As I sit in front of my computer enjoying the cool breeze generated by the ceiling fan above my head, I can't help but think of the 70 Veterans that we impacted on Saturday June 2, 2018 during the Vettes For Vets event held at LMR Race Track. Many members asked me "was it hot" and my reply was, "not as hot as what they (the Vets) had to endure fighting the War on Terror in the Middle East". Many of the Vets who made the journey showed the scars of war both physically and mentally. That is why it was so important to provide them with a much needed diversion and give them the opportunity to share our passion for America's true sports car. At around 10:00 AM, we headed South on Hwy. 6 with a police escort headed to Angleton. That was quite a sight leaving Constellation Field, home of the Skeeters baseball team.
In keeping with our Club's desire to help Vets anyway we can, we supplied 9 Corvettes and one beautiful 1962 Chevy Impala convertible with a LS 3 engine under the hood (The Rod). I think this was the first time in the 3 year history of the event that they allowed a non-Corvette in the parade. The Impala, owned by Chip McDaniel, fit in perfectly and was the hit of the event.
Many thanks to the following members who spent their entire day entertaining the Vets:
- Doug Zorens
- Dave Blocker
- Don McCollough
- Bob Romsland
- Richard Crawford
- Tony Accardo
- Terry Spurlock
- Marc Baarda
- Chip McDaniel
- Bill Seitz
One of the photos shows Bill Seitz standing along side of Lupe Hernandez, His Vet For the Day. Lupe is a former Marine embassy guard and single mom. She sacrificed everything for her kids, works full time and while working went back to school and earned a BS and Masters. She is currently working on her Doctorate. On top of all of that, she is an Extreme Marathoner (50 and 100 miles) and will soon compete in triathlons. According to Bill, after spending a day with Lupe, he felt very tired, weak and old! Bill said " It was a privilege to have her as my companion and passenger for the event".
Everyone who came in contact with a Vet on that day walked away a better person and thankful we can drive our Vettes & Rods anytime we want. Many thanks go out to Corvette Owners Club Houston (COCH), PTSD Foundation of America CAMP HOPE and Impact A Hero for organizing this event. And finally, we look forward to participating in next year's event.
