Redwood's Board at the Annual Member Social

Upcoming Calendar

Non-PCA Events of Int

11/16 - 356 Registry Breakfast - 8:30 @ IHOP Vintage Oaks, Novato.

12/6 - Easy Cars & Coffee Event - 8 to 10:30 @ 4060 Harlan St. Emeryville

12/7 - Marin Cars & Coffee @ Vintage Oaks, Novato, 6:30 to 10 am

12/13 - PORSCHE Marin's 2nd Saturday Motor Social - 8 to 9:30 am. Strawberry Shopping Center, Mill Valley.

12/21 - 356 Registry Breakfast 8:30 am. @ IHOP Vintage Oaks, Novato

President's Message

Sharon Neidel

President

It has been an honor and a pleasure to serve as your President the last two years. As I step away I want to take this opportunity to thank the 2025 Board Members who have

made my job easy.

Your Executive Council

Vice-President: Pat Burke

Secretary: Eileen Gaines

Treasurer: Don Magdanz

Past President: Ben Davoren

The Appointed Board Members

Membership: Brad Williams

Safety: Joe Burroughs & Craig Steele

Sponsorship: Jeff Hall & Mike LaFrenais

Communications & Auto-X: Stacy O'Connell

Newsletter Editor: David Bunch

Webmaster: Chip Witt

Rally: Jerry Wachtel

Concours: Essy & Rosa Fariab

Events & Social Media: Kurt Fischer

Please join me in thanking them for their efforts to make Redwood such a fantastic PCA

Region. Please be sure to vote for your 2026 Board. I know they will do a great job moving the

Region forward.

Wishing you all a very happy holiday season. I look forward to seeing many of you at the Redwood holiday party or an event in 2026.

Questions? Email me.

Sharon

From the Editor

David Bunch

der Riesenbaum Editor

Would you like to be more involved in the Redwood Region??

I have been the "der Riesenbaum" Editor for three years now and I feel like it's time to let someone else have all the fun!!!

You do not need to be a computer person, as the newsletter is mostly done by copying & pasting the articles submitted by others and downloading photos to insert into the newsletter.

If you are interested in finding out more about the process, please email me.

Vice President's Message

Pat Burke

Vice President

Hello Redwood Members,

It’s November and this brings us to the final Der Riesenbaum of the year. And with it, our final event of the year, our annual Holiday Party on December 6th!

After last year's huge turnout, we are to once again returning to the beautiful Marin Yacht Club to celebrate our gratitude for another great year in the Redwood Region. The menu has been finalized, and the festivities will begin with a no-host bar and fabulous appetizers and then, after your plated Caesar Salad, you will be offered your favorite cut of Prime Rib with all the sides. There will also be Salmon, Vegetarian, and Vegan options as well.

And we invite you to bring your favorite bottle of wine to share with no corkage fee!

Last year’s event SOLD OUT, so register soon on MSR at: 2025 Holiday Party

And to be on the side of safety, please consider a local hotel and ride share opportunities so you can enjoy to the dancing of our band for the night, “Void where Prohibited!” Katherine and I are staying at the AC Hotel in San Rafael. We look forward to seeing you!

I would also like to invite you to start 2026 off with a BANG at the “One One Fun Run” on New Year’s Day... We are planning to start this year’s event at the Napa Vault. We will then take a spirited drive into the eastern parts of Napa County and Lake Berryessa winding our way up and over Howell Mountain into the town of Angwin and finishing at Gott’s Roadside Diner in

St. Helena to enjoy a no host lunch. Can’t think of a better way to start off the new year!

Registration is open at: 2026 One One Fun Run

The Redwood Region is looking for new and exciting events for 2026, and we would love to have you join us with your ideas for our Redwood Board 2026 Planning Meeting on November 25th at Torches Restaurant in Petaluma. We will review 2025 and welcome new ideas for 2026 to help take our club to exciting new venues. We will treat you to dinner and welcome your input.

