Club Events
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Corvetter & Coffee

The Island Walk community once again hosted Corvettes and Coffee on 6/16/18. Coffee and donuts were served at the community center and at noon lunch was served. This was followed by games, prizes and raffles.

Venice HS Parade of Champions

VENICE PARADE OF CHAMPIONS  JUNE 13,2018  
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Celebration of VHS 7A Baseball State Champions and Class 2A Wrestling State Champ 138 lb. weigh class
We had 18 Corvettes from the VFC. 
Thank you club members for making the parade a success. 
Many thank  from the City of Venice and the Baseball State Champions for our help.
The parade was 17 minutes long after wards BBQ and ice cream at the gazebo.  

Military Museum Cruise

On Tuesday, June 12, Connie Poynter and Mary Chadsey were the co-captains for a visit to the Military Heritage Museum and lunch at the Captain's Table in Fisherman Village, Punta Gorda. There were 36 VFC members in attendance. The museum represents all units of the U.S. Armed Forces and all U.S. Wars. It will be moving shortly to its own building across the street from Fisherman Village. The group was honored with a short presentation about the history and future direction of the museum. Our members were very generous with their donations to support the museum. Lunch was at the Captain's Table on the second floor with stunning views overlooking the marina and Charlotte Harbor. The day was full of museum viewing, lunch and shopping in the many stores in Fisherman Village. Fun was had by all.

Myrtle Beach

Myrtle Beach Corvette Club presented their 23rd annual Corvette Show on Saturday, June 2nd.  This was held at Broadway at the Beach in Myrtle Beach and was attended by three VFC members.  Out of almost 300 Corvettes, our club took home two third place trophies.  
Two members drove straight through but we took a leisurely two day journey to the lovely beaches of South Carolina.  The Landmark Motel came through with a washing station and covered parking for all of our babies.  Friday evening was the Welcome Party with a nice dinner, many raffle baskets and entertainment for dancing into the evening.  As we entered the ballroom, waters and iced tea were already poured and in the center of each table were two tall glass containers full of a brownish liquid.  My first mistake was telling everyone it was tea for our refills!  The wait staff had to explain to many guests that I was wrong, it was colored water for decoration not for drinking!  I can’t be right all of the time!
A beautiful day for the car show with plenty of shopping possibilities, restaurants and maybe an adult beverage or two.  A fun day full of great cars and super people.  27 clubs were represented from all over the US.  Farthest away was one from Ohio but we were right up there with miles traveled.  Lots of trophies, door prizes and great conversation rounded out our day.  Think about this one for next year!

On May 19, 2018 Howards Restaurant was the meeting place for the for the club to get together for lunch. The event had a dual purpose because the club photographer was there taking pictures of members and their car. The pictures are displayed on the club website. With the size of the club, it's a great way to put a name, face and Corvette together.

VFC Meet & Greet

Ponce Inlet Corvette Show

May 13, 2018 was the Corvette show at Ponce Inlet on the east coast. When we got there it looked like rain and it did on three different occasions. A lot of my time covering and cleaning and re-cleaning the car. The park was filled with Vettes , they really pack them in at the inlet.  Checking out the other cars and answering questions gobbled up a lot of time and then they started the presentation. C1 through C7 trophies were presented, and as you would expect newer meant more, in terms of volume per class. I was surprised at how many C2's were represented and now a days they all look good. I was pleasantly surprised at how "old blue" did, I'm sure driving so far and being in the Venice Corvette Club played into it. The night before was the "Welcome party"  and it was on the beach. The weather was great and the hospitality exceptional. Overall it was a good car show, they judged like our club and I liked that. The ride to get there was a bit much in a C2 but it gave me a chance to visit one of my old GM buddies who lives close by. 

Cadillac Sal

On March 31, 2018 the club cruised northward to visit maybe the ultimate Cadillac supporter, Cadillac Sal. We were warmly greeted as we entered Sal's man cave. The first room was filled with pictures, car models and other Cadillac items. The pictures showed that Sal with several well-known racecar drivers and with other car enthusiast including Jay Leno. Jay visited Sal when was in town and invited Sal to visit his garage.
From the first room we continued other rooms. There were more Cadillac models, memorabilia. One room was filled with Cadillac manuals, sale brochures and promotion items. There was even a room dedicated to his favorite sports team the “NY Yankee”.
The grand finale was entering Sal's town of Cadillac's in front of various storefronts. There was a fire station for the Ghost Busters Spook-mobile (a replica not the movie original).  The movie original was the “Driving Miss Daisy” black Cadillac. Other Cadillac's filled the town, these were cars he had or wanted in his youth. During the entire tour, Sal told us about his cars and the many people he had met attending various car events. Sal's main room Cadillac town is maintained by him and the cars are driven routinely. All 19 club members went away impressed and those that had to cancel the visit truly missed a great event. No one could have been more hospitable and gracious as a host. We finished the event with lunch at Gecko's joined by Sal.

Corvettes on the Circle

St. Armands is a unique location for a car show. The cars are in the circle grass area surrounded by restaurants and wonderful shopping. May 5, 2018 was a great day for a car show, the weather cooperated from the time the caravan left till the conclusion of the show. We departed the Laurel location at 7:15 and arrived just before 8:00 AM, the caravan included twenty-one corvettes and we were all able to arrive at the same time. Unfortunately, as is the case at St Armand's Circle parking can be a little scattered, however we were clustered in several small to medium groups and were only a short distance from one another. We missed the award for club participation by two cars (we had three no shows). We did however take 5 trophies home with us and they were as follows:

C-5  3rd place
C- 7 3rd place
C- 3 2nd place
C- 2 1st Place
C- 1 1st place 

We had great weather all the way until the ride home, i think many if not all of us ran into rain. on the way home!

Stuart Corvette Club Car Show

The Stuart Corvette Club Show was held on Sunday April 22nd, 2018 at the Ft. Pierce City Marina.

