2011–2012 Officer Elections: The Shenandoah Region Election Committee has proposed a slate of officers to serve during 2011 and 2012. Their candidates are Sherry Westfall (president), Andy Turner (vice president), Pam Ebinger (secretary), and Bob Duntley (treasurer).
Ballots will be distributed as paper inserts in the October issue of the Heat Exchanger. You may also use the printable .pdf copy available here. Only those ballots received in the mail by Herb Distefano, 11100 Emery Lane, Bumpass, VA 23024 not later than October 29 will be counted. The results will be announced at 10 AM on Sunday, October 31 during the Annual Meeting to be held at G&W Motorwerks at 518 West Main Street, Waynesboro, just prior to the Fall Foliage Tour.
October Social/Business Dinner Meeting at Photoworks: Geoff and Mike Kilmer, fellow Shenandoah members and owners of Photoworks Creative Group, hosted our October 12 meeting at their facility at 700 West Rio Road in Charlottesville. Gary Hagar of Durty Nelly’s Pub prepared an excellent dinner buffet with pulled pork and chicken BBQ, Brunswick stew, cole slaw, red-skinned potato salad, deviled eggs, a variety of drinks, plus carrot cake and chocolate chip cookies for dessert. The “Gang of Four” officer nominees were lined up and shot in the Photoworks studio (photo above). Goeff Kilmer gave us all a fascinating tour of Photoworks and all of the impressive machinery they have to make huge photo prints and displays. If you want a really big photo of your Porsche, they can produce it for you!
Chef Gary at work
Mike Kilmer
Goeff Kilmer showing us around Photoworks
Bill Sanders reclaimed the "Smoky" award!
Euroclassics/Shenandoah Region PCA 9th Annual Driver Education Day At VIR: Mark Cooke of Euroclassics Porsche and the Shenandoah Region PCA ran this popular one-day DE at Virginia International Raceway (VIR) near Danville, VA for the ninth consecutive year on October 11 (Columbus day). There were three run groups based on driving experience. The “yellow” group for drivers who are new to the track followed a pace car driven by Wayne Hall of Euroclassics. Passing was allowed in the two upper run groups (“red” and “white”) for experienced and advanced drivers.
Alex Smith arranged perfect fall weather for the day—not to hot, not too cold, and always sunny. Rick Ebinger was the chief instructor, and there were plenty of instructors available for beginners and experts alike. Eric Boody was the safety chairman and only had to talk with a few drivers about spins and offs. Quite a few new drivers were introduced to the track. Most of the cars were Porsches, but supplemented by the usual suspects from Lotus, Mazda, BMW, and Ferrari. David Few showed up with a 2008 Cayman S track car and is getting much faster. Most everyone went home with Euroclassic shirts and caps and gloves from OG Racing. Burleigh’s Body Shop generously gave a $250 dinner gift certificate to a lucky winner. CDOC gave away a credit for a new helmet won by Jim Condon, and Concours in Richmond (owned by driver Dave Cottrell) gave a $250 complete detail job to a fortunate winner. Synergy Racing was there in full force with four of their 997-based race cars…thank you Kerrigan.
Alex Smith, event organizer
Rick Ebinger, chief instructor
Eric Boody, safety chairman and enforcer
The Synergy tent
Yellow group on the grid
Wayne Hall drove the yellow group pace car
Susan Few
Sherry Westfall
Out for a spin
David Few's new track Cayman
Lemons BMW
Louis Dibrell
Rick's 914
Emmett Richardson
Kerrigan Smith at the Synergy tent
Porsches & Pastrami: Sunday October 3 turned out to be a cool but mostly sunny day for this month’s Porsches & Pastrami. Gary Hagar served his usual great fare at Durty Nelly’s. After lunch, Sherry led nine Porsches on a drive through hilly country roads in western Albemarle County, looping around to the east and ending up at Ash Lawn, the home of President Monroe.