I have been extremely honored to be your Vice President for the last 2 years and (with your vote) I look forward to being your Redwood Region President in 2026. I hope to see you at our Holiday Party or at one of our 2026 events. If we haven’t met, please introduce yourself. I’d love to meet you!

You can always reach out to me directly at Email with any questions.

I look forward to hewaring from you.

Thank you.

Uncle Ferry wants you to join the P.O.S.S.E!

November 23rd.

8 am to 10 am.

Brad Williams

On Saturday, October 25, the PCA Redwood Region held its Annual Members and New Members Social. Of course the event started off with a group drive. About 26 drivers and 19 passengers took part in the drive that began in Petaluma. From Petaluma the course wound it’s way through rolling Sonoma County hills to the Pacific coast. More curves and panoramic views greeted the participants as they headed north past the ocean’s crashing waves to the Russian River.

An inland turn on Hwy 116 south of Jenner led the two groups of Porsches along the river, past cloud covered ranch land, through the redwood forest, to our final destination. Amongst the

redwoods, Northwood Bistro was set up with copious fresh sandwich fixings and salads had been prepared for our crew. At the Bistro additional club members, who were not able to

participate in the drive, who made their way to the lunch site and too part in the social side of

the event.

The covered, outdoor setting allowed for plentiful opportunities to mix with club members prior to

the presentation portion of the meeting. Club president, Sharon Neidel, welcomed the

participants and discussed many of the recent club events as well as presenting upcoming

opportunities regionally and nationally. Brad Williams, membership director, gave a brief

synopsis of the regional membership, including a welcome to the many new Region Members in

attendance who had joined or transferred to Redwood during 2025.

Additionally, candidates for next year’s region president, vice-president and secretary, Pat Burke, Jeff Hall and Eileen Gaines respectively, provided brief personal biographies and shared their vision as to what region opportunities could be in the mix for 2026.

Following the presentations there was further opportunity to catch up with old Porsche friends,

and importantly, meet with our new members to the Redwood Region. While the skies may have

been overcast for the majority of the day, the rain was held at bay and the positive energy made

for a bright Porsche Club of America Redwood Region outing.

See all the photos from the Annual Member's Social on

Redwood's Flicker page.

Jeff Hall



October 16th dawned with fog and drizzle as we convened at the Vintage Oaks Mall for a tour to a new-to-us winery, DRNK!



By the time the fog cleared it was obvious that, “A Back Roads Tour to a Hidden Wine Cave” was going to take advantage of a glorious, early-Fall Day!

It’s amazing how much our members pay attention at the Safety Meeting

when they hear lunch will be accompanied by wine.

The weather was perfect as thirty-nine members, in twenty-two Porsches, departed Novato for the drive West. Our leads, Ben and Lisa Davoren and Joe Burroughs charged down the well-paved roads as we headed toward Tomales Bay. The roads along Tomales Bay are literally twisty and tumbly as we motored over farmland to the oyster capital of the Bay Area. The vistas, the roads and the traffic didn’t disappoint! We encountered very little traffic and zero cyclists along the way (not that that’s necessarily a bad thing)! Our sweeps, Don Magdanz and Jeff Hall kept all the little ducklings in order as we headed toward our destination…

DRNK Wines is tucked in the rolling hills of Sebastopol and very few of our members had ever heard of it. We parked our cars on the crush pad where, days before, the staff was in the middle of crush!

Katie Kunde (the “K” in DRNK) and Kyle McCallum welcomed us with a refreshing glass of Grüner Veltliner.

Katie Kunde and Kyle McCallum welcoming the Redwood Region

to DRNK Wines!

As we waited for Group 2 to arrive, Ryan Kunde, Winemaker (the “R” in DRNK) took Group 1 on a tour of one of the largest wine caves in the Russian River appellation.. Amazing all that goes on in that cave, from retail sales to small dining areas; from wine making to the barrel room and more! The spooky Halloween “up lights” added to the ambience.

