OFFICERS AND REGIONAL DIRECTORS 2008-2009
President
Jerry has been a member of the National Woodie Club for over 10yrs. Jerry has held the position of a Western Director, Chapter Coordinator, Secretary, Vice President and now holds the Honor of being President. Jerry is a retired Phoenix Firefighter, he retired after 30yrs of service to his community. Jerry’s love for woodies goes back to the 1960’s when he first saw the surfers carrying their brahs, boards and a mattress in the back of their cars going up and down the coast hitting all the primo surf spots, their woodies were hotels on wheels.
Jerry is a member of Southwest Woodies and has a 1946 Mercury Woodie he calls “WENDY”. Jerry has always said “ the NWC is really about the people and the cars have brought us all together, we are family”. Jerry has always promoted the Statement of Purpose of the NWC, to promote the interest in woodies; to educate owners and the public on their history, beauty, usefulness and uniqueness; and to provide an association through which woodie owners and enthusiasts may exchange information on history, building restoration or modification techniques and share experiences.
Jerry goes by the saying “IT”S ALL GOOD”
Vice-President
Mike has been a member of the National Woodie Club since the early 1990’s and is currently the Vice President and one of the three Eastern Directors. He is a founding member of the Penn’s Wood Chapter, which was formed in 2003, a member of the Southeast Woodies Chapter, and liaison to the Southeast Woodies Chapter and the Capital District Chapter. Since his retirement to South Carolina in 2003, he has, with the help of many others, rekindled activities associated with the Southeast Woodies Chapter.
Mike and his wife, Roni, purchased their 1948 Oldsmobile wagon in 1998. They have made many friends all over the country since joining the National Woodie Club, attending events from Macungie, PA and Folly Beach, SC on the East Coast to Wavecrest and Woodies on the Wharf on the West Coast. One of their favorite events was a covered bridge tour through Chester and Lancaster Counties, Pennsylvania in 2003.
President Emeritus
Secretary
George has been a member of the National Woodie Club for about 6 years and is a founding member and first President of the Penns Wood Chapter. He has been serving as an Eastern Region Director and Secretary for the NWC since September 2006 and is amazed at the great people he has met and become friends with while being involved with this club. He fell in love with woodies while living in California during the late 80’s and early 90’s but did not become a woodie owner (1948 Plymouth) until after his daughter graduated from college (no more tuition payments!) and his son moved back to CA in 2001 to pursue surfing and became a CA resident (which radically reduced Dad’s need to fund his college education). He loves most old cars and has been cursed with an understanding wife who doesn’t get too upset when he brings home strays. They both realize that “metallic” mistresses are kind of cool. He currently also owns a 1948 Willlys Jeep. In addition to his elected duties with the NWC, George volunteered to administer the NWC website Bulletin Board when Stephen Bishop suddenly passed away this past January. It has been a learning process but very interesting. George is married to Maureen, his high school sweetheart, and they have two grown children and four grandchildren(so far!).
Treasurer
Bob has been a member of the National Woodie Club since 1980 and is currently completing his 18th year as the NWC Treasurer. He had previously served three terms as a NWC Eastern Director. Bob is also a founding member, and current Treasurer of the NWC Nor’eastern Chapter.
Bob, his wife Linda and their sons, Ben and Todd attended their first Woodies East at Stowe, VT in 1981. Todd was just a few weeks old that year and over the next several years the Stevens’ boys grew up riding in the back seat of the family’s 1939 Pontiac wagon. Over the last 27 years Bob, Linda and the boys have made scores of Woodie friends while travelling thousands of miles on Woodie tours.
Wood has run in Bob’s blood from an early age. He remembers a neighborhood ’49 Plymouth wagon from his childhood and from that time on always wanted to have a woodie, that early passion became reality in 1981 with the acquisition of the ’39 Pontiac.
Now the Pontiac is gone, in its place is a ’49 Chrysler Town and Country convertible and the next generation, a Stevens’ granddaughter will get to do some growing up the Woodie way.
