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Upcoming events at a glance:
November 28
: Board Meeting, Mary's Pizza Shack,
Novato,
7:00 pm
November 30: 2018 Redwood Calendar Planning Meeting.
Novato
, 6:30
pm
December 2: AX Award Party at Mary's Pizza Shack, Petaluma
,
12 pm
December 2: Calistoga Tractor Parade Party at the Hinton's. See our
calendar for more info.
View the full 2017 Redwood Region calendar here.
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How did the holidays get here so quickly?
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Stacy O'Connell
Acting der Riesenbaum Editor
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I don't know about you, but the holidays snuck up on me. One minute I was trying to get a good time on my last AX run and the next my husband is telling our Google Home device to play Christmas songs. Yikes. I'm not ready.
But my denial must come to an end. With both the rainy season and holidays approaching, it's time again to replace the worn out tires on my 2004 Boxster S. Michelin Pilot Sports tires served me well for the last two AX seasons, so I'll stick with the same. We'll see if I'm any faster on them next year!
And remember, if you want to see more of less of something in the der Riesenbaum, or if you'd like
to contribute, please
get in touch
.
I hope to see many of your at some of the remaining events of 2017.
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Craig Steele
President
PCA Redwood Region
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Adjusting to Life After the Fire Storm
Hello Redwood Region.
Since last month's message, my wife Sandy and I are adjusting to our new lifestyle -- which i so very different compared to life "before the Fire Storm." We are coming to grips with 'what is lost,' 'what can be replaced' and 'what really matters' in the big picture of life.
Our to-do lists continue to fill the days since Monday, October 9
.
In addition to our routine chores we included: recreating lost documents (vital records), replacing checkbooks, passports, birth certificates etc.
Our local neighborhood has become a place of change, hope, as we dialogue with our fellow survivors. You discover what really happened during the early Monday events. Our local Wikiup family has reunited and we even have a web site to
communicate. We stand united as "Sonoma Strong."
As I mentioned last month, I was staying in Bakersfield when Sandy called about having lost power three times and then no power, hearing large explosions outside, seeing neighbors packing their cars, and seeing red glow in the hills across the street. Little did either of us realize our life was going to be reset.
Our first chore was creating a household. This included sourcing rental lodging, furniture and furnishings, clothing, office, foods, tools, etc. We were blessed with a USAA homeowner's policy that provides finance relief from the enormous loss that is now white ash and twisted rusted metal. The fire made us a new home builder and/or buyer.
I am a PCA member without a Porsche. Sandy and I have new roles as we mold our relationship to a new direction. We still decided to still go to Maui and enjoy 8 days of sun and fun before Thanksgiving. We also opted to visit our Canine Companions for Independence (CCI) friends in Colorado who raised our CCI retired breeder, Tamika, for Thanksgiving.
As 2017 comes to a close, I look forward to the remaining Redwood Region events still to come. The holiday party will have a different flavor than previous events with the impact of the firestorm on each of our lives. We have a new slate of 2018 officers to propose and vote on.
There was one more thing I wanted to share: I was caught completely by surprise on Veteran's Day when I attended the Winter Zone 7 President Meeting in Fairfield. I participated in a meeting and an AX briefing which were to be followed by an Awards Banquet that evening. I wasn't going attend the meal because I was packing for Maui. However, I was persuaded to attend. As you can see by my expression in the photo below, I was shocked as Sandy Provasi, Zone Rep, announced my winning Zone 7 Enthusiast of the Year. Thank you Zone 7 for your nomination for this recognition. I love it. Redwood Region Strong!
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Receiving my award for 2017 Zone 7
"Enthusiast of the Year"
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Our people are the backbone of the Redwood Region. Our events are open to all and I hope to see many of you at some of our upcoming
events.
That's all for now...
BLESSINGS FOR OUR PORSCHE COMMUNITY AND FAMILY
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Sandy Provasi
Zone 7 Representative
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It's Awards Season in The Zone!
Last month I held the President's meeting in Fairfield along with the 2017 Awards Banquet. There were 24 Autocross trophies awarded along with 15 Concours trophies. Each year there are some special Zone 7 awards given out. Please see the
Zone 7 website for all the winners. Below is a list of some of the special awards.