Spooky “Halloween” uplighting in the DRNK wine cave!

Ryan Kunde, Winemaker, explaining where, in the Russian River Valley,

DRNK grows their grapes.

As Group 2 was completing their tour we settled down to a beautiful lunch catered by “A La Heart” Catering. We were served delicious, gourmet sandwiches, beautifully paired wines and a sweet dessert to follow. DRNK could not have been more gracious hosts to the Redwood Region. Based on the brisk wine sales following lunch and the overall enthusiasm, DRNK is on our short list to host another event next year!

Porsches parked strategically in front of the DRNK wine cave.

See all the photos from Paige Gaines & Jeff Hall.

"A Backroads Tour to a Hidden Wine Cave Tour"

Ben Davoren, Past President

Redwood Charity Liaison

October started the ramp-up of our charitable activities as we head into the holiday season. First up was our inaugural attendance at Homeward Bound of Marin’s “Trunk-or-Treat” event in Novato on the afternoon of Wednesday October 29th. Four Redwood 911s showed up with decorated “frunks” to review a Halloween costume parade in Homeward Bound of Marin parking lot. We handed out goodies to about 40 children in their shelter and housing programs who are overcoming homelessness. The kids were adorable! Hats off to Jeff Hall, Margie and Peter England, Eileen and Paige Gaines, and my accomplice Lisa “Gretel” Davoren, helping me out with my Hansel impersonation.

For great pix, check out Redwood's Flickr page here.

On Election Day, 20 of us came out for our club’s fifth “Charity Adventure Day” to support the

Redwood Empire Food Bank. We had a great pre-work shift run thanks to our sweep Eileen Gaines, her first time in that position. Over our 3-hour shift at the food bank warehouse we cleaned and boxed up nearly 5 tons of potatoes (9950 pounds for those keeping exact score)!

As you can see by the photos, we also had a great time working together.

Afterwards we took over the wonderful Barley & Bine Beer Café in Windsor, and they are getting used to us now, cranking out great flatbreads and street tacos in record time. I’m sure we will repeat this fun in the spring, so stay tuned and plan to come join us!

The Redwood Region Potato Packers!!!!

To round things out, our primary charity CASA will be holding their annual Fall Gratitude

Gathering and Open House in Santa Rosa on the afternoon of November 20th. Attendees are

asked to bring an appetizer or dessert to share, and it’s a great way to learn more about how they support the foster youth in Sonoma County. You can RSVP here.

Lastly, please do plan to come to the Redwood Holiday Party on December th . We will once again have a Toys for Tots donation box where you can bring an unwrapped gift suitable for a child. Jeff Hall has been organizing this for several years and has all the plans in place for this season already.

Jeff Hall

Co-Sponsorship Director

The U.S. Marine Corps has been delivering hope to children at Christmastime and beyond! Through the gift of a new book or toy, Marine Toys for Tots programs bring the joy of the Holidays and send

a message of hope to America’s disadvantaged children.

Last year, the Redwood Region contributed significantly to helping to fill Santa’s sleigh with all types of unwrapped toys!! This year, through the generosity of our members and our sponsors, we’d like to surpass our 2024 efforts of donating 200 toys!! To do that we need your help!

All our sponsors (listed below) have drop boxes for your convenience… Please take an unwrapped toy, or book, to one of our sponsors’ locations (see addresses below) between now and December 15, 2025. We will collect the toys the week of December 15th and deliver them to Toys for Tots headquarters! We will also have collection boxes at our Holiday Party on December 6th at the Marin Yacht Club!

To date, this amazing program has distributed 652 million toys to 291 million deserving children! We know we can count on the generosity of our members and sponsors to continue this tradition! 

Thank you!

Any questions? Email me.