On Saturday April 21st 8 Corvette’s left Venice at 9:45 am for Ft. Pierce. It was a leisurely drive over on RT 72 the then to RT 70 to the city of Ft. Pierce. We arrived around 1:00 PM and checked into our hotel the Hutchinson Island Plaza Hotel & Suites. After check-in lunch was at The Edge Bar & Grill. The tables were on the sand and looked out to an inlet to the Atlantic Ocean. 
Dinner was at the Manatee Island Grill. Another great meal was enjoyed along with and good conversation.
The next morning brought some rain and cloudy skies.  At the show location the rain was pouring down until about 10 am. Judging started just as we got the Corvettes dried.  It was very windy but the once the sun came out it was nice.
Two club members won awards for the top 30 Corvettes.
In spite of the rain, all had fun!

Lipizzaner Stallion Show

The Lipizzaner stallions are associated with the  Spanish Riding School of Vienna, Austria, where they demonstrate the movements of classical dressage which includes stylized jumps and other movements. During the end of World War II, the horses were saved from possible destruction by the advancing Russians by General George Patton.
We don't have to go to Vienna to see some of the horse. They are much closer in Myakka City at the Herrmann Ranch. There on March 15, 1983 we saw a demonstration of the training routines of these amazing horses. The ranch is operated by a third generation descendant of Colonel Herrmann Sr. who brought Lipizzaners to America in 1963. The show was interesting and at the end it was time to go to a local restaurant for lunch.

Billy's Benefit Open Car & Truck Show

Saturday March 24,2018 was also the date of a car show in Port Charlotte at a Kia dealer. Three club members were awarded trophies.

Island Walk Car Show

Saturday March 24, 2018 VFC members took part in Island Walks 3rd annual Car Show hosted by SW FL Jaguar. It was a beautiful sunny day and based on VFC club members bringing 21 corvettes it looked more like a corvette show. In total there were 43 cars featuring early year jaguars up to the present. Awards were presented based on both Participants Choice and non-participant voting  for" Best in show" and 1st, 2nd and 3rd place winners. Our own Bruce and Michelle Seeley took 3rd Place .The show included continental breakfast, lunch and a t-shirt. All in all a great day!

Venice Vette Car Show 3/11/18

For Car Show pictures go the the menu item VFC Car Show or click on the button below

2018 Pictures

Bill Buck Mini Car Show

On Saturday February 25, 2018 found over 66 club cars on display at Bill Buck Chevrolet in a low key car show. Bill Buck Chevrolet has been a club sponsor since its beginning and the club was glad to put on the display in front of the show room. The club was treated to coffee and donuts in th morning and  hot dogs and burgers for lunch. There were even awards for item like the cleanest car, most corvette apparel, best in show. Radio station WSRZ was broadcasting on site with DJ Candy Girl helping with the judging.

Pelican Preserve Open Car & Truck Show

The show hosted by the Corvettes on the Gulf happened for the 8th time on February 17, 2018. This is always well attended by the  VFC club. So well attended that the club won club participation award. The club in turn will donate the winning to Golisano Children's Hospital (the host club's designated charity)

The 30th annual VAACA car show was held at Centennial Park on 02/11/2018. There were 26 corvettes and 6 of those were from the Venice Corvette Club. The show was GREAT, it was a sellout. There were 22 classes for the cars and trucks.  Trophy's were awarded for 1st, 2nd and 3rd places. The pre-registered participants received T-shirts and dash plaques.  The crowed was estimated to be over 13 thousand. The VAACA promotes higher education and in the past they have contributed approximately $100,000 to area high school students seeking advanced education.

Welcome Back Brunch

Now that our snow bird member are back, it was time to do an official welcome back. A brunch was held at the Boca Royale Golf & Country Club on 2/4/18. The club is a beautiful venue and the brunch is excellent. We overlooked the golf course greens. The multiple food stations offered a variety of breakfast and lunch items. 144 club members enjoyed the event.

Lemon Bay HS Car Show

The club had the opportunity to support a local high school while enjoying the chance to show our cars. The event was on 2/3/18. This was the first year not using a third party group for show operations. Club members also assisted the organizers with show pre-work, set up, and judging. The club was well represented at the show.

New Club Member Orientation

A special orientation meeting for new club members was held on 1/31/18. We are able to meet at a local iHop to socialize, talk about the club's operation and events. There were 17 new members in attendance. Club board members, chairs, and long time club members were there to provide information on a wide range of topics.

Vettes at the Vines

It was 41 degrees at 7:15 on Sunday, the 14th, but all 12 VFC members who signed up for the caravan to Vettes In The Vines were at our Laurel Road staging area. We pulled out at 7:30 and made the 150 mile trip in 3 hours, including two comfort stops. 
Two members traveled to Ft. Pierce the night before and arrived just before our caravan. After parking we pulled out our chairs and looked for a sunny spot shielded from the light wind.  We didn't spend the normal two hours preparing our cars for the judges, there were none. The eight prizes (tickets for upcoming shows at the vineyard) were for the favorite Corvette of each generation, plus a show top favorite. We all got ballots as well as did all of the spectators that came to view our Corvettes, listen to the live music and enjoy the variety of food and beverages. While our 14 Corvettes were a large percentage of the 35 present, we didn't bring home any of the prizes.  However, the vineyard owner thanked our group several times for making the trip across the state. 
​All in all, it was a fun day.  

Name That Tune

​Name That Tune was a very fun evening at Pelican Pointe Country Club on January 13th.  Even though not everyone drove their Vette, the club parking lot was full. 115 VFC members and guests were there to enjoy an evening of music trivia, dancing and of course dining. The evening started out with a cash bar and conversation, followed by a wonderful meal. And once again, the entertainment for the evening was Music Trivia with Barry & Nancy.
 
This year we expanded our guest list to neighboring clubs – Harbor Corvettes and the Peace River Corvette Club. I’m sure they will share the good time they had with their fellow club members and will want to come back next year! We appreciate their support in making the evening so special. 
 
