May Area Happenings

Ladies in Porsches (LIPS): April 7 – Six of our ladies gathered this month at Backstreets Bar and Grill for a little lunch and fellowship. The meeting was hosted by Whitney Moran. Attendees contributed $5.00 each to support the children of Crossnore Communities for Children.

Monthly Membership Meeting: April 10 – Eighteen members and friends gathered at FOURK Restaurant for dinner and to visit with fellow Porsche enthusiasts. Among this number was new members and first-time attendees Kevin and Wendi O’Malley. They were “recruited” by Al and Adrienne Johnston who just happen to be their neighbors.

There was no formal program planned but Board member Bryson Kiser – Regional Driving Tour Committee Chairman provided a brief overview of key takeaways from the Region’s April Board Meeting. Most significant among these is the Upstate Region’s plan to leave the Carolinas Region to form their own independent Region. This has been discussed for some time but the Upstate Area members have decided now is time to act. It is anticipated that their departure will have little impact on the remainder of the Carolinas Region. Upstate members hope to complete this transition by the end of this year.

This evening’s raffle yielded two winners:

• New member Kevin O’Malley won a collapsible Porsche branded umbrella.

• Rudy Mauney won a multi-color 3-D printed Porsche crest compliments of Michael Moran

As a result of the raffle, we were able to raise $120.00 to support Crossnore Communities for Children. Thank you all who participated.

Weekday Drive and Dine: April 25 – Jim and Lisa Buchanan organized this month’s drive … our second of the year. Fourteen members in seven cars participated. As usual, participants gathered at Foreign Cars Europa for a light breakfast – compliments of the dealership – and driver’s meeting. Route guidance was provided by Ride with GPS so we took a little time to assure everyone had downloaded the app and route.

With Jim and Lisa in the lead and Jane and myself in “sweep” position, our group of 7 cars departed on a scenic drive to Banner Elk, NC for lunch at the Peddlin’ Pig Restaurant. As has been our experience in the past, food here was quite good and service was excellent. Following lunch, we continued our drive with a stop at Grandfather Vineyards and Winery. 

This is one of our favorite wineries offering good wine, live music, food trucks and loads of seating for small groups to gather. Our group found a cozy spot to hang out and enjoy one another’s company. Unfortunately, the much-needed rain cut the visit short for some. Nonetheless, it was a good day. Thank you, Jim and Lisa for putting this together.

We need some help! As you know, PCA is a volunteer organization. We need your help and involvement to assure the Carolinas Region and Hickory Area continues to provide the kinds of programs and events you have come to value. I, along with wife Jane, have functioned as Director(s) of the Hickory Area for more than ten years. Though it has been a pleasure to do so, we also have other interests.

Consequently, we are asking for a volunteer to assume the role of Area Driving Tour Coordinator to help plan, coordinate and sometimes lead (with the help of others) our monthly driving events. For more details please contact either myself (hickory-ad@carolinas-pca.com) or Bryson Kiser, the Region’s Driving Tour Coordinator at: brysondkiser@ icloud.com. We would love to welcome you to our team.