Sponsor Locations:

Porsche Marin @ 900 Redwood Highway, Mill Valley, CA 94941 

Autobahn Automotive @ 1801 Ferdinand Court, Santa Rosa, CA 95404 

Santa Rosa Auto Body @ 3546 Santa Rosa Avenue, Santa Rosa, CA 95407

Hi-Tec Automotive @ 779 Anderson Drive, San Rafael, CA 94901

Auto Sport Detailing @ 1945 Cleveland Avenue, Santa Rosa, CA 95401

A huge benefit to our members is that our sponsors offer discounts on most services to our members – mention that you are a PCA Redwood Region member!

Be sure to patronize our Sponsors!!

If you have questions about Toys for Tots OR our Sponsorship Program,

contact either Mike LaFrenais or Jeff Hall.

Brad Williams

Membership Director

It’s November and now the colors in the vineyards are changing and we are charging headlong into the holiday season. At the end of October, we celebrated our very successful Members Social with a classic Redwood Region drive. November’s activities started off with a charity event at the Redwood Empire Food Bank and continue on from there. Our monthly emailed “der Riesenbaum”, is always a great way to find out what is upcoming with the club. It also has cool stories and photos from events that occurred during the previous month. Another great source to learn about upcoming events is the Region’s website. You can access it by clicking on:

Redwood Region.

This November Membership Report addresses changes that occurred during the past month of

October. At the end of October our Redwood Region had a total of 1,181 Members/Co-members (761 Primary Members and 420 Affiliate/Co-Members), 13 of whom joined in September. In October we did have 4 members transfer in from other regions, with none transferring out. We continue to have 17 Active Test Drive Participants; although none of these signed up in October. We continue working to help these Test Drive Participants find their dream Porsches and convert to full membership.

If you are an active primary member and haven’t named a co-member, don’t forget that, except

for the mailed Panorama magazine your co-member can have almost all of the benefits of a full

member. At no extra charge!

35 of our Redwood Region members celebrated their five year, or more, PCA Membership

Anniversaries in October. They are all shown in the table below. This month our longest

continuous member is Bela Thury. Bela has been a member for 41 years; first having joined PCA in 1984. Bela can be seen driving a 1964 356 or a 1960 356 Roadster or a 1973 911S Targa across the Golden Gate Bridge from San Francisco.

All of our Region members are encouraged to join the monthly Board Meeting held on the last

Tuesday of every month. In November, this will be Tuesday, the 25th. The Board meets in a

private room at Torches restaurant at 265 Petaluma Blvd. N, in downtown Petaluma. The meeting officially starts at 7:00 PM but you’ll want to arrive much earlier to allow time catch up

with fellow PCA - RR attendees. All members, and their input, are welcome. Join in and the club

will pick up your dinner tab. (Food and non-alcoholic beverages only). See you soon at an upcoming event.

As always, please email me any questions about membership.

Thanks, Brad.

Pat Burke – Candidate for President

Hi, I’m Pat Burke, and I’m honored to be nominated for President of the Redwood Region PCA. I’ve been a PCA member for seven years and currently drive a 2007 Carrera 4S. Since joining the Redwood Region board as Vice President in 2024, I’ve learned firsthand about our club's strengths, our members' interests, and how we can continue building on that success.

As President, my goal is to keep our club strong, welcoming, and aligned with what members value most – great events, open communication, and a true sense of community. I’ll continue building on what’s working, looking for ways to improve where we can, and ensuring that members feel connected and included.

My wife Katherine and I live in Napa, where I’m active in the community and serve on two nonprofit boards. I have instructed at the Napa Valley Cooking School, serve as Culinary Lead for the Napa Valley Wine Auction, and am a master judge for the World Food Championships. My background across law enforcement, insurance, wine, and culinary education has taught me the value of collaboration and leadership in every setting. Outside of work, I’m a dedicated Master Swimmer and, of course, a passionate Porsche enthusiast.

Thank you for your support and for being part of what makes the Redwood Region so special.

Jeff Hall – Candidate for Vice President 

Hi, I’m Jeff Hall, and I'm proud to be nominated for Vice President of the Redwood Region PCA.