Congratulations to the “Life of the Party” our first place team, for taking back our VFC trophy!  Hopefully, they will bring the trophy back next year for a rematch!
 
In 2nd place were our special guests “The Mustangs” - the defending champions from 2016. We can’t thank them enough for agreeing to return - it made it more fun for all!  A special Mustang trophy was awarded to the team in appreciation for their support.
 
The third place team was the “Coupes”. Way to go!
 
Cash prizes were shared among the three wining teams. With the outstanding support we had this year, we were able to donate the excess monies of $100.00 to the Salvation Army Food Bank. It was a win-win for all.
 
The club at Pelican Pointe did an outstanding job as always. The Food & Beverage Manager, even made the table signs with the different team & club logos on each.
 
Thank you to everyone that attended! We enjoyed the evening and are ready to do another one!

Holiday Happening Car Show

It was breezy and cold (45 degrees is cold by Florida standards)  but all 39 VFC members who pre-registered for A Holiday Happening, the Harbor Corvettes show in Punta Gorda on Sunday, December 10th were there.  Three more members joined us as day of show registrations. There were about 17 members in each of the caravans. One led from our Laurel Road staging area down the interstate. The second second from the Home Deport in East Englewood through the back roads of Port Charlotte. The remaining 8 members met us at the show.
We had enough Corvettes to warrant our own parking area. After setting up our chairs in the sun, some of us started final cleaning while others went in search of coffee and hot chocolate. This is an all GM products show, but about 75% of the entrants were Corvettes. The competition was heavy in the newer classes, especially the C7s. However the sixteen members impressed the judges enough to bring home Santa Clause trophies. VFC easily won the club participation award which was accepted by our President. He returned the $100 to Harbor Corvettes to be donated to their show charity. 

VFC Christmas Party

The club's Christmas party was again held at the Venice Yacht Club. The decorations were beautiful, club members dressed in their best (no yellow shirts). There were three entries to choose from and no one left there hungry. Music was provided by Kim Jenkins and he did a great job. The dance floor got a lot of use including some line dancing. A great way to start the season.

Venice Holiday Parade

​Once again, members of the Venice Florida Corvette Club participated in the 11/25/17 annual Venice Holiday Parade.  VFC had eight cars in the parade this year, including three new members.  
This is a fun and rewarding event that everyone should experience.  Seeing the smiles on the faces of the spectators, both young and old, as we roll past them in the parade is priceless.  They love seeing the corvettes, especially with all of the lights shining brightly.  
 
And, speaking of lights, Venice Florida Corvettes was selected by the judges as the recipient of the “Brightest Holiday Lights” award.  We were selected for this award out of over 100 units in the parade.  This is a terrific accomplishment and recognizes all of the hard work done by the parade team.  Congratulations to everyone.  The list of awards is posted on the Holiday Parade Committee website and was noted in the December 2nd edition of the Venice Gondolier. 
 
The team has set the bar high for next year.  Start planning for the parade early and sign up to be a part of the fun!

Marion County Corvette Car Show

It was an easy drive up I-75 to our exit and a stop at Ruby Tuesday where we enjoyed a leisurely lunch in a private dining room. The manager and staff were ready when we arrived and did a great job.  After lunch we drove a short distance to the host hotel, Homewood Suites and checked into our rooms. 

That evening we all attended the welcome party where we were warmly greeted by the CCMC members and enjoyed a very good buffet dinner. Their President, Nick D’Altilio thanked everyone for coming and introduced the couple responsible for starting their club in 1984, Glen and Roxy Sims who are still active members of the club 33 years later! Amazing!

 At the end of the party everyone was given a small candle and invited to go to Market Street Center for the Christmas Carrols around the tree that was lit that night. Several members joined in and had a good time.

Sunday the cars traveled the short drive across the road to the show venue and the cleaning began. It was a cool morning but the sun was shining and it was very warm the rest of the day.

 In spite of all their efforts, only one member couple won a trophy and it was well deserved. Darryl and Debbie started their journey to Ocala very early on Friday and drove all back roads to bring their beautiful 1967 red Corvette convertible to the show. Their car was cleaned to perfection and the judges agreed. They received a “Best in Class” award for their 1967 as the Corvette Club of Marion County celebrated the 50th Anniversary of the 1967 C2 Corvettes! Congratulations to Darryl and Debbie!

It was a beautiful weekend and as always, we ate, drank, laughed and just had a fun time with our fellow members. Many thanks to the CCMC members for another great party and show.

Babcock Ranch Swamp Buggy Tour

Promptly at 8:30 AM on Saturday, November 11th, eighteen Corvettes pulled out of the Laurel Road staging area and headed south to Babcock Ranch in eastern Charlotte County.  Nine more Corvettes met up on the way. Road traveled wasn't much of a challenge for our cars until we drove down the 2 mile driveway at Babcock Ranch and arrived in old time Florida.  

The Babcock crew was great and went out of their way to ensure we had a good time.  Two Swamp Buggies (converted school buses) were devoted to our group and departed 15 minutes apart. Each had a very knowledgeable driver/guide that you could tell loved their job and talking about the ranch.  We traveled about an hour and a half through the woods, fields and swamps while our guide talked about the history of the ranch and pointed out the animals. Alligators were everywhere, lots of wild pigs, cracker cattle, wild turkeys  and many of other birds. While most of the animals were living in the wild,  Oceola the panther had a 1/3 acre to live out her years.  She was born in captivity and unable to return to the wild as a previous owner had declawed her. A hawk with a broken wing also found a safe home here.

