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Lincoln Highway Association: California Chapter P.O. Box 447
Carmichael, CA 95609
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Quarterly Chapter Meeting Minutes — Saturday, January 7, 2012

Duarte’s Garage and Lincoln Highway Museum
Livermore, CA

  1. This time the meeting was hosted by the Livermore Heritage Guild (LHG). We were also joined by David and Judy Lee from the West Side Pioneer Association (WSPA) of Tracy, California; both are members of the LHA California Chapter. The luncheon was at Beeb’s Restaurant at Las Positas Golf Course, adjacent to the Livermore Airport. After lunch, we all drove east three miles to Duarte’s Garage, where our chapter meeting was held. The meeting was called to order by acting chapter president Paul Gilger at 1:25pm, and we were also welcomed by Jeff Kaske, president of the LHG.
  2. About 40 members, spouses, and guests attended the luncheon and meeting. LHA officers present included VP Paul Gilger (Acting President), Membership Chairman Joel Windmiller, State Director Bob Dieterich (also National President), and Secretary/Recorder Mike Kaelin. Webmaster Jimmy Lin and Treasurer Kell Brigan were absent. See the end of these minutes for the attendees list.
  3. Paul and all chapter officers present approved the agenda.
  4. Past meeting minutes were approved. See 5(d) below.
  5. Officers’ Reports
    1. State Director Bob Dieterich: The next national convention is the week of June 18, 2012, in Canton, Ohio. LH detailed maps will soon appear for free on the web. The National Tour Association has named the LH as an “official tour destination,” thanks to efforts by our own tour director, Mark Hoffmann.
    2. Acting President Paul Gilger: As national cartographer, he has been working very hard on the new Google LH maps, as Bob mentioned. He is about 25% finished. The old AAA and DeLorme mapping licenses have expired. He will get an article in The Forum when the mapping is done.
    3. Treasurer Kell Brigan: Submitted chapter account balance (contact the chapter for details); accepted by all present.
    4. Secretary Mike Kaelin: The chapter minutes from October 1, 2011 were submitted to board members previously for review, additions and corrections. The final copy was then submitted to Webmaster Jimmy Lin.
  6. Committee Reports
    1. Webmaster Jimmy Lin: (absent, no report).
    2. Membership Chairman Joel Windmiller: All notification postcards were mailed out in a timely manner.
    3. Maps: See 5(a) and 5(b) above.
    4. Cruises: Paul plans a “Hot August Cruise” to Lake Tahoe on August 25. Classic car club participation will be encouraged.
    5. Coach Tours:
      • Mark Hoffmann plans a bus tour to Donner Summit on June 2. This will be a pro-guided tour through Sports Leisure Vacations, with designated stops along the old LH wherever possible.
      • The National Tour Association (NTA) has designated the LH as an historic “tour destination.”
      • The NTA and the American Bus Association lists the LH 2013 Centennial as one of the top 100 upcoming events in the country. Paul is pushing for an “Official LH Stops” program, which will offer discounts to members at various LH stops, like gas stations, hotels, road-side shops, etc. Discount cards may be purchased thru The Forum.
    6. LH Sign Corridor: Mike Kaelin reports that
      • 2 signs were recently installed in San Leandro
      • 4 signs have been sponsored in Dublin, currently waiting for DPW installation
      • Livermore has accepted co-sponsorship, and suitable locations for 8 signs have been mapped
      • Mike Kaelin will soon be meeting with the Hayward Area Historical Society members; they have tentatively accepted sponsorship, but are currently involved moving into their new location on Foothill Boulevard in Hayward;
      • El Cerrito has recently inquired for 4 signs
      • The historical society in Pleasanton (Amador-Livermore Valley Historical Society, which operates Museum on Main) has also shown interest
      Mike is pushing to get all signs installed before 2013, our LH centennial year.
    7. Promo — Carolyn Harkonnen: No report.
    8. Speakers — Bob Chase, our Piaggio traveler, has become one of our premier LH PowerPoint speakers, with speeches planned for January 18 in Los Gatos, and for February 15 in Tracy. Gary Kinst has also produced 4 new LH PowerPoint presentations for each leg of the LH in California. LH speakers are in high demand.
    9. Other — Bob Dieterich and several other members spoke in remembrance of our past President Norman Root, who passed away last September. Gary Kinst wrote a heartfelt eulogy for Norm in the January 12 issue of The Traveler. Also, Jeff Kaskey, LHG President, spoke of the recent passing of Francis “Fran” Duarte (96) last November, son of the original Lincoln Highway Garage owner Frank Duarte.