PAX is an Autocross award, which is a calculated to even out the differences in older and newer Porsches. For the PAX Factor, please refer to the Autocross Rules on the Zone 7 website A-10.5. This years Men's winner was Himanshu Patel driving a 2014 Cayman S. The women top PAX was
Anita Benzing driving a modified 914 from Redwood Region. Also awarded was the Tenacity Award that went to
Tosh Yumae, for the second year, driving a 2014 GT3. At a young 80 years, Tosh drives about 30 events a year including GGR, SVR, LPR and RR. I am sure we all hope we will still be winning our class at that age. Congratulations to all.
Concours has a few more special awards to present. The Rookie of the Year award went to
Bob Hilton from Diablo Region showing his desert red '77 930. High Score went to
Simone and Thorsten Kopitzki with 959.8 points out of 960! They were showing their 2014 911 Carrera in agate gray from Redwood Region. The Spirit of the Concours was awarded to a long time Concours entrant who is always on hand to help at the events,
Steve Lefczick, showing a 2003 996 Silver Turbo. We hope to see more Porsches out next year in the Wash and Shine class.
Zone 7 also gave out some special Zone awards. This year Shasta Region worked hard to get a Zone 7 Tour off the ground and was awarded the Zone 7 Event of the Year. Shasta hosted the Zone 7 Tri Region tour through Redwood Region, Shasta Region and Sacramento Valley Region with a four-day event for 60 cars. Way to go for our smallest region within Zone 7.
Zone 7 also has an Enthusiast of the Year award. As
Craig mentioned above, he was the recipient this year. Craig Steele has been in PCA since 2008, first with a Red 911 Cabriolet and more recently with a Cayman. As Redwood Region President, Craig has been seen volunteering all over the Zone and at Parades over the past few years. Craig is very positive with helping Redwood Region come out strong after the recent fires. Craig was one of the PCA members who lost his home and Cayman to the Santa Rosa fire. He is in the market for another Cayman.
I would also like to thank all the door prize donors. Griots Garage, Pelican Parts, Porsche Cars North America (PCNA) and Werks Reunion. They were all very generous and supportive of Zone 7. Thanks again for all the goodies.
Looking Forward:
- Zone 7 2018 Sierra-Desert-Pacific Tour, April 26th-30th, 2018
- Treffen Tamaya, Santa Ana Pueblo, New Mexico, April 25-29, 2018
- CRAB-Sacramento Valley Region, May 18th-20th, 2018
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Lake of the Ozarks Porsche Parade, Tan-Tar-A Resort, Osage Beach, Missouri, July 8
-14
, 2018
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Werks Reunion, Corral de Tierra, August 24
, 2018
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Get your Redwood Region branded items in our
Goodie Store
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Greg Matsumoto
Autocross Chair
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Another Autocross Season has wrapped!
The 2017 autocross season has ended and we're reflecting on our lessons and experiences. Each year seems to be a way to fine tune our driving skills and our car's abilities. This post-season may be consumed with reviewing the best tires for autocross and how to tweak our cars for higher performance. Or, to decide whether to dig deep in our pockets for that supercar that we've always drooled over. But, like all of life's aspects, the bottom line is working on the lessons learned for our own self-improvement.
A wonderful aspect of autocross racing is the great collective camaraderie that is built over the seasons. The cliché, "It's not just the cars, it's the people," becomes glaringly evident. Although I enjoy the adrenaline highs of each run, the real fun comes with the sharing of tips between drivers, giving a thumbs-up for a friend's great times, commiserating about hitting the last cone on your best time, and everyone pitching in for anything that is needed. Hanging out under the canopies for lunch while sharing great stories and Stacy's Oreo cookies will be missed.
Redwood is blessed with a great volunteer team that has made another successful season. From Kurt at the gate, to Craig our "Iceman," to Mike, Chip and Vern teching the cars, to Stacy and Doug at registration, to Drew's great driving instruction, to Grady organizing the run groups and our so important run times and coaching me throughout the year, to Bob's course designs, and Bob and Anita setting up the course and trailer management, to Chip and Kim for their webpage postings, and each driver fulfilling their worker assignments. Autocross is a true community where we support each other for a great common goal. I'm truly thankful that autocross is part of my life.