The 26th annual Classics on the Green European Automobile Festival at the was held at the New Kent Winery in New Kent, VA between 10 AM and 4 PM on a warm and sunny Sunday, September 19. This year’s featured car was the Porsche. Robert Overholser of Lufteknic organized a great display of white Porsches, illustrating all major models from the 356 to the present. Pat Daily’s “Fast Frieda” was among them. Drew Donaldson parked his gray 911 and Malcolm Hopker his “VA BRIT” 996 by the Lufteknic tent. Dave Cottrell displayed his blue 356C coupe and his Panamera at the Concours Detailing tent. Shenandoah members entering their Porsches in the concours included Bruce Russell (red 1984 Carrera Targa), Jeffrey Elmore (silver 2000 Boxster S), and Dick Pitman (red 1961 356B cab).
The New Kent Winery
Sherry Westfall, Jeffrey Elmore, and Carlin and Dan Graff
Inside a 6 cylinder E-Jag
MG's were everwhere
Sherry next to a Rolls with 24 inch wheels and a Mini with 10 inch wheels
Sherry next to a Rolls with 24 inch wheels and a Mini with 10 inch wheels
Dave Cottrell's 356 and Panamera in front of the Concours Detailing tent
Bruce Russell and Gary Hagar
The "Porsches in white" display organized by Robert Overholser of Lufteknic
The "Porsches in white" display organized by Robert Overholser of Lufteknic
The "Porsches in white" display organized by Robert Overholser of Lufteknic
The "Porsches in white" display organized by Robert Overholser of Lufteknic
Bruce Russell's 1984 Carrera Targa
Jeffrey Elmore's 2000 Boxster S
Dick Pitman and his 356
Drew Donaldson's recently rebuilt Carrera
1973 Penske Sunoco RSR tribute
Kremer slant-nose turbo with a very wide body
Ed Trottier's (Blue Ridge Region) 928
Two of many Ferraris
A 1953 Nash Healey
One of only two 1911 Breeze-Paris Tear Drop Roadsters
One of only two 1911 Breeze-Paris Tear Drop Roadsters
A great old MG
A relatively new Morgan
A Rolls Phantom V and a Rolls from the 1920's
A Rolls Phantom V and a Rolls from the 1920's
A Land Rover attacking a hill
There is a lot of wood in older British cars
E-type Jaguar noses and a side-opening hatchback
E-type Jaguar noses and a side-opening hatchback
Jaguar XK120 coupe
1929 Austin-Swallow Roadster
Shenandoah’s 15th Anniversary Party at Lake Anna: The 15th Anniversary of the founding of the PCA Shenandoah Region in August 1995 was celebrated on Saturday, August 14. The festivities began at 10 AM with a driving tour led by Herb Distefano starting from the Exxon Station/Pit Stop on the north side of the Gum Spring exit 159 off I-64.
The first stop was the Lake Anna Nuclear Power Station, which is a two-nuclear-generator facility that has been in operation for more than 35 years. We were given an informative tour on the history and operation of the plant.
The second leg of the tour crossed Lake Anna several times en route to the home of Herb Distefano, where our Porsches were parked near the waterfront (photo above). An excellent no-charge catered lunch was served under the tents alongside the lake, followed by two birthday cakes and ice cream. The People’s Choice award and a bottle of wine went to Scott and Tana Kaefer for their white (multiyear composite) long-nose Carrera. Howie Dunbrack gave high-speed rides on the lake in his 270 hp jet boat, and three pontoon boats took us on tours of the lake up to the power plant.
Driver's meeting at Gum Spring
On the Road to Lake Anna
We had a guided tour of the nuclear power plant
Model of fuel rods
The two reactors viewed from the lake
Herb Distefano, our excellent tour leader
and party host.