Chef John prepared a BBQ  buffet especially for our club and it was waiting for us. The pulled pork, chicken breast, coleslaw and spicy baked beans were delicious. After checking out the gift shop, small museum and Lulu the 3 horned cow, it was time to leave.  Some headed six more miles down the road to tour the Babcock Ranch development,  a solar powered community under construction. The rest of us backtracked our way to civilization.  ​

Vettes for Vets

On November 4 th there was a Veterans Tribute Brunch at the IslandWalk development. Club corvettes were displayed  for all to enjoy. There was a brunch with a guest speaker. After the brunch the cars cruised to the Veterans Home in Port Charlotte. There was an ice cream social to share with the veterans living at the home. A portion of the event fees goes to the Jacobson State Veterans Home.

Dockside Grill Lunch

The Dockside Waterfront Grill located along the intercostal waterway in Venice was the location of the club's lunch get together on October 13. It was a chance to spend some time with fellow club members just for the fun of it. 

Flagler Car Show

On Saturday, October 7, 2017 4 club cars  left for the Flagler County Corvettes show held on Sunday the 8th. We stopped for lunch at Millers Ale house just off of the 417 Toll Road. The Welcome Party was at the Hilton Garden Inn and there saw some old friends and made new ones. Sunday is was off to the down town square for the show. Out came the cleaning equipment and the fun began. About half way through the awards the RAIN came down. Three awards came back with the club. A good time was had by all.

VFC Get Together at Howard's Restaurant

On Saturday, September 16, 2017, thirty seven members took 20 Corvettes for a "Park & Eat Event" at    Howard's Restaurant in Englewood. It was great to get our cars back out and have a social event after   hurricane Irma blasted through. We did miss our members who could not attend who are still out of
power or are traveling back from their evacuation area.
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As usual, the food was great and everyone had a great time catching up with each other. The owner
spoke with the group and asked us to return anytime. All in all, it was great to drive our cars and
​socialize with our friends while meeting new friends.

Mt Dora Cruise & Museum

Mt. Dora, Florida, is often spoken of as the "best little small town in Florida."  A group of 18 Venice Florida Corvette members traveled there on Friday, August 25, returning on Saturday.

We departed at 8:15 AM, and after a short rest stop on I-75, arrived in Mt. Dora just after 11 AM.  We had a delicious lunch at the Magical Meat Boutique. This British Gastro-Pub specializes in authentic British cuisine - British bangers and mash, sausages, fish and chips and many British beers. 

After lunch we went to the Museum of Speed where the owner, Casey, gave us a guided tour of his collections of classic cars, ambulances, hearses, kiddy cars, bumper cars, original neon signs, autographed guitars, and many other collections.  

We checked in at the Hampton Inn on Rt. 441 (just recently renovated!), and some of our group napped after the "long trip;" others ventured back into town to enjoy the charming shops, cafes, etc.  

Dinner at the Olive Branch Grille capped off our day and the cuisine offered by Chef Jerry Vijseli was exquisite!  

It was a great trip and was enjoyed by all!  
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Car Detail Clinic

Clinic at Sage Eco Detailing – 8/22/2017
 
Mark Supply and Sage Eco Detailing pulled out all the stops to provide us with a fabulous detailing clinic.
 
The day started at 8:30 with really good coffee at Darrell’s Restaurant located on S. Tamiami Trail. At 9:00 we moved to the Sage Eco facility located in the back of an adjacent building where Jeff McCartney’s Lime Rock Green greeted us.  
 
Over the next 2 plus hours they shared many of the “secrets” of the professional detailing trade with the 7 members who were in attandance.  For instance, they always start with the wheels using Mark Supply’s Iron Man wheel cleaner on the disc brake calipers to safely clean the wheels and calipers.  They recommend using microfiber towels without edges or labels and they should ideally be color coded for the part of the car they are used on and only ever used on that part.  
Mike Winn of Mark Supply demonstrated the use of a bright LED light to review the paint using an angle view.  This revealed some noticeable flaws in the paint.  Using a Rupes Italian polisher he began the paint correction process on Jeff’s car showing us how to wheel the pad and do the initial startup of the buffer.  He explained that unlike previous chemistry compounds each bead is actually rounded and breaks down making for the safe use by almost anyone with training.
 
Each attended was invited to try their hand at buffing out a black C4 door that was in terrible shape.  Even this very rough panel underwent an amazing transformation.
 
Sage Ego offers a wide range of services for detailing including a ceramic coating that even love bugs won’t stick to.  Mark Supply, which is the largest manufacturer and distributor of reconditioning supplies in SW Florida, is their primary supplier and sells to both the trades and individuals from their facility located in Venice.
 
It was fantastic.  A special thank you to owners and staff of Mark Supply and Sage Eco Detailing.

Bill Buck Chevrolet Display

​On Saturday, August 12th, approximately sixty members of the Venice Florida Corvette Club displayed 41 Corvettes at our sponsor's location.  It was a beautiful but hot day with many members spending most of the day socializing in the showroom and looking at the great new cars. We even recruited new members, Allan and Penny Weinstein who brought a 1963 split window coupe!

The folks at Bill Buck supplied coffee and donuts when we arrived and hot dogs and hamburgers for lunch.  My wife Jo really enjoyed sharing her birthday with everyone as well as cake and ice cream for desert!  

Everyone had a great day supporting our sponsor and Bill Buck sold a car or two....maybe even some Vettes!

Ice Cream Social

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On Saturday July 29th,  VFC caravanned from Lemon Bay Shopping Center along Manasota Key to Lickity Split Cafe Englewood.  The drive along Manasota Key was gorgeous with sunny skies against blue green water. There were 16 corvettes in the caravan & 11 corvettes that met us at Lickity Split totaling 53 people.  Lickity Split was the perfect spot for the VFCC with its nostalgic car motif interior.
 
Everyone had great fun socializing & enjoying diner food with homemade ice crea

ISLAND WALK PARK & TALK

There was a great turnout of club members, 45 Corvettes,  for the July 22 2017 get together. Island Walk community opened their club house for the VFC to have a fun day spending time with other club members. The cars were displayed like in a car show but there was no judging. It was a good thing the club house was open because mother nature was not the kindest with rain showers. Inside there were some we played some games to help with getting to know each other. 

