I open these remarks by recognizing three very special people.
Jim Loseke has been a member of the Wisconsin Section for twenty years. Jim was selected as the Wisconsin Section’s 2019 Member of the Year for all of the things he’s done for the Section in those 20 years, including service as Vice President and presently as Webmaster. Jim will be presented his award at an upcoming event.
A humorous note. Jim learned of his award by reading about it in the current issue of the Star. The Board intended to present the award to Jim at our Christmas party, but he wasn’t able to attend. We hoped to keep a secret from Jim until the award could be presented to him. A wry thank you to the Star for breaking our cover!
Nancy and Dean Pearson were presented the Distinguished Service Award at our Christmas party . They received the award for their long-term service to the Wisconsin Section during their 42 years of membership. That’s right, 42 years! During that long tenure they have remained very involved in the Section’s activities, including Nancy serving as President, “Team Pearson” hosting many events including drive-to-dines, rallyes, color tours and new member receptions. They are responsible for making sure the Badger Star reaches you; Nancy handles the print version and Dean the electronic one. Dean is responsible for the e-mail blasts and event reminders that go out between issues of the Badger Star, and Nancy continues to serve on our Board as Past President.
Congratulations to Jim, Nancy and Dean!
Before looking ahead to 2020 I would like to wind up 2019. It was a great year with terrific events, and I want to say “Thank You” to everyone involved in planning or hosting an event during the last year. 2019 was capped off by our Christmas Party and Annual Meeting, details of which can be found elsewhere in this issue.
2020 Officer Line-Up
Your board of directors chose their 2020 officers at their January 9th board meeting:
Bruce Hamilton, President
Bernd Kampe, Vice President
Dan Hellenberg, Secretary
Frank Lubinski, Treasurer
Andy Stockhausen, Membership Director
John Ledbury, Newsletter Liaison
All of the 2020 Officers and Board Members appear on Page XX of this newsletter.
Upcoming Events
2020 promises to be an exciting year for your Section, with events planned for almost every month of the year, and our next event is just few weeks away.
We kick-off 2020 on Sunday, February 16th with our Valentine’s Drive-to-Dine brunch at the Copper Dock in Hubertus. We will be in their private dining room where we enjoyed our 2015 Christmas party.
Friday, March 20th we return to the Machine Shed for our annual Fish Fry, and our Spring Tech Session at Black Forest is scheduled for April 25th. A week later on May 2nd we’re holding a “break in the weather” Drive-to-Dine at Erv’s Mug in Oak Creek, and May 16th finds us at the Spring Vintage @ Road America.
June 6th brings a new event, our New & Long-Term Member Reception and Recognition. Members who have joined in the last year, and those who have achieved membership milestones will be recognized. Those achieving membership milestones will receive a membership pin recognizing their milestone. Both new and long-term members will receive a written invitation to this event.
Read more about these and all the other events planned in our Events Calendar and elsewhere through this issue. Put all the upcoming events on your calendar NOW. More events are planned as details are firmed up, so stay tuned as more information follows.
Do you enjoy the events the Wisconsin Section holds? Want your Section to do something special? Please let us know! We want to hear from you! All comments, suggestions, and criticisms are welcome.
Please consider hosting an event. It’s easy, fun, and any member who hosts an event has his or her meal paid for by the Section. Don’t want to tackle an event by yourself? Consider co-hosting an event with another member.
Looking for a Journey Article
We’re looking for the next story about “the journey,” how you acquired your favorite Mercedes-Benz. Did you travel across the continent to find the perfect Benz for you, or find it sitting a barn, awaiting a new home? Whether it happened last week or a decade ago, if you have an interesting story about how you acquired your favorite Mercedes-Benz, we want to publish it. Contact our newsletter liaison John Ledbury with your story.
Is Your Information Current??
Please take a few minutes and go to the MBCA national website, check your profile, and make sure all of your information is complete and up-to-date, including your e-mail address that you want to use to receive Wisconsin Section information, your regular postal mailing address and your phone number.
The Wisconsin Section relies on the roster information from MBCA's national office to send out newsletters and other Club information. If you don't keep your profile on the National site current, we don't have any way of knowing where to send information to you. We have no way of knowing what email or regular mailing address you want us to use unless your preferred information is included in your profile at MBCA National.
Remember, only you can update your profile information.
New Members
Please join me in welcoming Joseph Padrutt and Rick Doerflinger, our newest Wisconsin Section members as of January 12th.
I hope to meet you at an upcoming Wisconsin Section event.
Bruce Hamilton