  7. Old Business
    1. Tourism, car clubs, business discounts — Paul mentioned the fact that the new LHA, which was started in 1992, has now been in existence longer than the original LHA was, which existed from 1913 to 1926.
  8. New Business
    1. Paul wants to find a replacement liaison for Norm Root on the Placer County Historical Organizations Committee and the SacArea History Network. Contact Paul if you may be interested.
    2. Questers LH monument: Bob Chase spoke recently to the Questers in San Jose, who are involved in the study and preservation of historical markers. They apparently have reported an original LH marker in Crockett.
    3. Marie Abbott, LHG Vice-President, was excited to complete her collection of current license plates spanning all of the LH states except Colorado. Someone donated an historical Indiana car plate, and Mike Kaelin donated the other baker’s dozen of current state plates, which were recently installed on the east wall of the museum by Ron Abbott. The historic garage is open every third Sunday to the public.
    4. Tour Dates: See items 6(d) and 6(e) above.
    5. Election of New Chapter Officers
      • Paul Gilger was elected President, nominated by Mike Kaelin, seconded by Joel Windmiller; motion carried by all members present.
      • Joel Windmiller was elected Vice-President, nominated by Ken Masterman, seconded by Mike Kaelin; motion carried by all members present.
      • Gary Kinst was appointed Chapter Historian and has returned by unanimous consensus to the office of editor of The Traveler, our official chapter newsletter. The Traveler will now be produced online. Gary asks for members to please send him interesting research and photos.
      • Other members proposed an online blog format, among other things, and a steering committee was appointed to look into this, and other ways to reach perhaps younger members of the public. Committee members are: Bob Chase, Mark Hoffmann, Joel Windmiller, Gary Kinst, Prof. Myron Gershenson, Scott Miner, and Peter Ottem (LHG).
      • All other incumbents were re-elected, including State Director Bob Dieterich, Treasurer Kell Brigan, Membership Chairman Joel Windmiller, Recording Secretary Mike Kaelin, and Webmaster James Lin; motion carried by all members present.
  9. The next meeting will be April 7 at 12 PM in West Sacramento; the Gassman brothers have selected Vince’s Italian Restaurant, 840 Harbor Boulevard, and this venue has been tentatively approved by Paul Gilger, Chapter President.
  10. Meeting officially adjourned by President Paul Gilger at 2:40 PM.
  11. Today’s presentation/tour
    1. All present were invited to tour Duarte’s historical Lincoln Highway Garage/Museum.
    2. Jeff Kaske, president of the LHG, spoke briefly of the Duarte Garage’s history, and the completion of the final touches to the 1920 Seagrave fire engine, an LHG premier project. Jeff also addressed the recent passing of Francis Duarte, 96, who operated the garage up to 1977. Francis was the son of Frank Duarte, the original owner. The garage was built in 1913.
    3. Frank Rainer, world traveler extraordinaire and member of the LHG, was the keynote speaker. He presented a spirited PowerPoint travelogue of his adventures along the LH, from coast-to-coast, along with some interesting detours back east.
  12. Today’s participants and guests
    • Paul Gilger — President of the LHA California Chapter
    • Dave & JoAnn Pelz
    • *Sally and Paul Hoeprich
    • Gary Kinst — Editor of The Traveler
    • *Rod Angove
    • *Lee Smith
    • Grant Gassman
    • Greg Gassman
    • *Frank Filmore
    • Bob Chase
    • *Jim & Naomi Shand
    • Mark Hoffmann — President of Sport Leisure Vacations
    • Scott and Noon Miner
    • *Tim Sage
    • *Bill Junk — Duarte Garage-Museum Curator
    • *Susan Junk — Secretary of LHG
    • *Marie Abbott — Vice-President of LHG
    • *Ron McConnell
    • Professor Myron and Marquitta Gershenson
    • Stephanie Perrier
    • Ken Masterman
    • Joel Windmiller — Vice-President of the LHA California Chapter
    • Bob Dieterich — President and California State Director of the LHA
    • Tom and Linda Voss
    • Carolyn Harkonnen — Promotions Chair of the LHA California Chapter
    • Jeff Kaskey — President of LHG
    • Mike Kaelin — Recording Secretary of the LHA California Chapter
    • *Peter Ottem
    • **Dave and Judy Lee — President of WSPA
    • ***Frank Rainer — keynote speaker
    • *** Others (there were 2 or 3 other guests who did not sign in)
    * LHG member
    ** WSPA member
    *** Guests
    All others are LHA California Chapter members

Respectfully submitted on January 19, 2012
Mike Kaelin, Recording Secretary

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