Preserving our use of our autocross site is our primary objective. Incremental gains have been made in communicating with James Gore's staff, District 4 Sonoma County Supervisor. The Windsor Mayor has also shared her support with Gore.
We're working diligently to keep our site of 40 years. If you would like to help, please
email me. Specifically, if you are a Sonoma County Sheriff, please contact
Craig Steele
as we would like to ally with the Sheriff's Department. Or, if you have
political connections
within District 4
of Sonoma County, please
contact me.
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Join us for our last Autocross group gathering of 2017!
Unfortunately, we had to cancel our last autocross due to the horrific fires. This abrupt ending prevented us from celebrating our last autocross and great times together.
Rather than disappearing off into the sunset without high-fives and goodbyes, we decided to create an opportunity to gather again. We are meeting for pizza to present the AX classification awards on Dec. 2
nd. Drivers who have placed 1
st and 2
nd in respective classes with be presented with awards.
A special thanks to John Jackson, our ace photographer, for creating the awards!
Please join us whether you're receiving an award or if you just want to hang out together with your fellow drivers.
When: Sat., Dec. 2, 12 noon
Where: Mary's Pizza Shack,
Petaluma
Cost: Lunch is at your expense.
RSVP: We'd like a head count, so please
email me if you'd like to join.
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Poetry In Motion
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Kim Powers Redwood Region Member |
I knew Bill Newton as the kind man who enthusiastically lent out his pristine 912 to the guy I was dating. We would pick it up the evening before an autocross, spend the night at Tristan's parents' house, and return the car the next day, exchanging stories of the race for a glass of wine with Bill and his wife Louee.
Even before we we a couple, Tristan and the 912 were synonymous. At my first autocross in August 2009 I distinctly remember the painter-like strokes the 912's tires left behind with Tristan at the wheel. As my then-instructor, Tristan nonchalantly explained his line (over-exaggerated for my education), as I held on, barely able to process his words for the speed and exhilaration I endured as a passenger. But the history between Bill and Tristan started well before that.
In late fall 2005, just after returning from two years in Pfaffenhausen, Germany at the RUF Factory, Tristan met Bill when he brought the 912 in for an off-season service at Tillman's German Car Specialists in Santa Rosa. Bill knew Tristan's history, having been in the Porsche Club with Tristan's parents Gary and Lynda Bayless for years. When the service was done, Bill suggested Tristan take the car for a road test.
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Three-wheeling it in the 912 |
Heading out Guerneville Road towards Sebastopol, Tristan was struck by the response of the car, the incredible noise it made, and how fun it was to row through the short ratio gearbox. Reflecting on that first drive Tristan recalls, "it was like piloting a piece of art." Bill invited Tristan to drive the 912 at the first autocross the next season.
When Tristan wiped the floor with everyone at that first race, Bill insisted they do the whole year. So they campaigned the rest of 2006, making every ESCA and PCA autocross. At the end of the season, Tristan and the 912 topped the class and overall standings in both clubs. They were unbeatable.
After the 2006 season, Bill explored tracking the 912 at Sears Point. While it was a fun car, it wasn't made for the track and Tristan never took it out, sticking to the double figure-8 at the airport. In the years that followed, Tristan and the 912 made many of the races, but they never campaigned again like the 2006 season.
Bill passed away in February of 2016, willing the 912 to Tristan. But Tristan's passion for the car was never about the dream of ownership (even after the 912 became "ours," we still called it "Bill's car"). It was about celebrating the artistic craftsmanship of the build, driving it to the maximum its performance would allow, and sharing that passion with others. It was used to instruct, demonstrate, inspire and entertain. A beloved addition to Redwood Region events.
In the early hours of Monday, October 9, we lost the 912 along with The Red Truck, The Woody built on a 1975 Ford Courier frame and the Bayless family home of 43 years, when the Tubbs Fire engulfed the area.
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A tragic end to a beautiful car with an even better history |
The 912 was more than just a car. It was poetry in motion. Whenever Tristan was on the starting line, a hush would fall across the grid as drivers and spectators halted conversation at the obsessive rev of the engine. Some would watch to find a faster line, some to appreciate the skill, and others to marvel at the sheer absurdity that such a perfect combination should exist: Tristan Bayless and 1968 Porsche 912.
