THIRD QTR 2012
MBCA | Carolinas Section THE OFFICIAL NEWSLETTER OF THE MERCEDES BENZ CLUB OF AMERICA, CAROLINAS SECTION
We’re going to
FINALLY, MERCEDES BENZ IS THE HONORED MARQUE! 2012 is here and the Eurofest board has assembled another great event for the 17th annual all European car show October 19 - 21. Show your favorite Mercedes Benz and plan your trip to GreenvilleSpartanburg with the surrounding area in mind and enjoy Friday tours, technical sessions, car detailing forum and dinner with your favorite moustache guy, Dennis Gage from “My Classic Car.” The fall scenery of the foothills and beautiful river walk through downtown Greenville make for a complete weekend stay.
The EURO volunteer team is excited to have for the first time Mercedes Benz as the featured marque. Over the past few years the number of premium German cars has grown beyond the classic sedans, SL’s and cabriolets to the point in 2011where Mark Richey’s 1954 Mercedes Benz 300 SL gull wing, the 10th unit manufactured, was featured! Changes are being planned to expand the award stage at the Zentrum to provide a better photo opportunity and smoother traffic flow. Speed TV will be on hand to capture some of the 400 cars on
display. Assigned parking spaces were a great success in 2011 and will be available for pre-registered attendees, register early so you don’t miss out.
Members from a number of MBCA sections are planning to attend, so let’s have a big showing from the Carolinas Section, since this event is in our territory. MBCA will have a tent display, along with plenty of MBCA materials from National. William West Hopper, Eastern Regional Director, will be at the event as well.
To register your car for showing, or for details, go to www.euroautofestival.com. Linda Barber, Director of Registration and Communication, 864-261-7813.
For the discounted hotel rate at the Embassy Suites in Greenville, SC, use the code EAF. Eurofest is one of the largest European car shows in the Southeast. All proceeds from the event benefit local chapters of the American Red Cross’ Disaster CONTINUED ON PAGE 4 Relief Fund.
MBCA Carolinas
The host hotel for the weekend is the spacious Embassy Suites at Verdae where every room is a suite, secure parking area for EURO guests, beautiful atrium for relaxing and golfing at the challenging Preserve course. BMW Manufacturing and the Zentrum will again host the car show and driving events at their performance center. EURO Auto Festival has arranged for use of the spacious parking area near the Zentrum to park all of the guests again, no shuttles needed this year!
Eurofest
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President’s Message
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New Member Roster & Benefits
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Shelton Vineyards
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Triangle Cruise
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Dock Party
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Odds and Ends
PRESIDENT Richard Deiber Huntersville, NC (704) 948-1433 president@mbcacarolinas.org IMMEDIATE PAST PRESIDENT Anthony Santagati Beaufort, SC (843) 522-9444 sandspub@aol.com VICE PRESIDENT Soren Pedersen Waxhaw, NC (980) 722-5651 vicepresident@mbcacarolinas.org SECRETARY Position Vacant TREASURER Roy L. Davis Columbia, SC (803) 331-1852 royleedavis42@gmail.com MEMBERSHIP CHAIR Fred Harris Statesville, NC (704) 902-6253 harrisfred@hotmail.com EVENTS CHAIR Position Vacant NEWSLETTER EDITOR Melissa Sprouse Browne Columbia, SC (803) 791-3800 info@mbcacarolinas.org
From the National Business Office: With every email and address update that we receive at the NBO, we will send a 10% off coupon for one item in the Club Store. One coupon per member will be sent electronically (so it must 2 include a valid email address). Please send these updates to Geni at geni@mbca.org.
PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE
What a Ride It’s Been Now, It’s Election Time
With only a couple of months left in my term as President, let me say thank you for such a wonderful experience. The friendships I’ve made through this Club have become some of my closest and the privilege of serving such a fine group has been a tremendous honor. To prepare for the future, an informational meeting was held in Columbia on August 11th to discuss needs of the membership and to start the nomination process for club officers and event chairman. To nominate yourself or another member for one of the open positions for 2013 (president, vice president, secretary or event chairman), please send an email to info@mbcacarolinas.org. The deadline to submit is November 15th. Elections will be held at the annual meeting on December 1st. When I became a club officer, I was one of the newer members. Now that time has passed, I’ve become a bit more seasoned and look forward to seeing someone new step up to take the club forward. Whether you’re a long time member of MBCA or just joined, your talents are welcomed here. Don’t be afraid to serve – you might find your new best friend along the way. About MBCA
Established in 1956, MBCA has approximately 20,240 active members and 9251 additional household members in 12 regions which are comprised of 80+ local sections throughout the United States and Canada. Each region is adminstered by a regional director who is responsible for assisting and inspiring the sections in the region. The regional director also fosters the formation of new sections, coordinates regional activities and represents the constituents as a member of the national board of directors. Hundreds of events are organized by sections, from social gatherings to tech sessions, from car shows to driving events. Most sections publish a newsletter of information and events and each section has its own officers and bylaws.
