VCCC - Columbia Chapter

The Columbia Chapter is more or less headquartered in the city of Castlegar, however our membership comes from all around the West Kootenays, Trail, Nelson, Christina Lake, Fruitvale, Warfield, Genelle and of course Castlegar. Contacting us for more information about the club is easy, just get ahold of one of our subdued executive (Pictured below) by telephone, e-mail, or mail at the numbers listed under Contact Us.

Christina Lake is the venue for our annual campout which is held on the labour day weekend. If you've never been to a Christina Lake campout, you’re missing out on a fun filled weekend. We serve a delicious, fun filled breakfast every morning and there are car games, valve cover races, tours, a banquet, skits, a dance, BBQ, prizes, trophies and just a whole heap of fun. So come on out and join us on our 2006 Labour Day weekend - you won't regret it. Below are the highlights of this years campout.

President	Ike Braga 250-365-2463
Vice President	Marcel Brulotte 250-352-9692
Secretary	Karen Robertson 250-693-2153
Treasurer	Ron Garay 250-365-5003
Governor	Ron Garay 250-365-5003
Directors	Rick Hahn 250-365-3612 Emil Garay 250-365-5003 Greg Sahlstrom 365-7352 Leo Sahlstrom 250-364-1551 Joe Tatangelo 250-447-9345 George Ward 250-367-7004
Sunshine Girl	June Bos 250-365-2646
Historian	Judy Black 250-447-6581
Christina Lake Chairs	Bob Black 250-447-6581 Mike Burroughs 250-447-9776 Ron, Gord, Joe, Jim
National Correspondent	Ike Braga 250-365-2463
Newsletter	Marlene Ward 250-36-7004 wardsy@telus.net
Trophies	Mike Burroughs 250-447-9776
Internet	Ron Garay 250-365-5003 rgaray@direct.ca
Chapter Dues	$7.00
Chapter Meetings	2nd Sunday, 3p.m., Oct.-Mar., St. David's United Church, Apr.- Sept. on tours.
Chapter Address	150 - 100 St., Castlegar, B. C. V1N 3C5

The 27^th Annual Christina Lake Campout of vintage vehicles was held at Christina Lake Labour Day Weekend. This annual event is hosted by the Columbia Chapter of the Vintage Car Club of Canada and this year we welcomed more participants than any previous year. Wayne and Gwen McCargar were first over from Castlegar and set up the kitchen and registration table. George Westinghouse and Gord & June Bos arrived in time to help with the deliveries and everything was done by early afternoon. Harvey Jack continued his historical duty of hanging the Columbia Chapter banner at the entrance to the campground and Ron Garay started his 50-50 and valve cover ticket selling as soon as he got here.

Friday night Pat Tatangelo and Lois Brulotte welcomed people as they registered. The club, for the first time, had a Wine and Cheese get together which worked out well as people mixed and visited instead of going back to their units. Saturday morning saw the Kelowna Chapter host a breakfast with the theme of a PJ Party. At 10:00 am the Show and Shine began in the schoolyard of the Christina Lake Elementary School with the Christina Lake Fire Department taking part for the first time. A number of car games took place and the public were welcomed to view all the cars and trucks that had come from all over the province and Washington state. This is the first year we have had BIG trucks participate and we were lucky to have four representatives of the AARC Chapter from Lynden, Washington bring their rigs to Christina Lake.

After lunch the Columbia Chapter women started preparations for the BBQ and the men oversaw the Valve Cover races. The winner of the Valve Cover Races was Dylan Verigin of Castlegar for the second year in a row. Dylan and his Granddad, Greg Sahlstrom, have developed an unbeatable car. Wayne McCargar built a valve car that won the races in Prince George at the May 2005 tour but it was beaten by young Mr. Verigin at the lake. While the Valve Cover Races were going on a Suitcase Swap Meet was being held by the cookhouse with the most participants ever!

Saturday evening everyone enjoyed a wonderful BBQ [accolades to Jim at Huckleberry Mountain Market for wonderful roasts] and afterwards a number of the participants brought their instruments up to the cookhouse and we all enjoyed a hootenanny! No one wanted the day to end.

The Hassie Club of Spokane hosted the Sunday morning breakfast. After breakfast Mike and Jan Burroughs took the long tour out to Son Ranch with the majority of the vehicles joining their group. Everyone was very appreciative of the ranch and the artifacts they have accumulated. The short tour was hosted by Bob and Judy Black and it stayed in the vicinity of the Lake as some of the cars can’t be driven long distances at highway speeds.

Sunday evening the group enjoyed a banquet catered by Pat Lawrence of the Dueling Oaks Restaurant. The Kelowna Group put on three skits and the group from Lynden , Washington put on a skit. Five youngsters ranging in age from 4 – 6 years of age did a great skit. John Vere of Grand Forks entertained with wonderful dance music and, again, no one wanted the night to end.

Monday morning saw the Columbia Chapter host a breakfast. Farewells and wishes for a safe drive home were made and the cookhouse was cleaned up and cleared out. Much thanks to the Pines Campground for making each years’ event a success.

Every year Mike Burroughs makes wonderful trophies to be presented at the banquet. Below are the winners for 2005:

Winner of the Favourite American Vehicle for 2005 – Joe and Kathy Cramer of Lynden , Washington with a 1951 GMC 950 Truck

Favourite Canadian Car for 2005 – Ken & Miki Boleen of Abbotsford, B.C. with a 1955 Thunderbird.

Trophy for the Longest Trip to come to the Campout 2005 – Larry & Marsha McPhail of Blaine, Washington with a 1958 Corvette.

Triple Trophy winners: Ed Hard & Linda Galloway from Nelson, B.C. with a 1926/27 Model T. Ford. They won the trophy for the oldest car participating in a tour; the Hard Luck Trophy and the Lincoln Sandner Memorial Trophy as the oldest car at the campout! For first time participants they did okay.

Pictured above: Frank Hurley, Sylvia Sandner and Ed Hart with the Lincoln Sandner Memorial Trophy.

Pictured above: Gordon Bos, Mike Burroughs and Linda Galloway with the Oldest Car Participating in a Tour Trophy.