Aside from the regular monthly meetings, and the traditional outings, WDMGC had some special events this year. These included Vince’s Vinsetta VaVoom (in honor of Cecil Kimber's birthday), our Summer Picnic this year held in Ontario, a Trip to Hell Michigan (and back) and a special meeting with a tribute to Rosie the Riveter. In addition, the Michigan state legislature got into the act and passed a law to extend the driving season for historic vehicles.
The event started a little soggy when we stopped at the first leg of the trip to tour around the Fort Gratiot Light Station. We had a nice mix of people from the Corvette and Jaguar Clubs along with Matt and I from our club. Philip Wiltshire and his wife Jan came in from Indiana the night before to join us, so they get the long-distance award. We had a very nice guide as we took in the sights and checked out the lighthouse. Some of the more adventurous among us went up the curving staircase and had the full tour. We hit the Carnegie Museum next - they had a whole Barbie exhibit along with a very interesting mix of many other items on 3 levels to check out. The Huron Lightship Museum on the actual lightship was my favorite and a very cool tour-I wish we had a little more time at that stop as our guide was a wonderful source of knowledge on the history of the lightships. The final stop was at the Thomas Edison Depot Museum with one of the actual train cars and a lot of wonderful history on Thomas Edison and his life.
The sky had brightened up as we went from stop to stop and it turned out to be a pretty nice day for tooling around. We ended up at Lynch’s Irish Tavern where we picked up our last poker card and had a great lunch. Matt and I had a pair of tens and recouped the $20 we put in at the start, with our lead Bob winning the top prize with a pair of aces. Lots of fun was had by all - Philip and I took some pics and the Jaguar Club is planning on another event like this later
Pictures and story submitted by Vicki Bade
- click on any image for a full size image slide show
Pictures submitted by Vicki Bade.
- click on any image for a full size image slide show
Pictures submitted by Vicki Bade and Jojhn Magee
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It was a great time at Mad Dogs and Englishmen at the Gilmore Museum! The day was not quite as hot as in the past, had a nice breeze most of the day & avoided the rain😊😊
Good turnout & although we haven’t seen a full list of winners we do know some of our members took some prizes home: Congrats to Gary Decker, John Deikis & Ken Klemmer.
Here are club members who took home trophies:
• Ken Klemmer -1st Place Class D Pre-1956 MG
• Harry Mueller -1st Place Class F MGB/C 1962-1972
• Gary Decker -1st Place Class H MGB 1974-80 (Rubber)
• Lee Jacobsen -2nd Place Class P Other British to 1964
• Fran Lewis -3rd Place Class O New Mini Post 2002
As you will see in his eagerness to register Matt snagged 001 as the first to get in😂
Pictures and story submitted by Vicki Bade
- click on any image for a full size image slide show
We had a great time and a nice turnout for our summer party. It was a rather sticky day, but at least we didn’t get rained on and the tent helped a lot. Lots of food - thank you to everyone that brought goodies! It was all delicious! We got a few sets of cornhole in and Dave opened up his garage for people to check out. Congrats to Mick and Lori for their winning picnic basket entry - it was really nice! Thank you to Dave and Anne for letting us invade their property and for opening up their beautiful home for the festivities.
Summer picnic with the MG Club: a splendid spread on a hot and humid day. Summertime is still going strong!
Pictures and story submitted by Vicki Bade and John Magee.
- click on any image for a full size image slide show
Cheerful MG owners showed up to our June meeting in good spirits under sunny skies. Inside we chatted, ate, and had our souls destroyed by club President Vicki Bade’s crushing MG quiz. Afterwards we went back outside and chit-chatted among our cars to recover, so it was all good!
- click on any image for a full size image slide show
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Cheerful MG owners showed up to our June meeting in good spirits under sunny skies. Inside we chatted, ate, and had our souls destroyed by club President Vicki Bade’s crushing MG quiz. Afterwards we went back outside and chit-chatted among our cars to recover, so it was all good!
- click on any image for a full size image slide show
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... First accordion
... Second Accordion
Fran Lewis and I set out on a girl’s trip to Fort Meigs in her Mini, as her MGC needs some TLC. It was a good car for the day since it was raining lightly the whole way down.
Due to the rain they had to move the cars to the paved parking lot, so unfortunately the groups were not intact for judging. Despite the conditions there was a good turn - out of cars and a nice variety to peruse-fortunately the rain had let up and although the clouds stuck around it did manage to remain dry for the show. We did see a few other members of the club in attendance-Gary Decker & Shelley MacMillan brought their LE (looking very spiffy) and Chuck Wiley made it.
I will say our friends in the Jaguar Club were well represented with 6 cars and a good number of other Jags on hand as well. We did not stay for the awards portion and I do not see the winners listed on their site as of yet, but we had a good time and enjoyed the day!