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THE LATEST FOLKS TO JOIN US We are so pleased to welcome the newest members of the Mercedes Benz Club of America to the Carolinas Section! Jason Adkins Charlotte NC Richard Angelo
Myrtle Beach
SC
David Bednarczyk
Charleston
SC
Elizabeth Bozzini
Denver
NC
Robert Brutschy
Myrtle Beach
SC and beyond the normal extended to a club member. At Hendrick Motors of Charlotte and Mercedes Benz of Myrtle Beach, members receive a fifteen percent discount on parts. AND, both dealerships generously offer a reduced hourly labor rate of $99, which represents a savings of thirty percent over the standard rate! Finally, a chance to meet with fellow enthusiasts may provide benefits you never expected. One chance conversation might lead you to that one piece of information you needed; for example, several of our members are very knowledgeable about parts and may be may be able to point you to a resource you never knew existed for that one part you needed. 3
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BENEFITS FOR NEW MEMBERS Gerald Courtney Charlotte NC There’s a lot of good to be had from your Nuvision Enterprises Darlington SC membership! In addition to all of Jonathon Furst Asheville NC the cool things you get from National, such as James Gravely Charlotte NC the loyalty discount you receive on the purchase Thomas Green Inman SC of a new Merceds Benz, David James Hilton Head SC your very own Carolinas Section offers special Thomas Lawing Charlotte NC benefits, too! Rafal Lelej Charlotte NC First, as a new member, please feel free to attend an event at Alexander Loyev Charlotte NC no charge. For activities James Moore Charlotte NC that include travel or dinner, those expenses Kimberley Poole Greenville SC will still remain the responsiblity of the Harold Ramsey Belmont NC member. But any cost charged by the club Adam Silvernail Columbia SC to participate will be Debra Smith Charlotte NC waived for your first outing. Tom Spaight Weaverville NC Second, your club officers have made Rick Sumrall Charlotte NC some amazing arrangements with dealers in our territory to offer discounts above Harry Butler Georgetown SC
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SHELTON VINEYARDS Shelton Vineyards held its Third Annual Mercedes Benz Auto Show on Saturday, August 25th in Dobson, North Carolina. MBCA Carolinas Section members Roger and Linda Levesque report that the venue was terrific and fellow section members Nick and Harriet Pasquine, Roy Davis, Mr. and Mrs. Klein and Bill Wentz were also in attendance.
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2012 CALENDAR OF EVENTS
OCTOBER
•October 5 - 6: Oktoberfest in Banner Elk, NC. Take in the beautiful fall foliage, cool, comfortable mountain temperatures, and a weekend full of festival activities from 10 am until 5 pm each day. Be sure to bring the kids because the event is for the whole family. Held at the Sugar Mountain Resort, Main Lodge, 1009 Sugar Mountain Drive. For details, check out http://oktoberfest.skisugar.com.
•October 7: Triangle Section Cruise in Norfolk, VA. Drive and Sail with MBCA members from
North Carolina and Virginia on the Spirit of Norfolk. Champagne brunch cruise from 10am - 1:30pm. Additional details elsewhere in this issue of the newsletter.
•October 19-20-21: Eurofest at BMW in Greer, SC. Finally, it’s our year! The honored marquee
this year is Mercedes Benz, so let’s get our favorites out on the field in Greer. A three-day event, the Eurofest activities are hosted by BMW North America. See the front page for more.
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NOVEMBER/DECEMBER •November 3 - 4: Hilton Head Concours d’Elegance. The Carolinas Section is an invited car
club and exhibits at the Car Club Jamboree on Saturday. Stay overnight and return for Sunday’s official Concours d’Elegance at Honey Horn. Our club is allowed up to 10 cars on the field on Saturday, to register, go to http://www.hhiconcours.com/events/registration.html. New this year, you’ll create a user name and password to keep your information for next time. Add your car(s) information and the three items for the car facts sheet to complete your registration and proceed to the payment section. We’ve participated for several years and this event is always enjoyable. Plus, it’s hard to beat Hilton Head during this time of the year!