The "People's Choice" winning car
owned by Scott and Tana Kaefer
owned by Scott and Tana Kaefer
A very new-looking "antique" 1984 Carrera
The buffet line
Two (!) birthday cakes about to be cut by President Bill Sanders and Vice President Sherry Westfall
Two (!) birthday cakes about to be cut by President Bill Sanders and Vice President Sherry Westfall
Howie Dunbrack's 270 hp hair dryer
Howie Dunbrack's 270 hp hair dryer
Pontoon boat tours
Herb's place is still for sale!
Porsches & Pastrami: The August 1 Porsches & Pastrami began with a deli lunch served by Gary Hagar at Durty Nelly’s in Charlottesville. Then we drove to the Taylor & Boody organ factory in a renovated school building near Staunton, where they showed and demonstrated their latest tracker organ. Special features include unusual embossed pipes and electronically controlled stops, although the key action is still mechanical. Member and Safety Chairman Erik Boody is a designer there.
At Durty Nelly's
Old Porsches never die ... parking was tight near the organ factory
The new organ and detail of ebossed pipe
The new organ and detail of ebossed pipe
Apparatus for voicing pipes
(Mostly) lead pipes are made here
The future organist tries it out
Green Bank and Cass Scenic Railroad Tour: The Shenandoah and Blue Ridge regions led a two-day tour to the Green Bank Telescope (GBT) near Green Bank, WV on Saturday, July 24 and to the Cass Scenic Railroad on July 25. The tour began at Pesto near Crozet, and there was a pickup point in Churchville, just a few miles west of Staunton, VA. A total of 60 people showed up on Saturday, so we broke up into three run groups to enjoy at various speeds the seriously curvy and hilly road over three mountain ranges into West Virginia. We arrived at the National Radio Astronomy Observatory facility at noon and lined up to park in front of the Science Center (photo above), where we were served a buffet lunch.
After lunch, three groups of 20 people each were shown around the electronics lab by engineer John Ford and the telescope control room by radio astronomer Jim Condon. Then we saw a video about radio astronomy, picked up hard hats, and took two buses down to the GBT itself. The GBT mirror is 330 feet in diameter, and the overall height of the telescope is about 470 feet. The telescope can be pointed to any direction on the sky to track radio emission from astronomical sources, and the moving weight of over 16 million pounds is supported by 16 steel wheels running on a level circular track. The mirror consists of about 2,000 panels kept within 1/100 inch of a perfect paraboloid by computer-controlled adjusting screws.
About 20 people stayed overnight near Snowshoe and took the Cass Scenic Railroad ride to the Whittaker Station logging camp on Sunday. The Shay steam locomotives ride on gear-driven trucks that can handle the sharp curves, irregular tracks, and steep grades typical of logging railroads on mountains. They are slow (12 mph maximum) but get the job done. Some of us also took advantage of free passes to ride the ski lifts at Snowshoe and use the paddle boats on the artificial lake used to supply water for the snow machines in winter.
Porsches at Pesto near Crozet and at the Churchville pickup point. Where's Herb?
Porsches at Pesto near Crozet and at the Churchville pickup point. Where's Herb?
Porsches at Pesto near Crozet and at the Churchville pickup point. Where's Herb?
The Observatory at Green Bank
A long row of (mostly) Porsches parked on the lawn in front of the Green Bank Science Center
A long row of (mostly) Porsches parked on the lawn in front of the Green Bank Science Center
A long row of (mostly) Porsches parked on the lawn in front of the Green Bank Science Center
A long row of (mostly) Porsches parked on the lawn in front of the Green Bank Science Center
Yet more Porsches
Yet more Porsches
One of two buses needed to carry 60 of us to the GBT
The GBT as seen from two miles away
The former logging town of Cass, WV
The gear-driven Shay locomotive needs a lot of oiling
The gear-driven Shay locomotive needs a lot of oiling
On the way up the mountain
Whittaker Station logging camp
This skilift goes down to an artificial lake at Snowshoe
This skilift goes down to an artificial lake at Snowshoe
This skilift goes down to an artificial lake at Snowshoe
Zone 2 ran its Rumble at the Oak Tree club race and advanced DE at VIR on a sunny but scorching hot Friday–Sunday June 25–27. The paddock temperature exceeded 100 F on Saturday and Sunday afternoons. About 1600 bottles of cold water were handed out by the Zone 2 event organizers, and DE drivers were given a dispensation to wear short-sleeved shirts. Even so, two race drivers required emergency medical treatment for heat exhaustion.
