Back to the Bricks®
December 2021 Newsletter
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Words from the Chairman of the Board |
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Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays Car Enthusiasts!
I hope everyone reading my message this month feels as grateful for this time of year as I do. It is always a time for me to reflect and review on the list I made before New Year’s Day. I don’t call this a “Resolutions” list, but rather things I would like to work on. Typically, I will accomplish most of the things on my list each year, but I also have something to look forward to in the new year if not. For me, I am truly blessed to have my family healthy and safe this year. It’s been quite a year for us, and I am sure for most if not all of you.
One of the great changes in my life this year is being named “Chairman of the Board” of the Back to the Bricks® organization. We have such an amazing group of volunteers. Our Board and our Committee members can accomplish anything given the time and resources. We are also very grateful that our Executive Director, Amber Taylor is starting into her third year with us. I personally am so pleased to have a close relationship with her, work closely with her and all that she does within our organization. She is fully devoted to making our “Bricks” organization the best it can be. Hang on folks, she has a great vision for us. She works very well with our Executive Committee because we all want our future successes to be as great as our past. Our past leadership accomplished so much, and laid such a great foundation for us, and I think our best years may be ahead of us. This is FUN!
So, I encourage you to take some time to reflect on the past year. Set some goals and be thankful because you are still here! Take time to be with someone you love, I know I am blessed with Deb by my side. Enjoy and celebrate this Christmas and remember “Jesus is the Reason for the Season!”
My best regards to all of you!
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Sincerely,
Al & Deb Jones
Chairman of the Board
Back to the Bricks®
aljones@backtothebricks.org
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VIP Experience Tickets on SALE NOW |
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Brought back by popular demand is the VIP EXPERIENCE on Friday night from 6 to 8PM.
Tickets for the VIP Experience are $40.00 each and will include parking, coat check, general admission to the car show and live musical entertainment with the local Michigan Entertainment the John Vance Band and Country Recording Artist Josh Gracin.
PLUS with your VIP Ticket is a complimentary adult beverage at any of several bars in the arena, gourmet hors d’oeuvres, and dessert on the walkway above the Green Arena from 6 to 8 PM, compliments of the Dort Financial Credit Union.
Proceeds from Chrome & Ice™ and the VIP Experience will support the Back to the Bricks® Youth Scholarship Fund.
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Want to Feature your Vehicle at Chrome & Ice™???
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Register NOW for your chance to feature your vehicle at the 2022 Chrome & Ice™ Show. February 11th - 13th.
This 3 day Indoor Car Show will have more entertainment and special surprises than ever before! All selected vehicles will be notified on an individual basis.
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What's new with our Executive Director |
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Hey everyone!
We officially announced on Thursday December 16th the theme for the 7th Annual Chrome & Ice™ Winter Indoor Car Show. I'm pleased to say it's Movie cars! We will be featuring your favorite movie cars and tv series vehicles, we know will take you back into time. The Smokey and The Bandit Car and KITT from Knight Rider was on hand for the Press Conference and KITT even told the media the theme himself! What a treat.
Sponsorships for 2022 are still coming in, and we can't thank our Sponsors and Partners enough for believing in what we do, and continue to help keep these amazing events like the upcoming Chrome & Ice™ festivities continuing year after year. This week alone, I met with 3 new potential sponsors and it was so much fun talking about our organization and all we do to boost the economy during our events.
I had the honor to present to the MotorCities National Heritage Area group this past month. I took time to talk about the history of Back to the Bricks®, celebrate the wins, speak to the heritage of the Automobile Industry that took place right here in Genesee County, and lit a fire within me again. Somedays I am deep down a rabbit hole working on our website, sending emails, finishing up marketing materials, answering calls and planning activities that even I forget why... Why do we do this? Well after speaking with this group, my fire was lit again. It is true that All roads lead Back to the Bricks®.