•December 1: Christmas at The Willcox Inn in Aiken, SC. The year concludes with the Annual Meeting and dinner at The Willcox Inn, named one of the best hotels in the world by Travel and Leisure Magazine’s World’s Best 2012 list. More information will be published very soon. Nick Pasquine, nickpasq@aol.com.
Put Your MB in a Movie
The feature film, “A Short History of Decay”, starring Tony Awardwinner Linda Lavin (Alice) and Harris Yulin (Training Day), is searching for featured Mercedes Benz cars for our production. There may also be an opportunity for owners and their cars to be used as background extras. We are open to all models, years and colors, but would like to find at least one white convertible from any year in any model and 6
are looking for vehicles that will be available during the month of October. Filming takes place in the Wilmington/Wrightsville Beach area, so ideally, we would like to work with an owner who lives in this area or would be willing to leave their car in Wilmington under the care of the production office for the duration of filming. If you are interested in working with us on this feature production, please contact Molly Merrell at
704-467-3757 to further discuss details and arrangements. You may also send photos of your cars along with location and contact information to molly.merrell@ gmail.com. If you would be interested in background work, please contact Rebecca Gold at rebeccagold23@ yahoo.com with your contact information and location.
TRIANGLE SECTION CRUISE Sunday October 7, 2012
Triangle Section Members Larry and Cindy Murray have put together details for a fun Drive and Sail event and are inviting members from all NC and VA Sections to join us. We will meet in Norfolk and board the Spirit of Norfolk at 10:00 am for a Champagne Brunch Cruise! (The ship holds 400 passengers, so we are taking our chances that plenty of seats will be available without advanced non-refundable reservations.) Just show up, buy your $57 pp ticket, drink champagne, eat brunch, and go for a relaxing sail! The cruise is scheduled back in port at 1:30 pm. We all know we are flexible and adaptable, so if we cannot get tickets we will find suitable diversions on the spur of the moment. Why not be adventuresome? W W W . M B C A C A R O L I N A S . O R G
Here are the details of the cruise:
Special event information Spend Sunday sailing away aboard the Spirit of Norfolk! A jazz ensemble will fill the decks with harmonious melodies as you dine on our plentiful buffet, dance and see exciting views out of every window. It's the most unique and festive way to unwind and enjoy the weekend. This special cruise includes a complimentary glass of champagne at boarding for adults 21 and over. PARKING & DIRECTIONS TO THE SPIRIT OF NORFOLK
From Williamsburg, Newport News, Richmond, Hampton, or Yorktown Take Interstate 64 East to Norfolk. Once in Norfolk, take exit 284A (Norfolk, Portsmouth) to Interstate 264 West. Follow Interstate 264 West, staying to the left. Use exit 9 (Waterside Drive), this will drop you directly onto Waterside Drive. Once you have reached Waterside Drive, you will be able to see the ship, which will be docked two blocks past the Waterside Mall. Parking is available at the Waterside Parking 7
DOCK PARTY By Katherine Dunbar
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WE HAD OVER 50 PEOPLE IN ATTENDANCE AND 21 CARS. The MB’s Ranged from a 1972 SL to a new baby 500SL 2013. Sweet! The day was perfect. The tide was high with sea breezes about. After a week of continuous rain, the clouds cleared and the sun made us as nice as warm toast. After signing and registering their cars, attendees were greeted with Chic-Fil-A fresh squeezed lemonade or a mimosa. I thought, “Surely the mimosas won’t go,” as it was too early in the morning. Boy, was I ever wrong! I only purchased two bottles of champagne. In no time we were into our private stock, pulling out five more bottles. I’m still not sure if the demand was for the mimosas or just the elegance of walking around these beautiful cars or just holding a champagne glass. It was fun, we all made lots of new friends. At 11:30am, the ladies hauled the crate of corn to the dock. We sat on the floating dock with our feet in the water, shucked the corn, throwing the husks in the rising tide. It was a beautiful sight – recycling and giving our arms a good exercise. Roger Levesque brought his keyboard and serenaded us with beautiful music almost the entire time. Roger is retired from the Marine Corps Band. He played both in front (where all the cars were parked) and in backyard during lunch. June ninth was Roger’s birthday, so we celebrated his special day 8
as well as other attendees whose birthdays are in June: Sonny Hiott, Beaufort SC; Valinda Enos, Orlando, FL; Donna King, Salem SC; Kathleen Casey, Punta Gorda FL and Krysten Swan, Charleston SC. We served Low Country Boil and beef tenderloin. Extra special thanks to Vickey Deiber and Linda Levesque for their help! Vickey organized and set up a fine registration booth with lots of last minute signs and directions for the door prize event. Linda was everywhere, doing so much to make it all run smoothly. Also, special thanks to Kathleen Casey, Marie Goode Spencer, Marla Stafford and Lorna Roberts. We can’t wait to do this again next year!