Small regions like ours don’t have the personnel or money to run such big events by themselves, but they can still contribute. A number of Blue Ridge Region members worked to direct traffic at the false grid. Emmett Richardson and Jim Condon from the Shenandoah Region helped with the DE tech inspections, and Sherry Westfall was a “gofer” driving a golf cart as needed to deliver water and ice, direct traffic for the charity laps, and hand out water bottles to drivers coming off the track.
Shenandoah’s Scott Leopold of Werkstatt drove a Spec Boxster in the “black” race group. The photo above shows the black group at the end of the front straight on the starting lap of a sprint race. Note the black 944 near the back, trailing a cloud of dust because it was crowded off the track in this high-speed traffic jam. Many Shenandoah Region drivers got an amazing amount of track time (about seven hours for those hardy enough to use it all) in the advanced DE: “Mad Mel” Brannan, Jim Condon, Emmett Richardson, and David and Erin Israel. First Settlers drivers from Richmond included Carl Gerster, Scott Riesenweaver, Steve Sarfaty, and Bud Syme. The Israels were kind enough to bleed Jim Condon’s brakes after they went soft in the Saturday afternoon heat.
Josie Grandfield handing out water bottles to dehydrated drivers
Sherry Westfall delivered water and ice around the paddock
Dick Seltzer drying out his helmet and gloves
Scott Riesenweaver gassing up. DE drivers were allowed to wear short sleeves.
Emmett Richardson staying cool in the shade
Steve Sarfaty cleaning his windows
Jerry Hampton directing traffic at the false grid
Sherry directing cars onto the grid for charity laps
David Israel at work
Carl Gerster gassing up his GT3
Erin Israel torquing her lug bolts
Mad Mel's 964 C4 with new graphics
David Israel's 911
Bud Syme's 2006 Carrera S
Scott Leopold's Spec Boxster in his garage
The Synergy Support Tent
Racers getting ready in the morning
The TRG support truck for serious racers
The J&S support duffel bag for low-budget DE
Four Spec Boxsters: Scott Leopold,
T. Costa,
A. Jenks (note the Werkstatt logo),
and Chicane Racing
Porsche of Roanoke's Panamera pace car
Scott in the "black" sprint first lap
Bob Mulligan (Potomac Region) all alone
Synergy's 271 in the "red" race group
Going off before Turn 4
This car rolled after being hit on a start
RPM: Once again Alex Smith arranged sunny weather for the RPM concours on Saturday, June 5 at the home of Howard and Leeanne Faunce. A huge number of Porsches decorated the lawn, highlighted by an unusually attractive group of 356’s. Other notable cars included a Carrera GT, a new Boxster Spyder, an electric blue Tesla, and an Arial Atom. After lunch at the “Cafe Carrera”, many left for a tour of Agecroft Hall and then a tech session at Euroclassics. At the awards dinner in the evening, Jack Bair spoke about the creation of the Porsche 911 Club Coupe, and Dick Pitman won the first annual Gay Jewett Award for the “people’s choice” car, his 356 recently restored by Lufteknic.
