Hole in the Wall Gang Benefit April 3rd!

[wallabyguy]

Again following one of the founding initatives of the Club, I'm pleased to announce a benefit event April 3rd for the Hole in the Wall Gang in Newtown Ct. Heidi528 has organized the event for Club111. I will be posting an official annoucement tomorrow. Please, if you are in the northeast region, please put aside this date and help us serve the needs of this very worthy cause.


Robert

[heidi528]

FYI- their website is:Hole In The Wall Gang

[wallabyguy]

Club111 is proud to announce the organization of a fund raising event to benefit The Hole in the Wall Gang Camp of Ashford Connecticut. On April 3rd, 2005, the Northeast Region of Club111 will host a photography session at The Blue Colony Diner on Church Hill Road in Newtown, Ct. starting at 11:00am. We are asking that members allow pictures to be taken of donating individuals in their cars. Donations of “Wish List” items for the camp will also be accepted by Club111 members at the event and are suggested but not mandatory for Club111 members. Wish List items range from balloons and school supplies to X Boxes and AV equipment. The idea is to give what you can. At 1:00pm the Club will depart Newtown and travel to Bridgewater Connecticut for a second session at the Bridgewater Fire Department on Route 133 (the location of the famous Bridgewater Fair). The second session is scheduled from 2:30pm to 4:30pm. All proceeds will benefit The Hole in the Wall Gang Camp. Our financial goal is $2,000. This is equal to a summer scholarship for one individual to attend the Hole in the Wall Gang Camp.

We intend to start the day at around 9:30 with breakfast at the diner for Club111 members. The drive between Newtown and Bridgewater will be wonderful and very scenic. I’ll be posting a description later. There are also a variety of stores/ restaurants in Bridgewater at the end of the day for us to enjoy. This will be a great event to not only enjoy the company of the other members of the club, but also give something back to the community in a very tangible way. This outreach on our part has so touched The Hole in the Wall Gang Organization that we have been approached in becoming a national partner in their cause.

The event will be covered by local news outlets and is a great opportunity for us to show the heart and commitment of the Lotus community.

Background info on the charity we're supporting.

The Hole in the Wall Gang Camp, founded by Paul Newman in 1988, is a nonprofit residential summer camp, an ingeniously designed and dazzlingly equipped Wild West hideout in northeastern Connecticut, where children with cancer and other life-threatening illnesses do not have to sit on the sidelines. More than 1,000 children between the ages of seven and fifteen from across the country and abroad attend each year, free of charge. For a list of Wish List items to bring for donation to the camp, or for more information on The Hole in the Wall Gang Charity, see their web site at

http://www.holeinthewallgang.org/

Finally, allow me to thank Heidi for organizing this event. Not to get too mushy but it really touched me to see her embrace and move forward with the work to bring this event together. Thank you again.

[wallabyguy]

A slight change in our plans. In Bridgewater, we will now be hosted by The Village Store. The town is giving us access to the street and the town green across the street for the show. We have also been told that we may have some of the celebrities associated with The Hole in the Wall Gang attend and lend their support. Lotus Ltd.'s local chapters have also been invited and asked to participate.

[heidi528]

Quick note - the "celebrities" associated with the HITWG are, of course, welcome. Not sure if they will or will not be there. No clue actually. However, our contact in Bridgewater does know some of the celebrities in the area, and is contacting them to see if they will lend us support and attend. We won't be publicizing this anywhere but here, as we're not relying on their charm to draw the people. That's up to us and our wonderful little cars! Anyone who shows up will be a bonus.

Lunch will be available at the Village Store. It may sound small, but it is the center of this quiet little town and the hub of activity. Along with lunch they have a wonderful and quaint array of items; world famous Bridgewater Chocolates, local maple syrup, bulbs, and a bakery section that is also famous. So anyone missing the morning and joining for the afternoon won't go hungry. We have the use of their two parking lots, and if there is overflow our contact is securing the approval of the town to park at and use the town green across the street.

Bridgewater is a cute town. A lot of old country charm, yet not behind the times. It is New England life as it used to be. The town is so small and rural that there isn't even a Police Department, just a resident State Trooper. There are horse farms, charming homes, and a wonderful sense of community throughout. We'll have lots of fun!

[wallabyguy]

Heidi,

Any local B&B's for those of us traveling a distance?

Robert

[Stan]

Would love to attend, sounds like fun...I'm out racing that day at Orchard Beach in NY. Looks like next time...

Darn...I was making every 111 event for awhile!

[heidi528]

In Newtown:
Mary Hawley Inn
19 Main Street
Newtown, CT 06470
Phone: 203-270-1876
Fax: 203-270-4525

Contact: John Vouros, Proprietor
David D'Ambruoso, Chef
Lou Forlano, General Manager

Description: A very ecletic New England Country Inn featuring New American Cuisine. Formerly The Hawley Manor.

