In This Issue

Member Profile: Raoul Cervantes

Calling all GMR Volunteers Needed

Fantastic GMR Lunch This Saturday Aug. 24 at

Apple Hill Farm in Rochester

HEAorte

Please be sure scroll through the entire newsletter for important information

GMR Member Feature Profile -- Raoul Cervantes

It’s about the people…

This is a new regular feature of the PCA GMR newsletter, highlighting members of the club – their cars, their lives, and their favorite drives.It is written by member Susan Silberberg (1970 911E) of Woodstock.

By Susan Silberberg

Raoul Cervantes and his Journey from

The Philippines to Vermont

Raoul gets kudos for offering to be the first member profile in this new feature of the GMR newsletter. Thank you, Raoul!

Raoul lives in Vermont full time and recently moved from Waterbury to Colchester. For the last 20 years, he’s been the happy owner of a 1973 Porsche 914 with a 1.7-liter engine. While he knows some would say owning a 2.0-liter would be better, he reflects the feelings of many of us that the car we own is the best. He loves his car and it is one of three Porsches he has owned. He had a 1988 911 Cabriolet for around three years, and prior to that, a 1987 944S that he purchased in 1994 and he put 250k miles on it before selling it in 2001. He was living in California at the time and it was his daily driver.

Raoul was born in the Philippines and moved to Southern California when he was 15. Growing up in the Philippines, he was always exposed to exotic cars and sports cars. His uncle had a 20-car garage filled with gems and Raoul still remembers the 1956 300 SL Gullwing that sat in his garage. As a boy, Raoul played around that car and when he went back to visit his mom in late 2022, that car was still there and an older and wiser Raoul knows just how truly special that car is.  

He remembers first sitting in a Porsche when he was around 14 years old and it was a 914. When he was looking for another car to buy, it seemed natural to him to go back to that memory and buy a 914.

When I asked Raoul what brought him to Vermont, he said that his Southern California company was purchased by the Maytag Corp which also owned Blodgett Ovens in Vermont at that time, and he started traveling east for training sessions and work. He was struck by the beauty of the state. When he was growing up in the Philippines, his vision of the United States was shaped by watching Happy Days and White Christmas on television; small towns, villages with close communities, and beautiful landscapes.

It’s what he expected when he arrived as a teenager but he found Adam 12 and CHiPs instead in the streets and cities of Southern California. On his first trip to Vermont, he felt like he had found the United States he had expected all those years ago as a teenager and he fell in love with the state, and then eventually with someone he met at his new company. Heidi, his wife, is a native Vermonter and while she moved to Southern California for a while at the beginning of their relationship, they are both happy to be settled in the Green Mountain State. Raoul travels quite a bit for work and loves coming home to a place that is slower paced and more relaxing.

When I asked Raoul to share something surprising or generally unknown about him for the club members, he told me that his parents played squash and were both Philippine National Champions in 1974. While he feels he was never able to achieve their level of success, he continued his own playing when he moved to Southern California and was semi-professional with sponsors.

He entered multiple tournaments and played in the Nationals and was a 1987 California State Champion at the B levels. He doesn’t have much time to play squash these days but did pick up a racket and ball to play two years ago to commemorate his father, who had just passed away. He still has the swing and would love to rekindle playing.

Raoul has many favorite drives in Vermont. When he lived in Waterbury, he had a favorite loop through Stowe and Morrisville to Lake Elmore and then to the back side of Worcester down to East Montpelier and home. Now, living in Colchester, he drives to South and North Hero and cuts across to Swanton and down through St Albans.  

Raoul summed up how lucky we all are to be here in the Green Mountain State when he said, while he has some standard drives, the entire state is on offer. “There are so many roads here! From an excitement standpoint, I can just take a drive and find a back road and see where it takes me. It’s all good. The nice thing about the 914 is that it isn’t a museum piece. I can go pretty much anywhere.”