Michael Rose, long time mechanic on the 912 and owner of 9Elf Motorsports, said it best: "Bill has his car back."
I think I can hear Bill laughing as he drives off into the clouds.
If you have any photos, videos or memories of the car, Tristan or Bill, please share with us at
TheGreen912@gmail.com
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Two Bird Café Run on Veteran's Day
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Ben Davoren
Redwood Region Member
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After a soggy week, the natives were apparently a bit restless as 40 gorgeous Porsches showed up on Saturday, November 11 at Vintage Oaks in Novato to set off on a brunch-quest: a backroads drive to the Two Bird Café in San Geronimo.
Even though there was a bit of drizzle, in an expression of optimism most of the Cabriolets decided to let their tops down since this was forecast to be the one sunny day of the week. That mood was infectious as leader Bob Hall led us out onto North 101 and somehow managed to keep our group together through the two merges of the Novato Narrows before we came back over towards the two-lane beauties of West Marin beyond San Antonio Road.
The roads were dry and spirits were high as we did the Porsche conga towards our midway destination for this happy but hungry bunch: the Marin French Cheese Factory. This turned out to be a spectacular location not just to buy a little cheese and balsamic vinegar, but also for a great photo op. We had a good spectrum of Stuttgart's colors, styles and years. We may have overwhelmed the parking lot a bit, but all of the attention - even from the packs of cyclists along the way - was positive.
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A great group out for a run on what turned out to be a beautiful day
Photo credit:
Paige Gaines
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After the cheese break, we headed out towards Lucas Valley Road for a little more spirited drive through the redwood groves, with fantastic light breaking through those giants as we weaved along...to the only pre-planned U-turn I think I have seen in several years of weekend fun runs! It was beautiful to follow the bright red tail lights snaking along the tree-darkened road, and I personally enjoyed the accompanying magnificent soundtrack of a GT4 that was directly in front of me.
Once back to Nicasio Valley Road, we cruised our way to Two Bird. There may have been a few unplanned sub-routes on the way, but everybody made it, including the inimitable Kurt Fischer driving cleanup. This is a really great café. Although we had quite a horde descend on them at once, the staff there was pleasant, efficient, and got an amazing amount of terrific food (if you are an egg fan, this is the place for you!) out in record time, while still making it feel relaxed and welcoming.
As I always rediscover the truth of the PCA motto "It's not just the cars, it's the people" in any of these articles, the Two Bird table set up let us mingle and sit down with members we haven't met before. We have a number of military veterans in our club and it was only fitting that on Veterans Day I enjoyed being able to make a new friend, Joe Ramos, an Army veteran and reservist who came up from GGR to see what all the Redwood Region fuss was about. This sort of event is exactly the kind of thing that makes our club a blast. If you are on the fence about joining a fun run, please come on out and run with us, you won't regret it!
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PCA Redwood Region donates $10,000 to wildfire victims
The North Bay wildfires cut a wide swath of devastation through Sonoma and Napa counties. As you've hear in this newsletter and elsewhere, many of our friends, neighbors and fellow PCA members were affected emotionally and physically. Many lost their homes, cars, possessions and memories as everything burned to the ground. Included in those who lost everything were our region's President, Treasurer, Past President and active members, to name a few.
Feeling the need to help, Redwood Region donated $10,000 to the North Bay Fire Relief Fund. On November 10, our Treasurer, Jerry Gladstone, hand delivered the donation check you see above. As Jerry lost everything in the wildfires, including the Redwood Region's check book, he used an bank-printed emergency check and wrote the information in by hand.
Take our survey to connect those who need with those who can help
We know it's still a long road to recovery and we want to do more by connecting
those in the region who suffered losses with those that can offer services or support. If you had losses or can help in any way possible, please fill out this confidential survey
t
o help us start the process of bringing these two groups together, so we can all come out of this #SonomaStrong and #NapaStrong.
What else can you do to help?
Who/what will the donations fund?
The North Bay Fire Relief fund supports the immediate needs of community members most impacted by the North Bay fires.