I joined the Redwood Region in early 2020 with my wife Kathleen, and our very first event – a socially distanced road rally – had us hooked. We’ve been active members ever since, enjoying everything the club has to offer in our 2018 Macan and our 2010 911.

Over the past four years, I’ve held several board roles, starting as Sponsorship Chair and later adding Membership Chair. In those positions, I’ve helped strengthen our relationship with Porsche Marin and organized some of our region’s most popular events – like the annual Toys for Tots drive, the “Weekend in Murphys” (now in its fourth year), and many other drives and rallies. I also helped plan the 2024 PCA National Treffen Wine Country event – an unforgettable experience.

Pat and I share a commitment to keeping our club connected, welcoming, and focused on what members truly enjoy. My goal is to help create events and experiences that spark more interest and involvement – so all members feel part of something special. I’ll bring my experience in membership, sponsorship, and event planning to help make that happen.

I appreciate your support and look forward to meeting more members at future events.

Don Magdanz – Candidate for Treasurer

Hi, I’m Don Magdanz, and I’m running for Treasurer of the Redwood Region PCA.

I bring extensive experience in financial systems and reporting through my work managing personal, real estate, corporate, and nonprofit finances. I was elected Treasurer of the Redwood Region in November 2023 and have implemented a detailed budget system in Quicken that tracks income, expenses, and event performance to ensure accurate and transparent financial oversight. I drive a 2008 Cayman and 2017 Macan and enjoy contributing to the club both behind the scenes and out on the road. 

I’m proud of the progress we’ve made, and if re-elected, I’ll continue maintaining strong, reliable systems to support the club’s growth and fiscal health.

I’d appreciate your vote and the opportunity to continue serving as Treasurer for the Redwood Region.

Eileen Gaines – Candidate for Secretary

Hi, I’m Eileen Gaines, and I’m running for Secretary of the Redwood Region PCA Board of Directors for 2026.

I’ve had the pleasure of serving as Secretary for the past three years. The Redwood Region has an incredible group of members who bring energy and enthusiasm to all that we do, and it’s been an honor to keep things running smoothly for our members. I've truly enjoyed the camaraderie of our board and the opportunity to support our club’s mission. I share a 2017 Macan S with my husband Paige. 

Thank you for your continued trust – I enjoy serving our members and helping the Redwood Region grow and thrive. 

Please join the Redwood Region and our sponsor Porsche Marin for the monthly

“Marin Motor Social” Cars & Coffee at Strawberry Village in Mill Valley.

The next event is on December 13th.

Hosted by Porsche Marin on the second Saturday of EVERY month we’ll see you soon:

See over 100 cars including Lambos, McLarens, Ferraris AND lots of Porsches.

Brian Adkins

Zone 7 Representative

Email

Hello Zone 7!

Welcome to November — the month when track tires cool down, the smell of pumpkin spice fills the air, and many of our Region activities start to wind down for the season. While the big events like track days and autocross are wrapping up, don’t hang up your helmet just yet — there are still plenty of gatherings and social events happening across our 10 regions before we slide into the holidays.

It’s also election season for many of our PCA Regions, and I can’t encourage you enough to get involved. Whether it’s volunteering at an event, running for a board position, or just showing up to help out, being part of your region’s team is incredibly rewarding. You’ll meet fantastic people, make lifelong friends, and help shape the future of our club. PCA is “Fueled By Volunteers”, just like YOU.

Speaking of great people — a huge shout-out to Zone 7 Autocross Chair Brant Ballantyne, his entire team of Region autocross chairs and ALL those involved to put on so many events. for another exciting and competitive season! I had the pleasure of attending the final Zone 7 Autocross Series event of the year, and it was a fantastic way to close things out.

Brian Adkins

Zone 7 Representative

Diablo Region

510.695.5030

For those who haven’t tried the Zone Series format, it’s a little different (and a lot of fun).

