a wide variety of activities and events. Participants could choose one or all of the offerings. Tours included a seed company, candy shop, museum, lapidary shop, tractor pull, glass making, antique cars, and great food.

Becks Seed Company uses scientific methods to continuously improve the yield and resistance to diseases of their crops. Robots are even used to stack the bags of seed.









Those attending learned how hybrid plants are made from inbred plants. When the seed corn is grown and then picked from the fields of seed corn, the corn must be inspected and sorted by hand.









Below, one of the Becks Seed workers plants individual seeds to be grown in the greenhouse. These plants will be used in experimental plots to improve the traits of the plants being grown.


















Tipton was selected as the rally site by Rally Masters Bill and Judy Asbury, and Assistant Rally Masters Bob and Rosalie Gollner because the Pork Festival was being held. We had many opportunities to try several pork entrees. The pork chops and pulled pork was excellent!

You may notice that Jim and Steve are deep in conversation with a local sheriff. No, they were not detained by the law.











Jerry and Jim look on as the owner of the House of Glass creates a paper weight. He uses shards of colored glass with crystal clear glass to make the one of a kind ornaments.












We visited the Spencer Lapidary shop where the owner cuts and polishes rocks/gems into perfect orbs. He has been contracted by NASA and other companies to produce spheres.











The candymaker and owner of the Venus Chocolate Shop makes mouth watering chocolate. She uses recipes that were passed down to her from her father. Whether you tried chocolate clusters of chocolate creams you were left with the craving for more. At age 72 she works six days a week and said that she plans to live to 100.











As usual the rally participants enjoyed good food and fellowship. They were also treated by Rev. Bubba who retold several fractured Bible stories. Needless to say the crowd was rolling in the aisles with his antics.










Visiting the Elwood Haynes Museum is like stepping back in time. The mansion contained original furnishings and the 1905 Model L Haynes. Mr. Haynes made his first trial run on his new automobile in 1894. In 1898 Mr. Haynes and Apperson formed a partnership known as the Haynes-Apperson Automobile Company. He is also known for his contribution in developing and producing stainless steel and Stellite alloys.














Bob and Rosalie Gollner opened their private museum of rare automobiles. They are pictured in front of a Maxwell that Bob has restored.













Members were fortunate in being able to view very rare antique automobiles manufactured by the Cole automobile company. Bob Gollner was on hand to explain the the mechanics of the Haynes and Apperson vehicles.










The Gollners were gracious hosts and allowed Hoosier Cruisers to drive or ride in the cars that were part of the private collection. What a thrill to actually ride in autos that were produced in the early 1900's.

Many thanks go to Bill and Judy Asbury, and Bob and Rosalie Gollner for a spectacular rally.

If you are enjoying the blog, please leave a comment. Thank you.

Thursday, August 28, 2008

Slate of Candidates for Election of Officers for 2009

Many thanks go to the Nominating Committee: Bob Kern, Judy Asbury and Dick Schumaker. They have contacted qualified members of our chapter who are willing to assume the leadership responsibilities that are required for another great season of rallies.

Many thanks also go to those individuals who are willing to serve and give of their time to assure that the Hoosier Cruisers will have a smooth running year. THANKS!

The slate of candidates will be presented at the September Rally and ballots will be mailed to members in the October Newsletter. Ballots are to be mailed to Judy Asbury for tabulation and the results will be announced at the October Rally.

SLATE OF CANDIDATES FOR ELECTION OF OFFICERS ‘09

PRESIDENT ------------------------------GREG WESSEL
EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT---------RICHARD HAHN
SECRETARY-------------------------------SANDY HAHN
TREASURER-------------------------NORMA WAMSLEY
NAT’L. DIRECTOR--------------------JERRY HARDACRE
ALT. NAT’L DIRECTOR---------------MELANIE BOYER
NORTH V. PRES.------------------ROSEANNE GARDNER
CENTRAL V. PRES.-------------------------GARY HAND
SOUTHERN V. PRES------JUDY HOHL & MARY REMLEY

*NEWSLETTER EDITOR ----------CHERYL SCHMIEDT

Sunday, August 10, 2008

Valpo Rally Great Fun!

The August Rally was held at the Porter County Fairgrounds and was well attended. Bill and Sandy Berrier, Rally Masters; and George Laurel Dodrill, Assistant Rally Masters planned a rally that was packed full of tours. All camping sites were full service and provided sewer and 50 amp electricity. The fairgrounds provided first class accommodations and were appreciated by those who attended. Those participants want to thank the efforts of the volunteers who made this another successful event.

The Taltree Arboretum contains a diverse array of plants from around the world. It also hosts a collection of living plants that are native to the area as seen in the summer prairie. In 2010 it will also house a miniature railroad display with landscaped gardens and include a new railroad depot that will be a visitors center.














Task Force Tips is a world renowned manufacturer of the best fire nozzles on earth. The fire nozzles are tested in a water booth as seen in the picture. The plant is highly computerized and even the parts and tools that are in bins are selected by machine. The flags in the factory are an indication of the world wide distribution by this company.












Everyone who had dinner on Friday were treated to half a chicken that was prepared by Wayne Brandy. The chicken and fresh sweet corn complemented an already outstanding day.





As you can see we visited the jail in Valparaiso and a couple of our members got caught. Luckily we all were given "Get Out of Jail Free" cards. The sheriff said that the cards were as good in any of the states as they were in Indiana.





The Hoosier Bat factory makes bats that are used by the Major Leagues, colleges, high schools, and children learning the sport. You can recognize a Hoosier Bat by the three rings that are at the top of the grip. If you look closely you can see that some of their bats are made from three different types of wood. The grip is ash, the middle is hickory, and the top is maple. The factory makes custom bats for major league players and is able to produce 200 bats a day.



During the evening meals members celebrated Ed Casada and Chuck Swickard's birthdays.






Saturday, the club took a tour of the Illiana Garden Railroad Society Bull Moose Line. It included several G scale model railroad layouts that were displayed in a well kept garden. A miniature town and countryside made the whole setting seem real.



The Ox Cart Ramblers provided Bluegrass music for the attendees enjoyment. They played a great music that made you want to stomp your feet. If you would like to see and hear a clip of their music click on the picture below.