Bridgewater:
Sandford/Pond House
Rte. 133
Bridgewater, CT
(860) 355-4677
B & B

Some area B&B's:

Longwood Country Inn in Woodbury

The Cornucopia in Southbury

Golden Pear At Grandview in Bethlehem

A local private school, The Kent School, also has a great list of area lodgings on their web site at The Kent School

[cjcamejo]

Originally Posted by heidi528

A local private school, The Kent School, also has a great list of area lodgings on their web site at The Kent School

For anyone not familiar with the area, Kent is actually further from Bridgewater than the Southbury, Woodbury, Roxbury, Danbury, Middlebury area, however, the Kent area is more rural than the Bury. The Appalachian Trail runs right past the Kent School. Lime Rock Park (road course) is a couple miles away. There are no real highways up there so the opportunity for "spirited driving" on some twisty roads is present.

There probably won't be any actual events at Lime Rock this early in the season, but Skip Barber Racing School is up there and should be open by then if somebody wants to learn how to crash in style.

And if you want some real fun driving and you're coming from the north or east, try Route 2 (the Mohawk Trail) in northwestern Massachusetts. It takes about 2 hours to drive, plus 2 hours to get to Connecticut afterwards but it's worth it. Start at the junction with I-91 (hey, it's a roundabout, just like England) and head west. Make sure you fuel up here because there's not much civilization for a while. The further west you go the more fun it becomes. Especially the climb into Florida at then end and the hairpin turn coming down from Florida into North Adams (another good place to grab fuel and food, try Appalacian Bean on Main St., or Brew Ha Ha under the Rt 2 bridge for something quick). Once you make it to Williamstown turn south on Route 7 which will take you all the way down past Kent to Danbury, CT. Takes longer, but more fun than watching trucks on I-84 or I-91.

And, if you're doing that route in the summer you can drive to the top of Mount Greylock in North Adams. It's the highest peak in Massachusetts. It's usually only open Memorial Day - Labor Day. You would need a snow cat to get up there the rest of the year.

Hmm, maybe there needs to be a "places to take your elise" forum on here.

[heidi528]

Great ideas! Yes, Bridgewater is closer to the southern portions of CT. Only included the Kent site because they have some great listings on it. I'm looking forward to this summer, and heading up to Mount Greylock!

[wallabyguy]

Update.......

Bill Putman has donated Family Passes to the Toad Hall Automotive Museum in Hyannis Port, MA for the event to be sold for the benefit of the cause. Props to Bill.

Club111 will be visiting his collection on the 23rd of April. Club members will receive a discount on entry to the collection and that evenings stay at his B&B next door, The Simmons Homestead Inn. For more info, see:

http://www.elisetalk.com/forums/show...967#post162967

[scottyb]

Do we have a rain/snow date?

[wallabyguy]

No snow/rain date as of yet.

The event has been included in the latest LEO newsletter. LEO and the other regional Lotus Ltd chapters have been notified of the event and I've been told to expect a decent turnout from them. My church is even pitching in "wish list" items.

I just want to thank all of you ahead of time for making this event so sucessful.

Here's a link where you can download the March 10th newsletter from LEO.


http://www.lotusenthusiasts.org/Newsletter/Default.asp

[ivan1]

don't know how I missed this thread...hopefully I will be able to attend....

[Steve]

Originally Posted by cjcamejo

There probably won't be any actual events at Lime Rock this early in the season ...

I am so happy to disagree! I'll be there with my Elise on March 29 to kick off the BMWCCA's D.E. Season!

[Jeff Torrey]

My Esprit is getting Tuned up and may not be done by next weekend. My question is can I bring the Viper? Are you interested in a bunch of Vipers?

I think I could get some guys from the NYCT area to show.

How is the weather there... Is there snow left?

[wallabyguy]

Jeff,

the focus is on raising funds for the kids. Anything you can do to help, including bringing Vipers, would be very much appreciated.

Call me or email me if you have any questions.

Robert

[Jeff Torrey]

Robert- OK, I posted on the VCA Board:

http://vca2.viperclub.org/forums/sho...b=5&o=&fpart=1

[scottyb]

If anyone would like to make a charitable donation to the Hole in the Wall gang, they can send a check to my office and I will pass it along to the Charity.

Just make a check out to:

The Hole in the Wall Camp

And mail it to my office:

Scott Bialik
246 Federal Road
Suite D 13
Brookfield, CT 06804

[peck555]

I might have my car by then,I might be able to join you
I do have my car and I will be there with my better half!!!!