Pictures and story submitted by Vicki Bade
- click on any image for a full size image slide show
A few photos from September’s WDMGC meeting. It was a delightful evening to drive a convertible.
Plan to join us on the second Tuesday of the month for an evening of fun and companionship.
Pictures submitted by John Magee.
- click on any image for a full size image slide show
Meet the Human Roller Coaster!
Club Member Florian Dutke took a wild emotional ride in our October and November meetings.
After the October membership we all adjourned to the parking lot to discover that Florian had a dead battery. A flock of club members swarmed to him, wielding jumper cables and free advice. We had him quickly back on the road where he made it as far as … out the driveway onto 12-Mile Rd, where his beloved MGB “Pudding” died again, eventually taking the Ride of Shame.
Then in November’s meeting Florian rebounded from that tough day to win the MG Trivia Cup! From ignominy to triumph! All in one month’s time! Congratulations, Florian!
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Photos from John Magee, Florian Dutke, and Kelly Lacroix
- By Lee Jacobsen
The October 2024 joint meeting with the Jaguar club featured a presentation on Rosie the Riveters and their work at Willow Run with special guest Claire Dahl. WDMGC Member Lee Jacobsen remembers growing up, being raised by a real-life Rosie the Riveter. You can click here to read his story!
Club members old and new gathered for our 2024 Hibernation Lunch on March 17 at Wixom Station in Wixom, Michigan. The lunch was a casual affair with a delicious assortment of Italian food. The crowd was a casual affair with a fine assortment of MG fanatics. Highlights included an address from our President Vicki Bale and the unveiling of our new Trivia Cup by Treasurer Vince Lacroix, a cup that will be up for grabs at our Trivia Night at the regularly scheduled club meeting on Wednesday, April 10, in its new location at Craft Breww City in Farmington Hills, Michigan.
Enjoy pictures from the WDMGC Hibernation Lunch at Wixom Station.
- Pictures and story submitted by John Magee
- click on any image for a full size image slide show
Our trio started the adventure to Canada last Friday for the weekend to culminate in the British Car Day at Brontë Creek on Sunday.As it always seems to happen for this weekend the weather was picture perfect and after the tops came down they stayed that way.
It was a great drive over, although it took a little longer than expected due to some detours we had to make around an unknown road closure (Google Maps was not my friend for this trip). The countryside was beautiful as always and our caravan mates enjoyed their first time outing on the way to our hotel. Had a delicious dinner with Lynne & Dave Friday night-thanks for waiting for us. Enjoyed a few wineries and good food Saturday and the car show on Sunday blew our first timers minds! Congrats to JP on his prize-he proudly showed off his baby and as usual worked the crowd like no one else!! It was wonderful to see so many of our Canadian members and we enjoyed getting to chat with some of them during the weekend!!! We did the smart thing again and left Monday morning instead of after the show, so we were able to relax and enjoy the wonderful day and the trip home was a good one. Happy to report no major car issues (which is why you see my Fiat instead of the MG), so no breakdown stories to be had - Vince had a break light issue with Beatrix that was solved quickly thanks to a part and some help at the show. Our club truly is the best & our members are so generous with helping out a fellow owner in need. Great to see everyone and another super Brontë Creek weekend in the memory books!
Pictures and story submitted by Vicki Bade.
- click on any image for a full size image slide show
Each year, Michael Caputo publishes a calendar featuring MGs, and this year, WDMGC member Arayan Lias MGB made the cut! His photo, besides featuring his MGB, was able to capture a beautiful vision of our Michigan fall colors!
Writing on mgexp.com, calendar creator Michael said ... "October in Michigan is about the only place to seriously challenge New England for foliage. Arayan Lias succeeded this year! The first time Arayan ever submitted a photo and WHAM it was a knockout." Click here to read more about the calendar.
Part 1: Road Paved with Good Intentions!
The Windsor-Detroit MG Club set out for a demonic destination for its October 12 drive: Hell, Michigan. Get in your handbasket and come along. This club is going to Hell!
Part 2: MGs in Hell!
Everybody said it would end badly when I got involved in little British cars. But they thought I'd have electrical wiring problems or an expensive engine woe. Nobody knew I’d end up in Hell!
Part 3: Escape from Hell! -- In which we escape damnation, hellfire, and brimstone to take a delightful autumn drive through the hills.
Part 4: Aftermath of the Inferno! Lunch! -- After the journey that tries men's souls (as well as their carburetors and throw-out bearings) there is only one cure for the torment of the soul, a tasty lunch at a brewpub!
Pictures and story submitted by John Magee.
- click on any image for a full size image slide show
Scenes from our Christmas party and Holiday Collection at Craft Breww. Thank you to David Lawson for the cookies, Vince and Kelly Lacroix for the cake, Susan Gucfa for the prize baskets, and Santa Claus for handing out presents to nice MG owners.