Lunch, provided by the club, was excellent.

CHIHULY COLLECTION

Nine club vettes and one tin car comprised the caravan to St. Petersburg on June 23, 2017. The destination was the Chihuly Exhibit. For those not aware of what a Chihuly is, Dale Chihuly is a world-renowned glass artist.Though Dale Chihuly is based on the west coast, SW Florida is fortunate to have a collection of his art. What Dale Chihuly and his associates achieve is truly amazing! Our 23 members had a guided tour by the exhibit director. His knowledge of the pieces and of Chihuly history made our visit more memorable. 

After the tour, we had a short walk to the 'Hot Shop'. There we saw a demonstration of glass blowing. That was a nice way to complete our visit.

Lunch followed at a near by hotel, the Vinoy Renaissance. This very pink hotel is located at the waterfront. It was build in 1925. Our dining room was beautiful and lunch good.  

Park, Talk, and Eat Howard's Restaurant

The first of the club's get together events was at Howard's restaurant in Englewood. June 17 found 25 Corvettes parked around the restaurant. There was time to talk with other club members and to look at the cars. It was a casual event, no car judging just time to enjoy the day. The food and service at Howard's was excellent. 

Myrtle Beach Car Show

Myrtle Beach South Carolina is a bit farther from Venice than are most of the car shows members attend. Seven club cars left early June for the June 3, 2017 Corvette Car show. Some members made it a two day trip and stayed in Savannah GA. They enjoyed a fun meal at the Shell House. Others drove there directly. All spent time Friday cleaning the cars due to a lot of rain. There was a welcome banquet at the show host hotel.

The show was located on a large parking lot at Broadway on the Beach. Within walking distance were a number of shops and restaurants located around a large lake. The show was well attended and a number of club members received trophies.

That night the group went to Joe's Shack for a great dinner. The next day some members continued north to see NASCAR team shops. Others returned to Venice after some stops on the way.

Corvettes at the Pier

Straub Park in St. Pete is the location of the all Corvette show hosted by the Suncoast Corvette Association. On May 27, 2017 18 club cars proceeded north over Memorial Day weekend to the show. Trophies were taken home by 11 of the club members.

VFC Picnic Meeting

The April 4 general club meeting was a picnic held at Maxine Barritt Park in Venice. It has become a tradition to hold one of our meetings as a picnic. This year it was the April meeting to let some of our snowbird members attend. The club provided the hamburgers and hot dogs. Club members brought either a salad or dessert. The food was plentiful and good. 

IslandWalk Car Show

IslandWalk community at the West Villages hosted by Jaguar Club of Southwest Florida. March 25, 2017.

Lemon Bay High School Benefit Car Show

Lemon Bay High School Open Car Show on February 25, 2017 is alway a club favorite. There were 30 club cars and the club participation award was won. The $100 award was donated by the club to the school's charity.

Pelican Preserve Corvette & Open Car Show

Corvettes on the Gulf host the February 18, 2017 Car & Truck Show. VFC had 22 cars at the show and won club participation. The award money in turn was donated to the show's charity.

SOUTHWEST MILITARY MUSEUM TRIP

Fifty-four folks joined us 2/17/17 for our tour to a phenomenal museum in Cape Coral. Our always-impressive caravan of Corvettes proceeded down I75 and met some additional club cars along the way.  Judy met us at the door and introduced us to our four volunteer docents who guided us around the museum’s extensive collections. They are arranged in “story-telling style in chronological order from the Revolutionary War through the Afghanistan conflict”. The docent's explanations and sharing regarding the displays brought greater depth to our understanding. The Museum and Library is dedicated to “honoring our military, preserving and displaying military artifacts and memorabilia and educating the public.” All of the artifacts have been donated or loaned by the military, their families, government, and other generous individuals.

The Museum also provides free services to veterans regarding benefits to which they may be entitled. They also have a motto that “no veteran ever leaves their headquarters hungry!” We, as visitors, certainly did not! Our group enjoyed a delicious hot luncheon in the 'mess hall'. It included two meats, vegetable, potato, salad, apple pie, and beverage.  We were privileged to honor the 18 veterans that were traveling with us with an appreciation applause.
Our sincere thanks to the Museum folks for their warm hospitality.
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Wawa Grand Opening

The club was invited to show our cars at the grand opening of the Wawa convenience store in Venice. 

Corvettes at City Place

The Corvette Club of the Palm Beaches hosted their show on 2/4/17. The show is at a new location downtown at Palm Beaches. A pre show get together was held at Blue Martini the night before the show. Club members had a good time at the new location but also thought the prior show location had its advantages.

Welcome Back Brunch

 On Sunday, January 22nd, 115 VFC members enjoyed a wonderful brunch at Boca Royale in Englewood as a welcome back tribute to our northern snowbird friends. Seventeen cars caravanned from Venice to Englewood to meet the remaining members. We enjoyed socializing, relaxing and eating (of course) tasty hot and cold brunch delicacies served in a spacious atrium adjacent to a comfortable dining room overlooking the beautiful golf course greens at Boca Royale. Soft piano music was being performed in the atrium to further enhance our enjoyment.

Ecklers Car Show

The 1/21/17 Eckler show on the east coast was attended by four of the club's cars.

Holiday Happening

The Harbor Corvette Club once again hosted a pre Christmas car show on 12/11/16. A total of 41 of the club's cars took part in the show. It is always good to be able to support another Southwest Florida Corvette club. Our club won the club participation award which in turn will be donated to the charity supported by the Harbor Corvette Club. The weather was good, the company even greater. Fifteen club members took home awards.

Christmas Party

The Venice Yacht Club was once again the destination of the December 4 club party. The Yacht Club decorations added to the holiday spirit, as do the boats displaying their lighting from the boat parade. It's fun to see club members dressed up, no yellow shirts for this event. The food and service were great. Music provided by Kim Jenkins provided a perfect balance between easy listening and great dance music. After dinner, the real dancing began. The floor filled up quickly. There was even a conga line towards the end of the night. All 125 attendees had a wonderful time.