About the North Bay Fire Relief Fund
Redwood Credit Union's North Bay Fire Relief Fund was created by RCU Community Fund, Inc. (RCUCF) in partnership with Redwood Credit Union (RCU), The Press Democrat and Senator Mike McGuire, to support victims and relief efforts of the devastating 2017 North Bay fires. Following is important information about fund disbursements:
RCU is covering all administrative costs, so 100% of all donations will go to fire victims and relief efforts.
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Redwood Region Board Meetings
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Alan Geddes Redwood Region Secretary |
The minutes from the September and October board meetings will be available after approval at the November 28 meeting. Read previous board meeting minutes
here.
Our next board meeting is scheduled for 7:00 pm on November 28, 2017 at Mary's Pizza Shack, located at
121 San Marin Dr., Novato
. All members are welcome to attend.
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Membership Report & Information
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Membership Report and Information
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Tom Short
Membership Director
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In October 2017, 33 PCA Redwood Region members marked five or more years in the club, including three members with 44 years, and three others who have been members for over 30 years!
Congratulations and thank you to all of you who are marking anniversaries - I hope you are enjoying your membership and taking advantage of all the great benefits our club has to offer!
Be sure to check out the calendar on our website, and keep an eye on it as new events are added as we finalize them. I encourage everyone to participate in your club's events - it's a great way to meet other PCA members and have some fun with great people and our amazing cars.
If you spot any errors or have questions about membership, please email
me.
Membership Totals
New members: 1
Transfer In 1
Transfer Out 1
Non-renewal 8
Renewals 26
Official 602
Affiliate Members 371
Total Members 973
New Members
Brent Schuster
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Santa Rosa
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1999 912 Signal Yellow
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Anniversaries of Five Years or More
Name
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Member Since
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Years
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Allen Barbieri
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1969
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48
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Steve Hunter
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1974
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43
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Lawrence Harrison
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1975
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42
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Stan Michelman
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1981
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36
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John Rice
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1984
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33
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David Neuman
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1985
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32
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Jon Phillips
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1987
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30
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Davidson Neukom
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1987
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30
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James Polisson
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1991
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26
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Fred Clough
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1994
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23
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Paul Carver
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1996
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21
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George Nostrant
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1997
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20
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Michael Cole
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1999
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18
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Victor Brito
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2000
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17
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Dean Lyon
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2000
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17
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Robert Pringle
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2000
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17
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Thomas Dixon
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2002
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15
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James Demmert
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2002
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15
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Stephen Glenn
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2002
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15
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Michael Thomas
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2003
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14
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David Lundgren
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2003
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14
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Joseph Valls
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2004
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13
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Eugene Kunde
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2005
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12
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Tim Bringman
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2005
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12
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Alfred Ghanayem
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2005
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12
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Russell Meeks
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2006
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11
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Christopher Wettstein
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2006
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11
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Michael Vogel
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2007
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10
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Michael Palumbo
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2009
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8
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John Shoffa
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2009
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8
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Paul LaPerriere
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2010
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7
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John Anderson
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2010
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7
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Scott Buchanan
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2012
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5
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Redwood Region Board Members & Contacts
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Executive Council
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President
707 953-1100
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Vice President
707 481-8804
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Treasurer
707 525-8623
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Secretary
415 377-7120
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Past President
Mike Hinton
707 963-7827
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Appointed Directors |
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415 300-7457
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Autocross Director
707 266-4470
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Concours Director
415 819-2210
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Communications Director
415 480-4114
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Events Director
415 819-2210
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Safety Director
415 577-0647
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Appointed Functional Area Members
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415 819-2210
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Goodie Store Managers
415 717-4117
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Acting der Riesenbaum Editor
415 480-4114
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Deven Walles
415 258-9619
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Northern Representative
Scott Downie
707 725-6110
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Zone 7 Representative
408 947-0980
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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 via email to the editor. 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.
We are looking for an editor to take over the reins of producing the monthly newsletter. Please let us know if you are interested!
Want to reach an audience of Porsche enthusiasts with your marketing message? Consider advertising in der Riesenbaum. Contact the editor 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.
Thanks for supporting our Club!
Stacy O'Connell Acting der Riesenbaum Editor Porsche Club of America, Redwood Region
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