Membership & Woodie Times Editor
John Lee
P.O. Box 6134
Lincoln, NE 68506
402-488-0990
johnlee@neb.rr.com
Woodie Times Back Issues
Robert Stevens
P.O. Box 11-501
Loudonville, NY 12211-0501
518-785-1349
FDPIX9@nycap.rr.com
Library & Video
Bill Bergstrom
#6 Old Church Street
Yarmouth Port, MA 02675-1916
508-362-7875
carwrench41@comcast.net
Eastern Directors
George Beebe
6 Fox Run Lane
Newtown Square, PA 19073
610-647-2680
jrbb@comcast.net
Mike Grajcar
rmgrajcar@nctv.com
864-543-3587
151 Belle Rive Dr
Ninety Six, SC 29666
rmgrajcar@nctv.com
Central Directors
Dave has been a member of the National Woodie Club since 1989 and is currently serving a second term on the NWC board as one of three Central Directors. He is also a founding member, and current president, of the NWC Midwest chapter; LOG RIDERS.
Dave finds the NWC to be an incredible melting pot of woodie enthusiasts, where owners of original cars, professionally restored cars, street rod and phantom woodies, and “eternal project cars” all share a common interest. He finds that the mutual respect and camaraderie amongst the membership is truly unique to this group.
Dave’s interest in woodie wagons was sparked at an early age. He was four or five years old when he saw his first woodie wagon . You may recall the movie classic “Flicka”, a story about a young boy, living on a Montana ranch in the ‘40’s, and his plight to have a horse he could call his very own. What vehicle would be more appropriate for a ranch family and related chores than a woodie wagon? Seeing that special car in the movie was the spark that lit the woodie wagon flame.
Forty-five years later the flame has become a prairie fire of sorts. He has three woodies in the stable. All Fords; 1946 and ‘48 stationwagons, and a 1947 Sportsman convertible.
Dave promotes interest in woodie wagons at every opportunity, and particularly focuses on the younger folks as they are the next generation of woodie enthusiasts.
Mark Cursio lives in Littleton, Colorado, a suburb of Denver and is in his second year as a Central Region Director. Mark has been involved in classic car restoration for 35 years, and woodies for 20 years. Mark is currently the club liaison to the Northwest and Hi-Country chapters of the NWC. He has just completed the task of indexing the Woodie Times, and planned/participated in the 2008 NWC Board of Directors meeting. His major projects for this coming year are to build up the Hi-Country chapter and maintain the indexing of the Woodie Times.
Mark has been an officer in several Colorado Car Clubs for many years as well as a representative to the Old Car Council of Colorado for 12 years. He currently serves as Treasurer to the NWC Mile Hi Chapter. Mark is presently the caretaker of a 1950 Chrysler Royal wagon, and is in the process of a ground up restoration on a 1939 Chevy Deluxe wagon as well as maintaining several other classic vehicles. Mark feels that this club is like no other in that there is a strong people oriented vibe to woodie events. “I look forward to visiting with good friends as much as seeing the cars” says Mark.
Western Directors
I first got on the "Woodie Highway" in 1998 when I purchased my "surfer-style"1948 Ford modified woodie on the Central Coast of California and drove it 5 hours home along the coastline, enjoying the fresh air and playing the Beach Boys; I'vebeen cruising along the "Woodie Highway" ever since. My first Wavecrest was in 1997, and one year later I was there with my woodie "FORDY8" and haven't missed any since.
I joined the NWC and the So Cal Woodies where I have previously served on the Board of Directors and still plan various activities and events for the club members, some of which have been chronicled in Woodie Times. As a member of all the California woodie clubs and even the South West Woodies for a few years ,I have traveled to all of their woodie shows, met the best people on the planet ,and made countless friendships. During many years of serious kidney disease and other illnesses, I have greatly benefited from the support, friendship and encouragement of these special friends in my life - it is for that reason that I want to serve on the NWC Board of Directors.