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PEACHTREE TOUR OF AIKEN & AUGUSTA OUR ADVENTURE WITH THE PEACHTREE SECTION
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by Roger Levesque
Well, I was the only person from another section, which certainly made it more of an adventure! We started our day at the Augusta, Georgia Mercedes Benz dealer and viewed over fifteen Mercedes Benz cars belonging to club members. There were 61 Peachtree members and 1 Carolinas Section member for the noon lunch, treated by the dealer. Around 2:00pm, the group departed for Aiken. First up was a tour of the Aiken Railroad Depot. Shortly thereafter, everyone converged on the downtown district. Th evening concluded with a six o’clock dinner at the famed Willcox Inn, built in 1870. The hotel was restored in 1954. We had an amazing dinner and the dining room was totally full, a testament to the continuing quality of the Willcox Inn. The Willcox is still in its original status - just beautiful in every way.
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ODDS AND ENDS In the event of an uncontested election where there is only one nominee for each National Board position and there are no ballot issues to be submitted to the membership, a slate of candidates will be printed in the Sept/Oct The Star in lieu of separate delivery to the Active Members.
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In order to be counted, ballots must be received by October 15, 2012.
NEWSLETTER EDITOR PUBLISHES BOOK ON SENIOR CARE
Melissa Sprouse Browne, a Carolinas Section member since 2003, has written a book on caring for aging parents. The Caregiver’s Training Program: What You Need to Know to Take Care of Your Parents in Their Golden Years gives you practical, immediately useful tactics for caring for a senior loved one. This book provides the step by step instruction you need to understand what to do, who to call and how to find help when you need it. Written by Melissa, who owns Seniors First Home Care, this book addresses the common issues you’ll encounter, incluing how to handle a parent with Alzheimer’s Disease, Parkinson Disease, breathing disorders, mobility issues, stroke, congestive heart failure and more. Available in print on www.amazon.com, and through caregiverstrainingprogram.net. E-book offered on Kindle, Nook, Kindle Fire and all other e-readers. If you have questions about caring for an aging parent, please feel free to contact Melissa at melissasprouse@aol.com. 12
NEW MERCEDES BENZ MAGAZINE
Sundial Magazines the publishers of the monthly title Mercedes Enthusiast have launched a new quarterly magazine Classic Mercedes. Classic Mercedes will focus on the world’s best and most coveted classic Mercedes Benz models, from the iconic SL Gullwing of the 1950’s through to the Modern Classics of the 1980s and 1990s. NE W !
MBCA NATIONAL ELECTION
Classic Mercedes will have strong international theme sourcing the broadest possible spread of material from across the world with company and model profiles, plus guidance on buying. The photographic element will be pronounced feature of its presentation.
Classic
Mercedes Issue Number 1 £4.95
C E L E B R AT I N G T H E W O R L D ’ S G R E AT E S T C A R S
BETTER THAN
W113 BUYER’S GUIDE PICK ATOP PAGODA SL
NEW! On the road with a beautifully restored 300SL Gullwing
ORIGINAL SUPER SALOON
TO STUTTGART IN STYLE
300SEL 6.3’S PACE AND SPACE
1,400-MILE R107 DASH
MAJESTIC COUPES
It is designed to PLUS 190E 2.5-16 EVO II ◆ BARN FIND PONTONS ◆ MERCEDES LEGEND - ERICH WAXENBERGER complement Mercedes Enthusiast which maintains its policy of covering all aspects of the Mercedes brand while leaving the new Classic Mercedes to concentrate on solely classics. TWO W111 V8s
Classic Mercedes is targeted at the affluent collectors and enthusiasts of the brand which will emphasised by the high quality production and paper stock of the title. Classic Mercedes will be on sale in selected Barnes & Noble stores from the end of July/early August 2012 and will cost just $12.50 per issue. If you can’t get to a Barnes & Noble store, then you can order Classic Mercedes on the website ($12.50 inc. air mail) or subscribe for just $40. For more information www.classicmercedesmagazine.com