***

We all have a story and we would like to share yours with other members. I promise to take only about 15 minutes of your time on a phone call – tell me what you want others to know about you, your car, your interests, and your favorite drives in Vermont and elsewhere. Contact me, Susan Silberberg, at onceinabluecar@gmail.com if you are interested and I’ll set up a call time that is convenient for you.

Below: Raoul's 1973 914; his father's car garage; and his1988 911.

Do you have your official GMR Porsche Club name badge?

If not, consider purchasing them now. If you would like to do so please drop a note to gmrpca@gmail and we will respond with instructions for completing the order. The cost is $25/person and includes postage.

Message from GMR President

Alessandro Iuppa

Volunteers Needed



"Lunch & Leisure Event" This Saturday, August 24

PCA’s slogan is "it's not just the cars... it's the people,” and it will be no surprise that the success of the Green Mountain Region is contingent upon member engagement. Fortunately, we have unselfish board members and others willing to help as tour leaders, officers or fill other roles. Absent their participation we would not be in a position to have a full calendar of events each year.

However, their engagement is only the “tip of the iceberg”. I would very much like to spread the load across a deeper team. In a perfect world the volunteer cohort would expand to include each of the following roles.

Communications Chair / Committee: responsible for the publication of the Mountaineer on a regular schedule and works with the webmaster to optimize digital channels. Committee members support the work of the committee.

Events Chair / Committee: coordinates the calendar planning for GMR tours, social events and annual meeting. Committee members support the work of the committee.

Social Chair / Committee - at its heart the GMR is primarily a social organization. This group would work with the events committee to arrange requisite meals, receptions, etc. Committee members support the work of the committee.

Webmaster - responsible for maintaining the GMR website (including social media) and working with others to insure timely news/etc.

Tour Leaders - we would like to expand the cohort of tour leaders, doing so would allow for more tours in more areas around the state. The leaders are expected to develop the route, including scheduled breaks and work with the tour support folks as necessary. The club offers a stipend to tour leaders which offsets some of costs tour planning. 

Tour Support - Insurance Liaison - for each driving event we need to file for coverage under PCA’s liability policy (this is an online task).

Radio Support - Safety is of paramount concern on driving tours, the challenge is keeping our groups intact and assisting the tour lead at the inevitable ad hoc stops to regroup. To facilitate these task we would ideally have walkie-talkies in three cars (lead, mid and sweep) within each group.

Tour Observers - at the conclusion of each tour the designated files a short on-line Observer report to the PCA

Registration Support - (Motorsportreg). GMR employs Hagerty’s Motorsportreg to manage event registration, including the PCA waiver process. This role requires someone to create the on-line event in coordination with the event leader, track registrations and ensure that all registrants have completed the required pre-event steps. This role is best handled by someone comfortable working with digital technology but the requisite skills are quickly acquired.

Interested? Please respond to the survey link at GMR Member Volunteer survey form .

August 24, 2024: Lunch & Leisure at Apple Hill Farm

GMR members Peter Rogal & Laurie Nash are hosting GMR members at their Apple Hill Farm in Rochester, Vermont for a lunch and leisure event with lunch provided to everyone. Beverages are on your own and you may want to bring a chair. Registration closes on Tuesday August 19 at 11.00pm, click here to register. 

Consider noting your calendar for some more great

upcoming GMR events

September 14, 2024: GMR Potluck BBQ hosted by Lee & Brenda Roy (Colchester), click here to register.

September 28, 2024: GMR Poker Run to be led by Ben Curran

October 20, 2024: GMR Annual Meeting and short driving tour @ Sugarbush Resort

December 7, 2024: GMR Holiday Party @ WaterWorks Restaurant in Winooski, 3.00pm - 6.00pm

Recap - Central Vermont Tour & Social Gathering (8/10)

After Tropical storm Debby barreled through Vermont on Friday the skies were "Kodak blue" on Saturday morning. The dry air greeted over 25 GMR members in 19 cars for a delightful driving tour through central Vermont. The tour, led by GMR member Fred Sperling, traveled along some memorable country roads and through small Vermont communities. As if the tour wasn't enough Fred and Nancy hosted the group at their South Woodstock home for a delicious cook-out.

