Volume 44, Number 7 July 2013 IN THIS ISSUE Our Friend George Greeott 103 yrs PRESIDENT S MESSAGE MEETING MINUTES PHOTO ALBUM CAR ATTENDANCE 2013 EVENT SCHEDULE NON-CLUB EVENTS NEXT MEETING
Hello Everyone, Thank you Dennis and Dee Dee for hosting the July meeting. With 29 members in attendance, you could feel the enthusiasm for the club and the camaraderie. Thank you all who attended, you are all making this a great club, month after month. Dennis and Dee Dee made a great selection by picking Carmen's for lunch. The food was great and the service was excellent. Then to top it off, Dennis and Dee Dee had us caravan to DenBeste Motorsports for the Open House event in Windsor. All I can say is if you like the late Carroll Shelby, Fords, Mustangs, Cobras and Ford GT40's all under one roof you do not need to look any further. I saw Herman taking several pictures for the Newsletter, so please check them out. I would like to "Welcome" our new members, Barbara and Duane. Duane said that he has owned his 1958 Thunderbird for about 10 years. It is a beautiful car. We are happy to have Duane and Barbara in our club. I would like to "Thank" Dianne and Louise for helping out with the raffle. We raised $62.00 for the Treasury. That is fantastic. Congratulations to Herman and Joan celebrating 50 years of marriage on July 20th. Thank you to Kristina for the Anniversary Cake, Balloons and Table decorations. She did a terrific job in planning this surprise. Can you imagine Joan's surprise when she finds out, as she was unable to attend the meeting. BIRTHDAYS July: None on Record Aug: Dee Dee Byrne = 2 Louise Johnson = 2 Harry Costa = 6 Ann Costa = 8 ANNIVERSARIES July: Doug & Leellen = 15 Herman & Joan = 20 Aug: Harry & Ann = 5 Note from the Editor: Cover Photo: Our Thunderbird loving friend George Greeott at 103...taken June, 2013. See page 10 to read a short Press Democrat article written shortly after his 101 birthday. With Sadness...Our Ann will be missed by all... Brant and Arlis are hosting the August 11th meeting. Please mark this date on your Calendar. Brant and Arlis have hosted BBQ's in the past and trust me, you do not want to miss this get together. I would like to say "Thank you" to Brant and Arlis for opening their home to us. If you need help in preparing, feel free to let us know. We all like to help out. After writing the President's Message, I received the news of Ann Costa passing. This is a sad time for our club. Please keep Harry and the Costa family in your heart and prayers Happy Thunderbirding, Tim Roden, President www.thunderbirdsofsonoma.org
Hello All, Our July meeting was held at Carmen's Burger Bar with a drive afterward to DenBeste's Warehouse/Showroom of Carol Shelby Cobras, Mustangs, and other fabulous car collections. Attendees were Tim & Diane Roden, Dee Dee & Dennis Byrne, Jan & Dave Kibler, Jutta Einstoss, Mike & Maryanne McLucas, Wes Crandall & Louise Johnson, Arlis & Brandt Minetti, Marla & Andy Preston, Herman Schulze, Kristina Torres (Herman & Joan's daughter), Pat & Jim Arieta, Terry Block & Andria Benner, Denise Bahnsen-Brown, Duwayne Bahnsen & Kerry Mahoney, Dolora DeGeer, Doug & Leellen Trayler, and guests...barbara Buckingham & Duane Ornbaun, who will be members at our next meeting! After a filling lunch of burgers, and/or sandwiches & salads, President Tim Roden held a short meeting. After business was discussed, we all celebrated Herman & Joan Schulze's 50TH WEDDING ANNIVERSARY with a cake which was brought by Kristina Torres. Joan was not in attendance, (due to her brother-in-law having a serious medical issue) however, Herman enjoyed cake with all of us and sat in his place at the table with 5 "Happy Anniversary" helium balloons attached to his chair. Dee Dee also made paper placemats for everyone with Herman & Joan's wedding photo on them. It was a fun celebration for a wonderful couple. Congratulations to you both! Recap of meeting information: Tim thanked Herman for uploading the transmission project tutorial to our TOS website. He also thanked Dee Dee & Dennis for hosting the meeting. It was announced that our August meeting will be at Brant & Arlis Minetti's house. (Information in this newsletter). Our Christmas party has been in the planning by Dolora DeGeer and Kristina Torres. It looks like the Santa Rosa Cattlemen's will be the venue. A big thank you to Keith Zimmerman for the great article about Gil's Tech Session. We all know how good those tech sessions are and we're glad to get the information out there to all the Thunderbird owners. Duwayne & Denise announced that they are having a BARN PARTY on October 19th... so save the date. Pat Arieta thanked the club for the donation to Relay for Life. She read a nice letter to the club. Mike McLucas gave us an engine update on his Thunderbird. And Jim & Pat announced they are selling their red 57 Thunderbird. We had the raffle and the winners were: Marla, Dee Dee, Arlis, Diane, Duwayne, Leellen & Jim. (Sorry if I missed anyone). Respectfully submitted, Dee Dee Byrne Secretary
July 2013 Photos Welcome to our newest Members Barbara & Duane
July 2013 Photos & Convention Notice Me Although Joan was unable to attend, my crafty daughter surprised me at the meeting with wedding picture placemats and a 50th Anniversary cake. Thank You Kristina and Dee Dee for your help too. Andy s new shirt from Lands End. Good choice of color; Note the TOS Logo. If you would like one for yourself see Andy or myself. 2013 CTCI Regional Convention July 31 to August 4, 2013 Hosted by the Santa Clara Valley Thunderbirds Deadline to register your car is June 30, 2013 no exceptions. After this date you will not be allowed to enter your car into concours, touring or display class. Deadline to register for the convention is July 15, 2013. After this date you may not be able to sign up for tours or banquets. Notice: Merchandise must be pre-ordered it will not be sold at the convention.