Back to the Bricks® attracts over 500,000 car show enthusiasts annually to Genesee County to celebrate our love of motor vehicles, and the area’s historic role in the automotive industry. Tune-up Parties and Promo Tours generate enthusiasm in advance of the Main Event which provides a showcase for classic, custom, and collector vehicles of all kinds. During the week, Flint, birthplace of “America’s Sports Car”, proudly hosts a National Reunion for Corvette aficionados. Music, food vendors, and family-friendly activities add to the festive atmosphere.
So, let's make 2022 even BETTER than the years past. Crank up the volume in your car, lets get to cruising and let's have some fun together. (Well not today, cause this is Michigan and it could SNOW after 2pm). I hope to see each and everyone of you in the new year, but especially at Chrome & Ice™, even my motorcycle friends can showcase their classic bikes. There will be something for everyone, so register today.
As for the Holiday Season, you know Peyton and I will be watching every holiday movie there is to include our favorites, Elf, Christmas Vacation and Home Alone. What if your Christmas favorites? Do you have any traditions you will be continuing this year? Don't forget to leave the cookies out for Santa!
Well in closing, I just celebrated my second year here with Back to the Bricks®, I think about all I've done, and all the amazing people I've met. I truly can't thank my Board of Directors and the many, many Volunteers that always show up, always lend a hand, and are always there for Peyton and I. Thank you doesn't even begin to express my love and admiration for you all.
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
Amber Taylor
Executive Director
Back to the Bricks®
Direct: 810-877-8383
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Your holiday shopping just got easier!!!
Are you looking to get something special for your car enthusiast for the holidays? How about an ALL-NEW Hat, Sweater or Hoodie?
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Al’s Garage
Vol. #2, Issue #12
We now find ourselves at the end of another calendar year. I would be lying if I said ‘2021’ was a great year for a lot of us. I must admit this pandemic is really starting to wear thin for all of us but enough said about that. Yes, looking back there have been some bright moments that have been burned into my memory. Some of my projects have been completed and others are still in the cue.
There is one of the projects that I have embarked on that I believe most of you can identify with and that is ‘git rid of it’, as in cleaning the garage out of unnecessary clutter. About a week ago I was out in the garage puttering around and putting the final touches on a recent gas pump restoration project. For some unknown reason I began looking at the corners of my garage and all the stuff that had accumulated in them. As most of us recognize, corners can hold a lot of material plus there are two walls to help the free-standing stuff from falling over. My first corner was the one my air compressor occupies. What a mess! Old pieces of pipe, both short and long, PVC tubing, rain gutter downspouts, old air hoses, and lots of nasty cobwebs! My ‘git rid of it’ pile has now started to grow.
The next corner was by the electrical service panel and an old visible gas pump. This corner is where I keep my buffing wheel (the same one that has caused me considerable pain in the past). Buffing wheels produce lots of debris and dust flies everywhere. This corner has been ignored for years and really needed a lot of attention, and as you might have guessed, pieces of wood had accumulated in it. Pieces of the fabric of the buffing wheels are a favorite of spiders and the cobwebs they make. A good strong shop vac makes short order of the debris that has accumulated over the years. Moving down six feet along the wall it was time to tackle the sand blasting cabinet. Like the buffing wheel the sand blasting cabinet is a useful thing to have in your garage, but it also produces a lot of dust. Removing everything that had found its way under the sand blasting cabinet I found myself thinking, how in the world could I allow this to happen. That is not what I thought but frankly put, what I really thought is not suitable for print.
My mission of cleaning the garage of clutter has just begun but come spring, my garage should be standing tall. No more dust, scrap pieces of lumber, old lengths of pipe of all sizes, old car parts and you name it. If you are wondering what day garbage is picked up for me, it is on Wednesday morning. You might want to drive by slowly as there may be a treasure of two in the pile. LOL!
Yes, another year has come to an end. Some close friends are no longer with us and yet we all will persevere with the prayer that we all will see each other again at the ‘big car show, cruise-in or tour.’ Have a ‘MERRY CHRISTMAS and a HAPPY NEW YEAR.’
Keep on roll’
Al Hatch
Founder of Back to the Bricks®
Chairman Emeritus
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