Dave Cottrell's recently restored 356 coupe
Highest-scoring 356; note the fitted suitcase
The Lufteknic 1957 Speedster
Pat Daily's "Fast Frieda" being judged
Dick Pitman in his just-restored 356
Chris Overholser and Dick Pitman
The registration tent
Two vendor tents
Manny Alban cleaning up his 964
Andy and Mariana Hess's 993 "LUVDOV"
Lynne Taylor with her "new" pine green Boxster
Drew Donaldson just got his rebuilt 911 back from Lufteknic with a 3.8 liter motor
Drew Donaldson just got his rebuilt 911 back from Lufteknic with a 3.8 liter motor
Jim and Sherry's Cayman S
ROB® = Rob and Regina McDonough
Pam Ebinger's Boxster S
RAGS 911
Two track cars from Synergy Racing
Two track cars from Synergy Racing
Bill Sanders' "Black Beauty"
Andy and Bunny Turner's "FAST.COM"
"930 LADY"
Herb Distefano's chick magnet
Dan Graff with "JOHANN"
Bunny Turner posing with an electric blue Tesla
Euroclassics brought a new Boxster Spyder
Mackenzie Horn judging a PORSCHA
The Faunce's home
A neighbor's 356
Carrera GT
356 tails
Registrars Rachel and Pam relaxing
Joy Tupper
Lined up for the concours
Best air-cooled 911
Fun in an Arial Atom
The Cafe Carrera buffet
Porsches at Agecroft Hall
Sherry set up a refreshment table
Sherry set up a refreshment table
Bill Sanders at the awards dinner
Jack Bair developed the Porsche 911 Club Coupe
Alex Smith, RPM czar
Dave Lasch presents the awards
Dick Pitman and his 356 won the first Gay Jewett Award for "people's choice"
First Settlers Region DE and PCA National Instructor Clinic at VIR: The weather was perfect for the clinic and advanced DE on Friday, May 21. Saturday and Sunday were open to all for a DE and a “taste of the track”, a single instructed run session for those interested in DE but not yet willing to sign up for a full weekend. Shendandoah member Malcolm Hopker (the VA BRIT) drove his first DE successfully in the green group (photo). Congratulations, Malcolm!
The Shenandoah Region and the Richmond contingent from First Settlers were well represented in all run groups, and everybody managed to stay out of trouble. Mark Francis was there without his car as a representative of OG Racing. He let some of us try a new movie camera that OG is testing, and he rode a session as an instructor with Jim Condon. Thank you, Mark. Shenandoah members Susan Few and Eric Huggins did the “taste of the track,”, which unfortunately took place during a short rainy spell on Saturday.
Sherry Westfall taping wheel wells
David Israel cleaning Erin's 996
The Richmond contingent
David's 993
Scott Riesenweaver's Boxster S
Bud Symes' Carrera S
Mad Mel's 964 has a new tattoo
Brian Coey's 996
Pete Tremper's setup — note his "sponsor"
Pete Tremper's setup — note his "sponsor"
Mark Francis of OG Racing
Jim Condon at Turn 3
Erin Israel
John Kessler on the front straight
Malcolm Hopker's first run in green
David Few in his new Boxster S with PDK
Jean Few and
Eric Huggins drove in
a rainy "taste of the track."
Malcolm Hopker in NASCAR bend
Sherry Westfall
Erin Israel chasing David
David Israel
Mad Mel Brannan
Erin Israel
Montpelier to Bavarian Chef Drive and Dine: On Saturday, May 8 we visited President James Madison’s home Montpelier, where he wrote the foundation of the US Constitution. Then Dan Graff led us on a drive over some great Porsche roads in Orange, Culpeper, Rappahannock & Madison Counties with a stop at Prince Michel Vineyards and finishing up with a huge dinner at the Bavarian Chef.
Porsche lot at Montpelier
Montpelier
Our guided tour
New lifesize statues of James and Dolly Madison
Dupont garden
Prince Michel winery
A glittering mobile wine glass
Wine tasting
Vineyard with roses
Porsches at Prince Michel
On the road again
At the Bavarian Chef
Tour leader Dan Graff in the yellow shirt
Nobody left hungry
Porsches & Pastrami: On May 2 the Porsches & Pastrami crowd met at Durty Nelly’s in Charlottesville. Following a great lunch served by Gary Hagar at the Pub we followed Deane Parker’s very visible orange Boxster S on a driving tour through the rolling pastures and woodlands of southern Albemarle County to the historic town of Scottsville. We parked at Country Blessings Local Foods, which sells Chaps ice cream, just what the doctor ordered for a very warm sunny day. Some of us also visited the Scottsville Museum and its memorabilia and artifacts from this town’s glory days (A new exhibit “Where the River Bends: Scottsville and the James” just opened.) This small museum is one of our local hidden treasures.