Some Semi-Useless Information and the Local Pulse Courtney Hansen, a 1957 Thunderbird owner, is an American television host/personality, syndicated columnist, author, and actress. This Day in Automotive History Thunderbirds of Sonoma welcomes our newest members, Duane and Barbara. They have a beautifully restored 1958 Thunderbird and the clubs very first Square Bird. From all of us Welcome to the Nest.
Thunderbirds of Sonoma in Attendance Thought to Ponder: 2013 Club Event Schedule Month Meeting Host Aug 11 Sept Oct 5 Nov 2 Dec Brant & Arlis Denise & Duwayne Herman, Joan & Kristina Keith & Jamie Dolora The really happy man is one who can enjoy the scenery on a detour. Anonymous
2013 NON-CLUB EVENTS 2013 Buns & Burgers - Larkfield Santa Rosa, Ca Fri Night@ 5:00 = May till Oct Rains, 2013 Hot August Nights - Reno, Nevada = Aug 6-11, 2013 Napa MAIN STREET REUNION - Napa, Ca Aug 16th (5:00PM-9:00), 17th (10:00AM-3:00PM), 2013 This Show & Shine was featured on My Classic Car aired Sun, April 14th - Lots of TBirds. The Good Guys - Alameda Fairgrounds, Pleasanton, Ca = August 23-25, 2013 Cloverdale Car Show - Cloverdale, Ca = Sept 6-7, 2013 Roamin Angels Cruizin the Pines Nevada County Fairgrounds Grass Valley = Sept 6-8, 2013 Birds on the Santa Cruz Wharf = Saturday, September 28, 2013 The Good Guys - Alameda Fairgrounds, Pleasanton, Ca = November 9 & 10, 2013 2013 CTCI Region 3 Convention, San Jose, CA July 31-Aug 4, 2013 The Santa Clara Valley Thunderbird Club will be hosting the 2013 CTCI Region 3 Convention at the San Jose Airport Garden Hotel, 1740 N. First Street, San Jose, California. We invite all CTCI members to save the date to participate in the convention while enjoying our mild summer weather and fascinating regional venues. For more information visit our web site at http:// If you know of any upcoming Northbay events please let me know so they can be included. It s always nice that everyone has the option to participate if so inclined.
Sun, Aug 11 @ 2:00 Hosted by Brant & Arlis 6287 Melita Rd, Santa Rosa 707-538-7511 Brant and Arlis will provide the following: BBQ Chicken Vegetarian Lasagna Casserole Chilli Beans Green Salad Lemonade, Wine & Beer, Water nothing fancy Attendees are asked to bring one of the following; let Arlis know which when you RSVP: 18 Homemade Cookies or Loaf of Garlic Bread RSVP by Aug 5th by calling 707-538-7511 call same # if you are lost!!! From Santa Rosa at Hwy 12 & Melita Rd stoplight turn Left onto Melita Rd. From Sonoma at Hwy 12 & Melita Rd stoplight turn Right onto Melita Rd. This section of Melita Rd is a horseshoe so proceed to the middle and look for a row of mail boxes and a pole with lots of # s - turn up unnamed road and proceed to last driveway on the right. 2nd driveway passed trees Note: # s are out of order on this road. Remember a Raffle Prize if you can and want to.
