Our very successful year of events and good fellowship is drawing to a close, but with 2023 waiting in the wings it is worth taking a few moments to reflect on all the ways and reasons we have to be grateful on this Thanksgiving Day.
The LCOC Western Region includes all of California and Nevada—a huge geographic space that includes nearly 15 percent of all the members in LCOC! A few of us come from as far away as Oklahoma, Arizona and even Alberta, Canada.
Heading into 2023 we have a new regional membership policy, where all LCOC National members who live within our region or are legacy members from other locations are automatically enrolled in the region if they keep their national memberships current.
We hope and expect that our members who are so generous with their help and advice also will value their LCOC Western Region events and fellowship enough to offer a small annual donation in lieu of $35 dues to help defray Western Region expenses and keep the good times coming. For those donations we are truly thankful.
Collectively we in the region own, or, more accurately, are stewards to more than 420 Lincoln automobiles covering all 11 decades from the 1920s to the 2020s. We keep the heritage of this great American brand alive and breathing every single day. Having our friends and fellow LCOC members along for the ride makes this journey 100 times more fun than it would be to go it alone. For our beautiful historic and modern vehicles and our 350-plus friends and colleagues in LCOC’s Western Region we are truly thankful.
Our incoming Western Region Board of Managers includes Jim Ayres, director; Jeremy Sanford, deputy director; Bazil LaRoche, treasurer; Jim Finley, secretary; Scott Balanda, membership secretary; Elayne Bendel, Web administrator; Tony Mondini, Stacy Roscoe and Halsey Posadas. All of us are volunteers freely giving our time and expertise to make Western Region membership a more valuable and fun experience for all. Our meets, field trips, tours, Web communications, member outreach and other activities would be impossible without their work, and for all this we are truly thankful.
Of the dozens of regional events and activities in 2022, by far the biggest was our Western Region hosting of the LCOC Western National Meet in May. This was a week of celebration of our collector car hobby, love of Lincolns, fun and enjoyment of our casual, but upscale, Palm Springs lifestyle. This was an event two years in the making led by the efforts of co-chairs Ron Cressy and John Burge, but assisted by the entire Western Region Board of Managers, LCOC National, and countless other volunteers, judges, event and venue hosts, hotel staff, caterers and show field staff. For all the planning and execution work and a wonderful meet we are truly thankful.
As the new year begins, we are hopeful that the Covid limitations of the past few years will finally be behind us and look forward to a year where each board member will be sponsoring at least one event. We expect this to result in renewal of traditional activities we have loved over the years plus new events and surprises based on members’ wants and needs. Soon we will be announcing an activity with Ford Motor Company and our traditional Kickoff Brunch and Car Show in February with much more ahead. For all the great times to come we are truly thankful.
Happy thanksgiving. May all your journeys along the Lincoln Highway be joyful ones!
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