Each driver’s fastest morning run is combined with their fastest afternoon run for a total

score — meaning you’ve got to stay sharp all day long. No cruising through the morning

and saving it all for one “hero run” at the end! To make things even more interesting, the

afternoon course was run backwards, which kept everyone guessing and on their toes.

The competition was fierce, the camaraderie was strong, and the smiles were everywhere.

This week, my personal project is to give my car one last full detail before the final concours event of the year, hosted by the Loma Prieta Region. After that, all the points and scores from the concours season will be tallied, and we’ll crown our Zone 7 Series Champions. Keep an eye out early next year for details on the 2026 Zone 7 Concours Series — you won’t want to miss it.

And finally — don’t forget that the PCA Fall Member Only Raffle is still open! The grand prizes are truly spectacular this year:

 First Grand Prize: A 2026 Porsche 911 GTS plus $35,000 cash

 Second Grand Prize: A 2026 Porsche 911 Carrera plus $35,000 cash

And as always, PCA will continue to add additional prizes as ticket sales climb. It’s one of the most exciting raffles around — and you can’t win if you don’t enter!

Enjoy the crisp weather, keep those Porsches shiny, and I hope to see you all at a holiday party or end-of-year gathering soon.

See you on the road,

Brian Adkins

Mark your calendas for Parade 2026!

June 14th to 20th 2026, Lake Placid, New York.

Also, Parade 2027 - Boise, Idaho.

Then a full calendar of different events multiple Regions.

See you at an event SOON

Brian

Zone 7 … stay connected.

Zone 7 Website - zone7.pca.org

Zone 7 Facebook - Zone 7 Facebook

Zone 7 AX Facebook – Zone 7 AX Facebook

Zone 7 Concours Facebook – Zone 7 Concours Facebook

Rally Series

2025 Sacramento Valley Region (SVR) Time-Speed-Distance (TSD) Rally Series

November 15th - Turkey Run Rally:

PCA Club Racing registration.

Zone 7 events in BOLD

Oct. 18-19 - Club Races @ Laguna Seca, Salinas, Ca.

Find our event photos on Flickr

Eileen Gaines

Secretary



The next Meeting is the "2026 Planning Meeting" will be on Tuesday, November 25th, from 7 pm. to 9 pm.at Torches in Petaluma at 256 Petaluma Blvd North.

Our monthly Board meetings are open to all Redwood Region Members. The club will buy your dinner; you pay for your beverage.

If you’re interested in joining the next meeting via Zoom, send me an email and I will forward you the meeting link.  

You can read previous Board meeting minutes here.

Visit Redwood's on-line Goodie Store here.

Porsche Marin

When you want the best selection and prices on new, used and pre-owned Porsche vehicles, Porsche Marin offers exactly what you’re looking for. 911, Boxster, Cayman, Cayenne, Macan, Panamera and more.

Mill Valley

415 578-9101 porschemarin.com

der Riesenbaum is the official newsletter of the Porsche Club of America, Redwood Region, encompassing Del Norte, Humboldt, Lake, Marin, Mendocino, Napa, and Sonoma Counties. This publication is intended to inform Club members about Club activities and other related matters of interest. 

We encourage letters to the editor, feedback, questions and suggestions about our newsletter and the Redwood Region in general. Want to contribute to the newsletter? Submit photos and articles about Club events or related activities. Please submit your entry by the 5th day of the month for inclusion in that month's newsletter. Articles received after the deadline will be considered for the next month's newsletter. The editorial staff reserves the right to edit all materials submitted for publication.

Want to reach an audience of Porsche enthusiasts with your marketing message? Consider advertising in der Riesenbaum. Contact the sponsorship director for more information and rates.

All written content and images in this publication are protected by copyright. Permission is granted to reprint any original content herein provided credit is given to the author, the der Riesenbaum and to the Porsche Club of America, Redwood Region. The opinions expressed in der Riesenbaum are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official position of the Porsche Club of America, Redwood Region, its officers, or its members.

Cover photo courtesy of Paige Gaines