NIRG Annual Picnic

By John Emmering

With perfect weather on hand the Northern Illinois Early Ford V-8 Club Regional Group converged once again on Timmermann’s Ranch Sunday July 28th for the annual picnic.  At 9:00 am the work began setting up tents and tables and shortly before 10:00 everything was assembled and ready to go.  Stan Stack had ordered the tables, chairs and equipment the club rented for the event which were delivered to the picnic site.   Este Scheve worked hard to procure the necessary hot dogs, bratwurst, and hamburger meat along with buns and other essentials.  Most of the members added to the picnic lunch with side dishes and desserts which were appreciated. With the work finished the early arrivals took a rest and watched the Ford V-8s drive onto Timmermann’s Ranch and find parking spots. Eleven Ford V-8s cruised onto the ranch and lined up creating an impressive display of pristine Ford Motor Company products of the nineteen thirties, forties and fifties.

Ford V-8s were brought out and displayed by Ron Blum, 1940 Ford Deluxe Fordor, Ken & Carolyn Bounds, 1951 Mercury Sport Coupe, Tom Buscaglia, 1951 Ford Custom Tudor, John Emmering, 1951 Ford Custom Fordor, Scott Gilday, 1941 Ford Super Deluxe Convertible, Pat & Dee Maroney, 1936 Ford Deluxe Fordor, Roger Obecny, 1940 Ford Deluxe Tudor, Tom O’Donnell, 1953 Lincoln Sport Coupe, Dan & Diane Pudelek, 1950 Ford Crestliner, Stan & JoAnne Stack, 1953 Ford Customline Tudor, and Jim & Harriet Taylor, 1949 Ford Custom Convertible. Other members who arrived in various other vehicles were Elaine Braun, Ron Dopke, Gary & Dawn Osborne, John & Este Scheve, Ron & Colleen Steck, Len & Irene Vinyard, Larry Webb and George & Dawn Zulas.

Numerous friends and family of the members came along also to join in the fun.  As lunch time rolled around our cooks George Zulas and son Tom along with Pat Maroney and his son Keegan took up the cooking duties grilling up the hotdogs, bratwurst and hamburgers.  Gathering under the canopy picnic goes enjoyed lunch over conversation.  The 2019 annual NIRG picnic was a well-attended enjoyable event.  The membership can be grateful for those members that went the extra mile to arrange, plan, set up equipment, buy supplies and cook.  Not to forget the culmination of the day, the 50-50 raffle ticket purchased by our secretary Gary Osborne won $145.00.