Greg Long's Citroen
Andy and Mariana Hess's 993
At the Country Blessing's parking lot
At the Country Blessing's parking lot
A good place for a snack in Scottsville
The Barclay house
A bench made from courthouse capitals
The Scottsville museum
Grand Am: The Bosch Engineering 250 Grand-Am race took place at the Virginia International on the weekend of April 23–25. Emmett Richardson was there
Eventual #4 finisher
The Synergy team
Kerrigan and Jeremy
Scott Pruett & winning car
Beautiful shot
Andy Lally before punting the BMW
Oops! (spoiler)
Maybe wishing he had that spoiler
Last lap 1-2-3-4
Mr. Jefferson’s Journey: On Saturday–Sunday, April 10–11 the Blue Ridge and Shenandoah PCA regions jointly ran a driving tour that followed some of the footsteps of Virginia’s own Thomas Jefferson. The tour started in the Crozet area at the Pesto Mediterranean Grill. It was a perfect Porsche driving day: the sun was shining, the temperature was moderate, and spring was in the air. Shenandoah’s Deane Parker led the group west through some of the narrow and winding (but paved) roads of rural Albemarle County and then headed south at Afton onto the Blue Ridge Parkway and finally to Lynchburg’s historic district for lunch at The Depot Grille.
In the afternoon Jerry Hampton of the Blue Ridge Region took over and led the troops to Jefferson’s more private and personal retreat, Poplar Forest, where we had a private guided tour of our former U.S. president’s home. Finally, Jerry took us for some energetic driving on great Porsche roads (he radioed “DE on Route 43” as we approached the Peaks of Otter). We had dinner at the Lake View Restaurant at the Peaks of Otter Lodge. Some stayed overnight and others returned home after dinner.
The Porsche lineup being photographed.
The Porsche lineup being photographed.
Driver's meeting by the Pesto Mediterranean Grill
Deane Parker, leader to Lynchburg
Ginnie and Warren Ibaugh of BRR
Brenda Vail
Gary Bell of BRR
Carmie Rodgriguez and Sam Morris
Bob Duntley
Jerry Hampton, Blue Ridge president
Sherry leading the driver's meeting
Ed Trottier, BRR Social Chairman
A perfect Porsche day
Blue Ridge Parkway overlook
Following the Duntley's on the Blue Ridge Parkway
Zone 2 Driver’s Ed: Zone 2 held a three-day DE event on March 12–14 (Friday through Sunday) using the full course at VIR. Friday was rainy, and the slippery track tripped up many drivers, including Jim Condon who went off after the dreaded slippery spot at turn 6a and customized his 996 with some “Armco Green” paint. Jim and Sherry thank Scott Leopold of Werkstatt for patching up their car with duct tape (see the “more photos” link below) so that they could continue driving for the rest of the weekend. On Friday evening there was an excellent dinner of “Nuremburg Nachos” and a live band played many danceable songs.
The weather improved on Saturday and Sunday. Other Shenandoah drivers were “Mad Mel” Brannan, Emmett Richardson, Scott Leopold, and Hamisch Brookeman. Mark Francis, formerly with CDOC and now with OG Racing, didn’t bring his own car but served as a driving instructor.
Shenandoah track junky "Mad Mel" Brannan
Scott Leopold in another Spec Boxster
New Shenandoah member Hamisch Brookeman on the grid and at turn 3
New Shenandoah member Hamisch Brookeman on the grid and at turn 3
Sherry Westfall
Emmett Richardson
Mel's car packed up to go
First Anniversary Celebration of Porsches & Pastrami started at 1 PM on a warm and sunny Sunday, March 7. It was effectively the first day of spring, and 20 Porsches appeared at Durty Nelly’s Pub and Wayside Deli, many with their tops down and their owners recovering from cabin fever after this winter’s record snowfall (see photo).