Venice Christmas Parade

Venice holds one of the largest Christmas parades in Florida, the Saturday after Thanksgiving. The club has participated in the parade for a number of years. It is our opportunity to do something dramatically different with our cars. We also share some holiday spirit with the thousands who line the parade route. Due to number of parade participants, we are limited to only 10 cars. The local TV station broadcasted the entire parade live.

Marion County Corvette Show Ocala

November 19 was the Corvette Club of Marion County show at a new location, Market Square. The show had been held at the Don Garlits Museum grounds. The new location had paved parking, near by shops, and restaurants. Eleven VFC cars ventured the two hours north to attend the show. The welcome party was Friday at a local hotel. The Saturday show was well attended. Club members took home some hardware making their car clean up work worth it. 

Solomon's Castle

Few club members had ever heard of Ona Florida let alone Solomon's Castle. On November 11, twenty-nine club cars (and 1 tin car) enjoyed the cruise over back roads to the destination. The castle is one man's dream built in the middle of Florida The exterior covered with one-time use metal plates from newspaper printing. Howard Solomon was a noted artist who built the castle as his home, workshop, and gallery. His whimsical take on life is displayed all through out the castle. He also loved cars and has his favorite Fords housed in another building with still more art work. We had a docent tour of the castle pointing out many of unique parts of the house. Later we enjoyed a great meal at the 'Boat in a Moat', also built by Howard. Unfortunately Howard Solomon passed in the summer of 2016. It would have been fun for us to share are love of Corvettes with him.

Flagler Car Show

​On Saturday November 5th three cars left for the 15th Annual “CORVETTES” at the Beach hosted by the Flagler County Corvette Club.  We stopped for lunch at Miller Ale House in Orlando along the way to Flagler.
The night was spent at the Hilton Garden Inn where many of our club members have stayed when attending the show. We had drinks before dinner at the hotel and then went to dinner at the Olive Garden just west of the hotel. Our waitress was really funny and took great care of us. The show was on Sunday, November 6th at their sponsor Tom Gibbs Chevrolet just West of the Hotel. Hurricane damage in October caused damage to the previous location City Square. We all arrived early and stated to clean up our Corvettes. The Trophy presentation was good to club members with all cars winning trophies. We had a great day and headed home after the trophy presentations.

Rum Run To Wicked Dolphin Distillery

There were 20 corvettes that caravanned to the Wicked Dolphin Distillery on Friday, October 21st.  The weather was perfect. We were given a tour of the Distillery by one of the original owners who started the distillery in 2012.  They only made 2 types of Rum in the beginning – Spiced and White. Today, they carry 11 different types of Rum. All the Rum is made in this distillery and distributed to local stores for sale.  The tour included a tasting of their Rum Punch and 3 different shots of their Rum. The tour lasted about 45 minutes and the information was very educational.
 
There were 40 members who went to eat at Bubba’s Restaurant after the tour. The service and food were excellent. They were ready for us and had tables all set up and the staff were very attentive to our needs.
 
This was a great day had by all thanks to Diana Gilson, who made all the arrangements for the tour and restaurant.
 
Another successful venue attended by the Venice Corvette Club members.  

Corvette Clubs Joint Picnic

A multi-club picnic was held on October 10th at the South Gulf Cove pavilion. Thirty one members from Peace River attended as did 35 from Harbor and 35 from VFC club. This made for an incredibly well balanced mix.
In a change from the past each participant was asked to pay $5.00 rather than bringing food items which made it easier to attend. Some Harbor members brought their commercial cooker which made it easy to serve the over 100 people in attendance. They also arranged for live entertainment from the Lemon Bay Bluegrass Band. They also had some nice gifts for a random drawing.
It was a fun time for all. In discussions with members of Harbor Corvette they would like us to consider having this twice a year. Once slightly later in the year (November) and then again before the summer heat starts (likely April).

Tampa Auto Museum Cruise

Twenty-five club members caravanned to the Tampa Bay Auto Museum in Pinellas Park on Saturday, July 30. The museum is a private collection of more than 60 cars owned by Alian Cerf owner of Polypack, Inc. The focus of the collection is on rare and unique vehicles incorporating engineering and/or design innovation. The majority are of European origin. The docent guided tour included interesting stories about car acquisition, restoration, while providing antidotes on automotive history. An unexpected highlight was seeing the workshops where four additional autos are being restored. Two of the museum’s cars are headed for the Pebble Beach Concours.
After the tour, photo ops and a short but heavy rainfall, the caravan headed to Quaker Steak & Lube for lunch. The restaurant is decorated in an automotive motif, with memorabilia, signs, posters, and photos hanging in the restaurant, and a television in the floor.

VFC Social at Hurricane Charley's

June 4, 2016 found the VFC club in a caravan to Punta Gorda for an event at Hurricane Charley's. There we were meeting members of the Harbor Corvette Club for a lunch that allowed the clubs to socialize. New and renewed friendships were forged. We also had the benefit of a good meal.

Corvettes at Myrtle Beach

Myrtle Beach isn't exactly a South Florida event but the VFC members decided to caravan to South Carolina for a multi day cruise. The group left on Thursday to begin the 10 hour journey. The first stop was in the Savannah area. Leaving the hotel the next day was about a 4 hour cruise to Myrtle Beach. Car clean up was next before attending the welcome party Friday night. Saturday 6/4/16 was the day of the show. The weather cooperated and it was a good time.
(Click on the picture to enlarge)

Corvettes at the Pier

St. Petersburg is a popular show with the club. On May 28, 2016 was the Corvettes @ the Pier in Straub Park. A number of trophies were brought back to Venice.