Most especially, thank you to the membership for the vast pile of toys and food for our toy and canned good drives! Club members brought a literal truckload of toys and canned goods to our Holiday party in Farmington Hills. How do we know it was a truckload? Because it filled the back of Russ and Marlis LaFavre’s pickup truck! Thank you to all the members who contributed, and thank you to Russ and Marlis for delivering our donations to Toys for Tots and C.A.R.E.S.
Santa recognized the effort by moving the membership collectively from the Naughty List to the Nice List and delivering presents to some of the most deserving members. You’ve helped to improve some Christmases that need a helping hand.
Please note the picture with Santa and John Magee in the same room, proving that John and Santa are not the same person, despite all the rumors to the contrary.
- click on any image above for a full size image slide show.
Pictures submitted by John Magee.
Great news for all of us who drive a car in Michigan on a historic-vehicle registration! In April of 2024, Governor Whitmer signed into law a bill to expand the driving exemption for historic vehicles from August to include the entire period from Memorial Day Weekend through Labor Day. These cars may now be driven for any purpose. The change in law has been enthusiastically welcomed by classic car drivers of all marks, a few of whom may have pushed the boundaries of the restrictions the rest of the year. (Nobody in our club, I am sure.) Vintage cars with historic registrations should still only be driven for display or mechanical purposes the rest of the year. The change in law came after persistent lobbying by classic car enthusiast John Russell of Traverse City, Michigan. Thank you, John Russell, from all of us!
Here are your 2024 WDMGC Board Members. The Board is always open to suggestions: Click here to contact the entire Board.
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President Vicki Bade and her husband Matt have been members since 1998 and she considers it is the best thing they could have done. They feel proud to be part of the "wonderful club and our members are the best people you could ever find.
Vicki is an Accounting Associate at a credit union. Vicki and Matt have been very active in the club, and both have previously served on the board as Treasurer.
Vicki has thoroughly enjoyed her role as President of WDMGC and is looking forward this year to continue keeping the members connected, especially during this difficult time and being able to gather again. It will be a better year!
You can email Vicki by clicking here.
Vice-President Dale Brown has been an MG fan for most of his adult life, starting with a 1969 Red MGB in 1972. He joined the club in 1995 and has been an active member ever since. Among the hats he has worn are President and Vice President, Secretary, Newsletter editor; he also has been honored with the Rookie of the Year, Founders' Award, Lucky Lucas Award, and Special Recognition with a "Loose Nut Award"!
Dale and Lise currently have three MGs, 1969 MGB and 1972 MGB, and a 1973 MGB-GT.
You can email Dale by clicking here.
Secretary John Magee has been a member of the Windsor-Detroit MG Club since purchasing his 1976 MGB roadster in 2011. His British fleet has since grown to include a 1999 Jaguar XJ Vanden Plas Supercharged and a 1950 MG TD.
When not getting better acquainted with the tow-truck drivers of Michigan and Ontario he can be found in Wolverine Lake, Michigan, floating around on his old pontoon boat, or at work at Cengage Gale in Farmington Hills where he is the Director of Indexing & Vocabulary Services.
His wife Monique is an extremely good sport -- as witnessed by the ridiculous list of British cars above -- and a former winner of the club's Navigator of the Year award.
John took office as the club's treasurer in 2021.
You can email John by clicking here.
Treasurer - Position Currently Vacant - This is an opportunity for you to give back to your club. The position has been streamlined to help make the job easier. Feel free to contact any board member if you are interested in helping out.
The beginning of another year brings the chance to elect the WDMGC Board of directors. This year the voting was, once again, on-line. Congratulations to all who participated in the voting, and we offer our support to those elected for the upcoming year. Currently, the position of Treasurer is vacant, and if you would like to give back to the club, feel free to contact any board member. And as always, you may contact any board member for any suggestions or comments about the WDMGC.
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| Vicki Bade President |
Dale Brown Vice President |
John Magee Secretary |
Currently Vacant Treasurer |
Longtime club member Marla Zebarah passed away in October. She and her late husband Dan were lifetime members of the club. Dan passed away many years ago due to brain cancer. Their children David and Lisa have continued to be active in the club.
From her obituary: Marla J. Zebarah of Brownstown Twp., Michigan passed away on Wednesday, October 16, 2024 at the age of 69. Beloved mom of Lisa (Dan Urson and Ian Shears) and David Zebarah. Cherished grammy of Eliana Urson-Shears. Loving sister of Dave (Dawn)
Hillebrandt and sister-in-law of Cheryl (Mark) Zelek.
Marla was preceded in death by her husband Dan, and her parents Fred and Bernie Hillebrandt. Marla was an avid member of the Boy Scout community, and taught leadership skills to countless Scouts over the last twenty-five years. She will be deeply missed and forever remembered by her friends, her family, countless people for whom she became a second mother, and by the Coca-Cola Company who will almost definitely feel the drop in Diet Coke sales in their fourth quarter of 2024.
