The Steering Wheel s3

The Steering Wheel Our Mission Statement: To share the love of our antique cars and to show them off. To enjoy fellowship of other car enthusiasts.

DECEMBER 2011/JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2012 Vol.11#09

Officers: President: Al Preisner (616) 874-9336 Vice President: Carl Esakson (616) 677-5816 Secretary: Nancy Brailey (616) 363-3947 Treasurer: Leon DeLange (616) 878-3618 Board of Directors: 11/12 Dennis Biggins (616) 365-1371 11/12 Nancy Brailey (616) 363-3947 11/12 Craig Chalmers (616) 361-2220 11/12 Sally Thelen (616) 363-4121 10/11 Fred Brailey (616) 363-3947 10/11 Cecil Chalmers (616) 897-8348 10/11 Jim Nyman (616) 949-7879 Committee Chairs: April Auction Virgil Phelps (616) 874-1289 Al Preisner (616) 874-9336 Christmas Banquet Louise Phelps (616) 874-1289 Judy Swift (616) 450-7245 Club Historian Roseanne Lynch (616) 460-2161 Club Picnic John & Bonnie Woodman (616) 997-6413 Membership Al Preisner (616) 874-9336 Metro 28th Cruise Leon DeLange (616) 878-3618 Newsletter – Typing Bonnie Woodman (616) 997-6413 Newsletter – Mailing Marcia Rossman (616) 784-5274 Retirement Visits Cheryl Chalmers (616) 361-2220 Sick & Shut-Ins Linda Biggins (616) 365-1371 Special Events Ruth Esakson (616) 677-5816 Cynthia Smith (231) 937-4513 Tours: Dust-Off Sean & Cynthia Smith (231) 937-4513 Late Summer One-Day Fall One-Day Fall Two-Day

1 Events Calendar ** Indicates a SPECIAL Event

Nov 22 Tue GRACC Membership Meeting – 2161 Leonard NW – GR – St. Ann’s Home Meeting @ 7:00 pm – Greeter: – Entertainment: Yearly Elections and ….. A movie on the Futurliner ….. ** This is the last meeting until February**

Dec 13 Tue Annual Dinner and Awards Banquet – Boulder Creek Country Club Cannonsburg – Application in this newsletter Feb 14 Tue GRACC Board Meeting – 2161 Leonard NW – GR – St. Ann’s Home Meeting @ 7:00 pm Feb 28 Tue GRACC Membership Meeting – 2161 Leonard NW – GR – St. Ann’s Home Meeting @ 7:00 pm – Greeter: – Entertainment: Leon DeLange on ‘Taxes’

Mar 13 Tue GRACC Board Meeting – 2161 Leonard NW – GR – St. Ann’s Home Meeting @ 7:00 pm

Mar 27 Tue GRACC Membership Meeting – 2161 Leonard NW – GR – St. Ann’s Home Meeting @ 7:00 pm – Greeter: – Entertainment: Spring Potluck

Dates marked in BOLD, Underlined and marked with a double asterisk ** are SPECIAL Events and Visits. Please make note of these dates. These events and visits earn points toward the year-end awards.

** We will now have a 50/50 Raffle and/or a prize drawing at all membership meetings – this is to help offset the cost of the Christmas Awards Banquet.

FROM THE PRESIDENT

Hi Everyone, Hopefully all is well with everyone. Please remember our sick and shut-ins, cards are always welcome, and also the Olmsted family. Our next general meeting is the election. I hope to see all of you at the meeting as we need to vote on 3 seats for the Board of Directors. Don’t forget to send your application in for the Christmas Banquet and Awards, it should be a good time for all. Our next regular meeting after the November meeting is February 28th. Your GRACC President, Al Preisner

2 Board Of Directors’ Report

Don’t forget, we have three Board of Directors ending their term. (If you ask nicely, they may serve another term). Come to the November meeting and VOTE.

A Reminder: the Board Meetings are open to all Club members. If you have suggestions for the club, please join the Board Members at one of the meetings.

$ Treasurer’s Report from Leon DeLange $

This is the November report for year 2011: Treasurer's report Balance November 7, 2011 $6,048.41 Receipts 294.67 Disbursements -420.04 Balance November 7, 2011 $5,923.04 Note: a further detailed report will be available at the November membership meeting.

Committee Reports

Sick & Shut-Ins Linda Biggins – Chair

Dorothy Olmsted passed away. A super lady Shirley Stebbins went in for her 2nd cataract who will be greatly missed. Cards may be sent surgery – cards may be sent to: to: Dick @ 4591 Leonard NE - Grand Rapids, 2442 DeLaat Ave SW - Wyoming, MI 49519 MI 49525 & to Dave & Debbie Roop @ 3935 Kalamazoo SE - Grand Rapids, MI 49508 Nancy Brailey continues her road back to good health. They are hoping she will be able to Judy Johnson has not been well – cards may be come home for Thanksgiving, or at least sent to: 1018 Colrain St SW - Wyoming, MI Christmas. YEAH!!!!! She greatly appreciates 49509 the cards that are sent – Heartland Health Care Center – Greenview – 1700 Leonard St. NE, Room 303 - Grand Rapids, MI 49505

If you yourself, or if you know of someone else in the club who has been ill and/or in the hospital, has had a death in the family, etc. please call Linda and let her know – 616-365-1371.