Corvettes on the Circle

St. Armand's Circle is a great location for a car show. Sixteen cars from the club headed to Sarasota on May 5. The cars are positioned in the center of the circle. Surrounding the area are a number of restaurants and shops, with something for everyone. The weather was perfect, the cars varied and beautiful. Six club members won trophies. The trophy is a small version of the 20 foot tall statute 'Unconditional Surrender' that is on the Sarasota bay front. Its one of the nicer trophies on the show circuit. The comradeship between clubs was demonstrated when a C2 in the club had a clutch issue that was fixed by someone from another club. Much appreciated.

Name That Tune Trivia

Music trivia was the club event on 5/1/16. We have done this event before and always enjoy it. Pelican Pointe Country Club was the location and Barry and Nancy spun the tunes for the trivia. Before we start trivia there was a great meal done by the club. The trivial competition is 'fierce'. Part of a song is played and you have to come up with the artist, name of the song, and the next few words of the song based on where it is stopped. There was even time to get in a little dancing. The final was close but the winners were some non club members invited to the event. To make matters worse each table had a name and theirs was Mustangs.  It was a great night anyway!

Road Rally

On April 10, 2016 a new event was added to the club's experiences. A road rally was held in the Englewood and Manasota Key areas. There were 38 club cars participation. Each car was given a list of questions (rally sheet) and were given a route to follow. Answers would be written on the sheets as the cars followed the route. Cars were released every minute and a half. Soon 38 Corvettes were strung out looking for the answers. The travel down Manasota Key was scenic but slow. Neighbors wondered what all the Corvettes were doing on their quiet street. The rally ended at the Prime Time Bar & Grill in Placida. All enjoyed the good food and drink while the rally sheets were being scored. The winners received their prizes. A great event.

VFC Picnic Meeting

In what has become a tradition, the April general meeting (4/5/16) is a picnic held at Maxine Barrit park near the beach. The club provides the hamburgers and hot dog. Club members bring a vast array of salads and deserts. The meeting is short leaving time to enjoy the food and the time spent with club members. This year there were about 190 enjoying the event.

Corvettes on the Lake

A number of club members traveled to Lake Worth to take part in the April 2, 2016 car show. The show was hosted by the Corvette Club of the Palm Beaches. The venue had a good turn out at a beautiful location. The trophies had a sting ray theme that owners of Corvettes with the 'Stingray' designation would be proud to win.

Selby Botanical Garden Cruise

On March 19, 2016 41 club members cruised to Sarasota to visit the Selby Botanical Gardens. Mother nature tried to dampen our spirits with rain storms and a few members reverted to their 'tin' cars. The guided tour was great especially seen the orchid show. The thunder and lightning cut the visit a bit short and the group was off to the Der Dutchman Restaurant for lunch. The food and company were good as always.

VFC Car Show March 13, 2016

The Venice Florida Corvette Car Show started Sunday morning with the first cars lined up to enter a "bit" earlier than the published opening time. The welcome party the night before and the time change to daylight savings time did not deter the early risers. The weather forecast the days before the show had rain in the forecast from 60% to 20%. The day was beautiful and all the worry of the show committee not needed. Over 150 Corvettes were in the show plus 60 VFC club cars parked on the street.
Enjoy some pictures from the show.

Lemon Bay High School Band Benefit Car & Truck Show

A number of club members showed their support for the Lemon Bay High School on March 5, 2016 and attended their show. It was an open car and truck show with good variety. 

Vette Show on the River

Corvettes of Charlotte County hosted a Corvette only car show on 2/27/16. Gilchrist park on the peace river was the location. The show was well attended by the club and a good time was had by all. A number of trophies relocated to Venice in the club member's cars.

Pelican Preserve Corvette & Open Benefit Show

Corvettes on the Gulf hosted the February 20, 2016 benefit show at Pelican Preserve. The Golisano Children's Hospital Cancer Fund was the beneficiary. The club was well represented and added to their trophy collections.

Club Sponsor Sales Event

 Our club was asked to display our cars at a special sales event at Bill Buck Chevrolet on  2/13/16. Bill Buck Chevrolet has been the a sponsor of the club since it's inception. There were 40 of the club's corvettes displayed. The club was more than happy to attend.

South Florida Museum Cruise

The 2/12/16 event began at Pier 22 restaurant as 36 corvettes and 74 club members met for lunch. The weather was beautiful and dining was outside overlooking the river. The museum tour was next. The members  were split into 3 groups each with a docent leading the tour. The museum is fill with many interesting items. Included was a Guinness record collection of Coprolite (dinosaur poop). Go figure. Snooty the 67 year old manatee entertained in his large pool. There is also a planetarium here with an interesting show and a chance to sit down.

Corvettes & Coffee

Sunset Chevrolet hosted Corvettes & Coffee on January 30, 2016 at their dealership.

Spring Mountain Performance Driving School


Owners of a new C7 have the opportunity to take part in a two day performance driving school. The school/track is 50 miles outside of Las Vegas NV. Track time is in a C7 Z51 Stingray or Z06 depending on which car you own. Three club members took advantage of this opportunity January 27 to 28, 2016. The school is first class and the best part of it is that Chevrolet covers part of the cost. For more pictures and a detailed description of the school go to the Tech Talk menu item under Event/News.  

Go to School Tech Area

VFC Welcome Brunch

January 24, 2016 was the date of the welcome back party for the club's northern members. The Boca Royale Gold & Country Club was again the location. The event was well attended and Boca Royale did an outstanding job with the brunch.

Vettes In The Vines

January 17, 2016 found the VFC at a bit different event. They ventured to the Endless Summer Vineyard & Winery in Ft. Pierce. The cars were displayed between rows of grape vines for a peoples choice award event.

Rolling Thunder

The club has supported the Venice High School Marching Band for many years. January 23, 2016 was the date of their open car show on the grounds of the school. The weather was cold and windy but that did not deter 31 of the club's car attending. The club participation award was won by VFC and proceeds donated back to the band group.

A Holiday Happening Show

The Harbor Corvette Club had their 2nd annual Corvette & GM Show in Punta Gorda on December 13, 2015. Similar to last year the VFC had a good representation, enough to win the club participation award. The award money was in turn donated to the charity that the Harbor Corvette club supports.