To celebrate the first year of Porsches & Pastrami, Gary Hagar treated us to a complimentary lunch of pulled pork and chicken BBQ with all the fixin’s. Afterward Johnny Johnson (in his black 1974 Carrera Targa) led us on a spirited backrounds drive ending at Monticello and the Thomas Jefferson Visitor and Smith Education centers.
Durty Nelly's
Jeffrey Elmore's "GT3" Boxster
Gary Hagar with his 968 (which is for sale)
A few more of the 20 Porsches
Arriving at the Monticello parking lot
Arriving at the Monticello parking lot
The new visitor center and museum
The first Social/Business Meeting of 2010 began at 10 AM on Saturday, February 13 in Gordonsville at Overstreet European Motors. Owner Paul Overstreet, a well-known Porsche mechanic in our region, gave a very useful talk about what we need to do to prepare our Porsches for spring. Steve Heim reported guidelines set up by the new charity committee and said that the next step will be to recommend specific charities and charitable events. At noon most of us headed down Main Street for lunch at the historic Toliver House Restaurant.
Annual Meeting: Our annual planning meeting on January 24 to set the club’s 2010 calendar started with an excellent lunch at the Basil Mediterranean Bistro, courtesy of fellow member Raif Antar, his two servers, and his chef. Afterward, we talked about and selected the activities that we will host and participate in during the upcoming year.
Gay Jewett, Longtime Shenandoah Region PCA Member, Has Passed Away: The Shenandoah Region is saddened to announce that Gay Jewett passed away on January 6th after a short battle with cancer. Our heartfelt best wishes go out to her husband Bryce and their entire family at this difficult time.
A memorial service was held at the First Presbyterian Church at 4602 Cary Street Road in Richmond on January 11, followed by a reception. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to First Presbyterian Church at the above address, or the Collegiate School, 103 North Mooreland Road, Richmond, Va. 23229.
The following is a memorial written by close friend and fellow Shenandoah PCA member Alex Smith:
In Memoriam–Gay Jewett: Long-time club member and consummate volunteer Gay Jewett died recently (January 6, 2010) of cancer. She will be missed by all of us. When I was president of the club in ’98, one of the first things I did was to recruit Gay as our treasurer. Our club was still very new in those days and our financial stability was in question. What little money we had, the amount and its whereabouts at times were a mystery because of several part-time in and out treasurers.
All of that changed when Gay got her hands on our books. She was a numbers person and asked the hard questions when it came to expenses. For nearly ten years, she kept us straight and our modest treasury grew. Gay was vital to the success of R.P.M. She up until last year kept the event registration, paid our bills, ordered and delivered autocross lunches to the track. She also helped with the reminders for sponsors and advertisers’ bills and statements. I greatly relied on Gay to handle the business side of R.P.M.–I will greatly miss her.
Her love of Porsches goes way back with her husband Bryce. They ordered a 1971 911T from the factory while he was stationed in Germany in the army and brought it back with them. Years later they purchased an ’87 summer yellow 911SC Cabriolet, a beautiful car now owned by Joe Buttner of Richmond. Their current Porsche is a beautiful dark red 993 (911) purchased from Weldon Scrogham ten years ago. (It just happens to be the same color as their first 911.)
Gay wasn’t just a treasurer, she was a friend to all of us new and old. She drove these cars well and often (until grandchildren and car seats took over), and she participated in tours and a rally or two. In 1998 Gay and Bryce went with Gail and me to the 50/50 at Watkins Glen–one of the first of the big Porsche events celebrating 50 years of the Glen and 50 years of Porsche. These pictures are from that event. I’ll say it again–she will be missed.
Alex Smith