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3 Retirement Visits Brought to you by Cheryl Chalmers (616) 361-2220 Hope to see you all back next year!!!!! Cheryl Chalmers

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Special Events Brought to you by Ruth Esakson & Cynthia Smith (616) 677-5816

Thanks again, Ruth & Cynthia

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ Membership Al Preisner – Chair

We currently have 12 ‘Life Time members’ and 59 paid families, giving us a total of 71families in our club.

Dues are $20.00 per family for the year. They can be paid by check made out to GRACC and mailed to: Al Preisner at 7973 Ramsdell Dr NE – Rockford, MI 49341-8079. They can also be turned in at the next club meeting. SNOWBIRDS – don’t forget to pay your dues before you leave for the sunny south. You don’t want to miss any upcoming news and events for the coming year. Note: we have blank applications and some fliers that you can pick up at the meetings. Keep them handy so that if you talk to someone who may be interested in joining, you’ll have contact information to give out.

Extra -Newsworthy News

Greeters and Treaters Needed for 2012 Meetings

We will be needing ‘Greeters and Treaters’ for the 2012 year. Please consider this great opportunity to meet and greet your fellow club members. What a great way to meet everyone, both longtime and new members. There will be a sign-up sheet at the November meeting OR – call John or Bonnie to get your name on the list. (616) 997-6413.

4 2011 Christmas and Awards Banquet

You should have gotten your application in last month’s newsletter for the upcoming Annual Awards Banquet. It is being held at Boulder Creek Country Club – 5750 Brewer Avenue - Belmont (just off Cannonsburg Rd). Deadline for turning in the application is Tuesday, November 22nd (November meeting night).

Social Hour, Dinner, Awards and Entertainment, plus enjoying the fellowship of the club members, what more could you ask for? If you haven’t already, get your application in soon!

** Auto Trivia Answer: Last month’s mystery car was a: 1947 Dodge Custom 2-Door Club Coupe

Visit our web site at http://clubs.hemmings.com/gracc

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Back Seat Drivers

DECEMBER Recipes (Baking for the Holidays)

Russian Tea Cakes

1 roll (16.5 oz) Refrigerated sugar cookies ¾ cup finely chopped pecans

½ cup flour ½ cup plus 1 Tbsp. powdered sugar

½ tsp. vanilla

Heat oven to 350^. In large bowl, break up cookie dough. Stir or knead in flour, pecans & vanilla until well blended. Shape dough into 54 (1 inch) balls. On ungreased cookie sheet, place balls 1 inch apart. Bake 10 to 14 minutes or until set, but not brown. Remove from cookie sheets to cooling rack, cool slightly. Roll warm cookies in powdered sugar. Cool on cooling rack. Roll in powdered sugar again. (Note: make cookies even more flavorful by toasting the pecans in oven or skillet)

5 Crunchy Chocolate Bonbons

1/3 cup butter 1 ½ cup semisweet chocolate chips

1 bag (10.5 oz) mini marshmallows 1 Tbsp. shortening

5 cups corn flakes cereal

Line cookie sheet with waxed paper. In 4-qt saucepan, melt butter & marshmallows over low heat, stirring constantly, until smooth. Remove from heat; add cereal. Stir until completely coated. Using buttered hands, shape mixture into 24 (1 ½ inch) balls. Place on cookie sheet. Refrigerate 30 minutes. In 1-qt saucepan, melt chocolate chips and shortening over low heat, stirring constantly. Dip half of each ball into melted chocolate, allowing excess to drip off. Return to cookie sheet. Refrigerate about 30 minutes or until firm. Store loosely covered in refrigerator.

Turtle Cookie Balls

1 pkg. (8 oz) Cream Cheese, softened 70 ’Nilla Wafers, finely crushed (about 2 1/3 cup)

3 Tbsp. caramel ice cream topping 1/4 cup chopped pecans

2 pkg. (8 sqs.) Semi-Sweet Chocolate, melted

Mix first 3 ingredients until well blended (cream cheese, ’Nilla wafers & ice cream topping). Shape into 42 (1-inch) balls. Freeze 10 minutes. Dip balls in melted chocolate, place in single layer in shallow paper-lined pan. Sprinkle with nuts. Refrigerate 1 hour or until firm. **************************************************** 2011 GRACC Annual Awards Banquet @ Boulder Creek Country Club 5750 Brewer Rd (off Cannonsburg Rd)