VFC Christmas Party

On December 6th the Venice Florida Corvettes had their Christmas party. The Venice Yacht Club, decked out in holiday decorations, again was the location of the party. Over 100 VFC members enjoyed socializing, a great dinner, music and dancing. This is probably the only club event where you do not see our yellow shirts. The party is after the Venice boat parade and the yacht club slips contain some of the boats decorated for the parade. 

Venice Christmas Parade

The VFC has participated in the Christmas parade for a number of years. The parade is the first Saturday after Thanksgiving (11/28/15 this year) and is Venice's jump start to the holidays. It is always a fun event for club members and for those watching the parade. The lights on our Corvettes provide a unique look to 'America's Sports Car'.

Wonderful World of GM

The Disney Coronado Resort was the site of car shows on Friday and Saturday (11/27-11/28/15) after Thanksgiving. Many of the club arrived on Thanksgiving day and enjoyed dinner at Raglan Roads restaurant in a private dining room. Friday was an all Corvette show and Saturday was an all GM show. Of the 18 club members at the Friday show 11 won trophies. At the all GM show club members came home with 6 more trophies. 

Friday All Corvette Show

Saturday GM Show

Broadway Palm Theater

The social event on 11/21/15 was a bit different for the club. Twenty nine club members were off to Ft. Meyers to see the Boys of Plaid in a musical event of 50's and 60's songs along with some Christmas songs.

All Corvette Show at Don Garlits Museum

The Don Garlits Museum of Drag Racing in Ocala is the location of the 11/21/15 car show attended by 11 club cars.  After arrival, the club toured Burnyzz Classic Car Museum and then Friday night there was a welcome party on the museum grounds. Saturday's show had over 200 cars. Trophies were won by 6 VFC members.

Decorating Clinic

On 11/14/15 there was a car decorating clinic held for club members considering putting their cars in the Venice Christmas parade. A number of members who had added lights to their car for previous parades gave their tips. No Corvettes were harmed during this event.

Cruise to Culver's Restaurant

The Culver's restaurant in Port Charlotte was the destination for 14 club members on 11/9/15. The food and service was excellent and a good time was had by all. 

Three Corvette Club Picnic

The Peace River Corvette club invited the VFC and the Harbor Corvette Club to a picnic on 11/1/15. The picnic was at the South Gulf Cove Pavilion. The food and company made it a special day.

Burnt Store Cruise and Lunch

The 21 Corvettes made the drive to Fisherman's Village in Punta Gorda on 11/23/15. The idea was to leave the corvettes and take a boat ride to the Burnt Store Marina. The cruise was in Charlotte Harbor. The weather and the sights were great. Lunch was at Cass Cay Restaurant at the marina. The food and service were excellent.

Lunch VFC with Harbor Corvette Club

On September 30, 2015 the club hosted a lunch get together with the Harbor Corvette club. It was an informal get together at the Marker 4 restaurant in Venice. The restaurant is located on the inter coastal water way with a great view.

Pensacola Cruise

On September 10, 2015 ten club cars departed on a cruise to attend a corvette only car show in Pensacola Beach Florida. It is a bit of a run to the panhandle of Florida from Venice. Plans were made to stay in Apalachicola for the night. The ​accommodations were at the Gibson Inn circa 1907. Dinner that night was at the inn and it was outstanding. Pensacola was reached by lunch time the next day. There was time after lunch to visit 'old town' Pensacola before arriving at the Holiday Inn on the beach in Pensacola. The Miracle Strip Corvette Club hosted a meet and greet that night. The show Saturday was on a beach front parking lot near the hotel. The weather was ideal for the show. The club took home 4 trophies. The next morning was spent touring the National Naval Air Museum with a docent tour. From there the group separated with some members going to Biloxi MS, New Orleans or Vicksburg. The final part of the cruise was a trip to Memphis enjoying several sites including Graceland.

Pine Island Cruise & Red's Fresh Seafood House

On Sunday July 19, the club was off to a cruise to Pine Island with dinner at Red's Seafood House. The 24 Corvettes made quite a sight as they cruised the island's two lane road. A total of 48 club members plus two guests filled much of the restaurant. Red's did not disappoint and the food was great. 

Revs Institute Cruise

The club discovered a truly unique car museum in our back yard in Naples Florida. On July 11, 19 cars cruised to the Revs Institute. We were spit into groups of 10 for a two hour guided tour.  The museum, really an institute preserving the progress in automotive history. The automobiles range from the earliest in 1896 to 1995. The cars are presented in galleries with logical groupings of the automobiles. The variety includes some of the rarest and most important car built. You see a 1915 Pierce-Arrow, 1930 Duesenberg Model J. You also will see a 1909 Ford Model T and 1964 Austin Cooper S. The racing cars in this museum are outstanding and trace the race car from its beginning to recent race cars. For the club members, seeing 1963 Corvette Grand Sport, one of only 5, was a special treat. A truly rare race car was the 1939 Mercedes Benz W-154 V12 engine with two supercharges. The museum is open only certain days of the week and a reservation is required.

After our tour, the club was off the get some food before our "long" drive back to Venice. Spanky's Speakeasy is just down the road and was a great place to go eat. The decor is different. The food very good.

Edison Ford Winter Estate Tour

May 31 found club members at the Edison Ford Winter Estates in Fort Myers. The cruise had 17 Corvettes plus 5 met us at the estate. There was a hour and a half guided tour of both home plus out buildings and gardens. Thomas Edison maintained a laboratory on the site that has been preserved much as he left it. The large museum on site contained many interesting exhibits. After the tour, it was off to Pincher's Crab Shack - a shot walk from the estate.

Naples Zoo Cruise

On April 18, 2015 the club  ventured to the zoo in Naples Florida. Several of the members tried an alternative method of transportation but decided to stick with the corvette.