Growing up in Southern California in the 60's ,I'm certainly a part of the surf culture; back in high school in 1964 the coolest cars at my high school were the woodies and ,of course, my 1957 Nomad. I consider myself a "car guy", having owned a 1966 Olds Tornado , my daily driver since 1973 is a 73 911 Porsche Targa, and until recently (when it was stolen!), another 1957 Nomad,"2NDTYME", and of course my 1948 Ford Woodie.
I'm now retired after working as a Recreation Therapy Supervisor with the physically disabled at a rehab hospital for 33 years, volunteer at my old hospital, with the LA Co. Sheriff's Dept. here in Cerritos, and with the two support groups for the Marines at Camp Pendleton.
Most important to me are my family: wife of 40 years Jo Ann (donor for my 2nd kidney transplant in 2006), daughter Michelle, son Eric (another Porsche guy), and granddaughter Jaiden, age 6.
I believe in Aloha and my Heavenly Father.
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Jim Vickery
920 Park Pacifica Ave.
Pacifica CA 94044
650-355-8397
jsvick@aol.com |
Jim has been a member of the National Woodie Club since the early 90’s. This will be Jim’s first term as a Western Director. Jim has served as both vice-president and president of the Santa Cruz Woodies Chapter; the first to hold those positions while living outside the immediate Santa Cruz area. “While president, the Santa Cruz Woodies celebrated their 10th anniversary as a chapter, and one year later, the 10th anniversary of Woodies on the Wharf. It was an honor I will never forget.”
Like Jerry Witt, current National Woodie Club president, Jim is a retired firefighter. Including his four years in the U.S. Air Force as a firefighter, Jim was on an engine for 38 years. Jim notes, “My last shift as a Daly City, CA. firefighter was December 3rd, 2006. While there are some things about the job I do not miss, the excitement of running calls and the brother and sister hood of the fire service is greatly missed.”
Jim has always been a car guy. When not at the firehouse, Jim has worked his off days at Roy Brizio Street Rods of South San Francisco, CA. “We have built hundreds of rods in the 30+ years I have worked for Roy, including my own 1946 Ford woodie.”
Jim and Sue, his wife of 39 years, have attended all of the woodie events in California numerous times. Jim feels the woodie family is an incredible mix of people and commented, “The stocker guys, the modified guys, and the just plain woodie fans, all make the National Woodie Club a one-of-a-kind organization.” Jim looks forward to serving as a Western Rep and promoting the Aloha Spirit that is in all of us.
Bill Sampson
PO Box 6936
Malibu, CA 90264-6936
310-457-2601
malibubill@yahoo.com
Bill has been a member of the National Woodie Club since 2002 and currently serves on the NWC board as one of three Western Directors. He is also the current president of the Santa Barbara Woodie Club, his “home” club. He is also a founding member of the Central Valley and the Up the Hill Woodie Clubs and enjoys his memberships in the Southern California, Santa Cruz and San Diego Woodie Clubs as well. He is currently the NWC liaison for the Central Valley and Santa Cruz.chapters. He proudly embarrasses himself at surf contests at the clubs’ shows.
Bill and his wife Rosemary have had more fun than the law allows as a result of their participation in this wonderful hobby. Their fellow woodie owners and enthusiasts have become family to them. The trips up and down the California coast – and to the Central Valley - in their 1948 Mercury wagon have become highlights of the year as well as a good excuse for a surf safari to see their daughter in Santa Cruz.
Bill and Rosemary truly believe that they have received far more than they have given in their relationships with the woodie clubs and the members. We encourage all of the members to participate and enjoy the wonderful people in this group. You’ll be as grateful as we for the friends you make.
Discussion Board Administrator
George Beebe
6 Fox Run Lane
Newtown Square, PA 19073
610-647-2680
jrbb@comcast.net
Website
Dave Kagan
Webmaster@NationalWoodieClub.com
Zion, IL 60099
Please keep all officer information current. Email updates to:
Webmaster@NationalWoodieClub.com and be specific as to which page the changes need to be made. |