George Greeott is now 103 and still a very entertaining story teller...he also drove a Thunderbird to Redding in the late 50 s and loved every mile. George Greeott at 101 By Clark Mason, Press Democrat Staff Writer...2011 George Greeott, who turns 101 April 30, has watched Windsor go from dusty crossroads to bedroom community. A housing subdivision long ago replaced his farm near Vinecrest Road. The energetic centenarian still does many of the chores on another 18-acre property, the remnants of a larger ranch his Italian immigrant father acquired in 1928 off Chalk Hill Road, four years before the old horse-and-wagon road was paved. Greeott, a woodworker, artist, and inventor, also was a horseshoe champion who gave up pitching in his early nineties, about the time he stopped driving. His fanciful wood carvings and sculptures are on display at the Windsor Historical Society s Hembree House, along with a trove of Indian artifacts he unearthed over decades of plowing his land. He has a Healdsburg mailing address, so that city claims him as member of a pioneer family. But he lives closer to Windsor, where a big birthday bash was held last year when he turned 100. He has been the Duke of Windsor in the Windsor Day Parade, as well as the Grand Marshall. They keep getting that old man out there so people can stare at ya, he says with a laugh. Widowed after 60 years of marriage, the great-great grandfather no longer puts in 14-hour workdays like he did for decades. But he tends to a vegetable garden, trims tree branches and does his own housework. He agreed to an interview this week, occasionally jumping to his feet to show off a memento or an artistic piece. Hanging nearby was a t-shirt he got for his last birthday. On the front it read: How the hell did I get this old? How old do you feel on the inside? I run out of energy, but I still do a lot of work. It makes me feel I could be classified even today with the yard work and all that stuff as a person 80 years old, or less. What are your birthday plans? There will be seven or eight of us at this table, including my daughter, Steve Lehmann (president of the Windsor Historical Society) and longtime friends representing the museum. Last year, I had a few hundred (people for the 100th birthday). At my age, it s difficult to visit with that many people. Everyone wants to say Happy Birthday George all day long. To what do you attribute your longevity? Two answers: The real answer has to be hard work and good food. The crazy answer is, Make sure your heart doesn t stop beating. I say that for fun, of course. If you re happy, you can live longer. Have you cut back on your activities since you turned 100? Not since 100, but since I became an aged person. I do a lot less work and sometimes have to rest a bit. I work one to two hours and have to rest. You can accept that. I m glad I can rest and go back and do hard work. What s your daily routine? Ordinarily I get up at 7 to 7:30. I have breakfast. I pick out a job raking, spraying for weeds with Round Up. I don t do too much spraying. I used to pull and cut weeds. I do some woodcutting, small limbs. I do it by hand for exercise. I pick up ordinary, simple things to do, just to keep busy. I keep moving around doing something. I ve worked in my shop many thousands of hours on wood carvings. What do you do for fun? I have fun working, I really do. I have fun when friends come and visit, walking around the hills. I m a nature guy. I like to spend time with nature as much as I can. What do you think Windsor will look like 100 years from now? There could be 300,000 people in Windsor and the total surrounding area. That s a wild guess. I can t see how they can stop. When people get married, they want a family, and that family will need a house. If you can t stop human production physically, you can t stop towns. That s my simple farmer s evaluation. Do you still read a newspaper? I read my paper every day. I ve been reading The Press Democrat since I was a little kid in Santa Rosa. My Dad subscribed to it, as well as the Santa Rosa Republican. We also had the (San Francisco) Call-Bull(etin) and early Examiner. What advice would you give the younger generation? Develop an interest in things of the past; then you can enjoy the life you re living. You can know the things they did before you came along. Maintain an interest in the production of food so you know how it got there. Some people don t know a cow was involved with a carton of milk.
Our Visit to DenBeste Motorsports Showroom
THUNDERBIRDS OF SONOMA OFFICERS 2013 President Tim Roden 707-838-8665 Vice-President Jamie Thigpen 707-864-2080 Secretary Dee Dee Byrne 707-542-3945 Treasurer Jan Kibler 707-539-9414 Newsletter Editor Herman Schulze 707-576-7386 Printing/Circulation Dave & Jan Kibler 707-539-9414 CTCI Rep Jamie Thigpen 707-864-2080 Activities Pat Arieta 415-892-2761 ACCC Rep Jim Arieta 415-892-2761 Webmaster Herman Schulze 707-576-7386 BBQ ER Wes Crandall 707-546-4099 The THUNDERBIRDS OF SONOMA club, Chapter 33 of the Classic Thunderbird Club International, is a California non-profit corporation. The TOS club was founded in 1970 to foster the preservation, maintenance and enjoyment of 55-56-57 Thunderbirds. Membership is open to individuals interested in mutual enjoyment of these vehicles. Prospective members are encouraged to attend our monthly meetings and activities. For information, contact any member or club officer. THE BIRDSHEET Herman Schulze, Editor Parker Hill Rd Santa Rosa Ca 95404-1521