Alessandro Iuppa

GMR President

PCA Membership News

Auto Renewal Renewal - PCA has instituted the Membership Auto Renewal program, primary members opting for the auto renewal program are entered in a monthly drawing to win a Griot's Garage Orbital Polisher. Members can only select the auto renewal option while in the two-month renewal window.

The PCA Digital Membership Card - PCA members can now opt in for the digital membership card, available for Apple and Android digital wallets. It’s easy and quick to download! Once in your wallet, your card is easily accessible when you need it.

PCA Juniors - Did you know that PCA members can sign up their children, grandchildren, nieces, and nephews for free provided they are under the age of 18? New Juniors will receive an age appropriate welcome kit which includes a personalized name tag. In just 2 years GMR has doubled its roster of PCA Juniors membership, and we would like to add more.

Green Mountain Merchandise Webstore

The GMR webstore has over twenty GMR branded items (shirts, vests, jackets, and hats) for both men and women. A small portion of each sale is credited to the club, so your purchases help support GMR events and by proudly wearing logo apparel you are bringing visibility to GMR. 

Welcome New PCA Members!

The following members have joined Green Mountain Region PCA recently. 

• Keith Gonzales, Williston, 2024 718 Boxster GTS 4.0 (Transfer from Pacific Northwest

Green Mountain Region Name Tags

We recommend that new members and their significant others purchase "official" GMR name tags for use at GMR events.To purchase name tags send an email to gmrpca@gmail.com, be sure to include your mailing address. The cost is $25 per name tag (includes shipping).

Want your spouse or partner to also get these

Green Mountain PCA Newsletters?

When you joined PCA (recently or forever ago) you no doubt listed your partner or spouse as a co-member. Many co-members however have not provided their email addresses. If your spouse/partner would like to receive the Mountaineer as well as yourself, have them call PCA HQ at (410) 381-0911‬ and give PCA the information. It only takes a few minutes as PCA is very efficient. That way you both will receive The Mountaineer and other pertinent club emails.

If your co-member remembers his or her co-member login (it is separate from the main member) you can do it that way too-- but calling is probably the quickest.

Member Feature:

Send us your photos!

As is premiered in this issue we will be including a member profile in future Mountaineer newsletters. If you would like to be featured in future newsletter please drop an email noting your interest to gmrpca@gmail.com.

Sandy Gilmour

Editor

Alessandro "Al" Iuppa

President

Ben Curran

Vice President

Christina McCaffrey

Treasurer

Susan Eastman

Secretary

Sandy Gilmour

Communications Chair

Albert "Duffy" Miller

Member at Large

Peter Rogal

Member at Large

Brad Kennison

Membership Chair

Charlie Dekar

Member at Large

About These Email Communications: 

Replies to these newsletters come to me (Sandy Gilmour), not the entire membership; however, I can forward to our president and other board members if needed or you may email the president, Alessandro Iuppa, directly at gmrpca@gmail.com. We welcome any comments on ways we can improve communications.

Join Green Mountain PCA -- If you are receiving this email as a "friend of Green Mountain Porsche Club," please consider joining PCA. You get a great magazine, Panorama, and membership in Green Mountain Region is included in the annual dues of $56 a year. Go online at www.PCA.org, or simply call headquarters in Maryland at (410) 381-0911‬.

We welcome any submissions to this newsletter and to our website by members who have some fun experiences, photos, tech stuff and other adventures to share! Email me at sandygilmour@icloud.com.

Remember also, it's a volunteer organization. Any help you can provide -- especially with event planning -- is most appreciated by all!

"It's not just the cars; it's the people."

Sandy Gilmour (2014 Boxster S)  

Communications Manager,

Green Mountain Region

Porsche Club of America

sandygilmour@icloud.com