1 The Texas Star

Event Report

Mercedes-Benz Club of America — North Texas Section

2019

January/February

The Texas Star

Section Leadership

Craig Halverson, President

John Checki, Vice President

Ron Seifert, Secretary

Gayle Brewer, Treasurer

John Checki, Membership

Brett Jurick, Webmaster,

Newsletter

Melbourne Kym, Technical

Chair

Maurice Nahas, Events

Chairman

Brett Jurick, Regional Director

Gene Jurick, National President

Ramzi Baransi, Park Place

Motorcars Liaison

Larry Reeg, Mercedes-Benz of

McKinney Liaison

Brandon Reininger, Mercedes-

Benz of Plano

Inside this issue:

MBCA NTX Christmas Party 1

President’s Message / Welcome 3

December Membership Lunch/Dinner & Theater

4

MBCA NTX DIY Tech Session/ North Texas Tulips & Sweetie Pie Drive

5

Texas Horse Country Tour 7

New & Returning Members 8

Red River Concours d’Elegance 9

Membership Application 10

Our Sponsors: Park Place Motor Cars 2

Pangea Natural Stone 3

Hagerty 4

Mercedes-Benz of McKinney 6

Mercedes-Benz of Plano 11

The NTX Christmas Party was held on Thursday, November 29, 2018, at 6:30pm. Our venue was the Omni Hotel at The Star in Frisco. This is the home of the Dallas Cowboys headquarters and practice facility. This beautiful hotel with fantastic holiday decorations provided a wonderful setting in the Ring of Honor room for our party. Sixty-one members attended with cocktails, appetizers and dinner and a special raffle for our Club charities, the Samaritan Inn, McKinney and the Texas Scottish Rite Hospital for Children. To date our Section has raised $2,500 for these charities. Craig Halverson was also recognized as our Member of the Year. Overall, it was a great evening with fun, food, fellowship and festivities as the North Texas Section celebrated the kick-off of the holiday season.

Thursday, November 29, 2018

Omni Hotel - Frisco, TX

MBCA NTX Christmas Party

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President’s Message

January/February 2019

Thank you for taking the time to

read our newsletter. I’m not sure

how Brett gets all of these things

done, but again he is waiting on

me to get my message to

members complete so we can go

to press. As you flip through the

pages you’ll note we have an

exciting year planned and still

looking for additional ideas on

events or projects of interest to the

membership.

2018 ended with the holiday party at the Omni Hotel at the

Star in Frisco. Not only did we have the usual raffle, but this

year we also had a harpist and a photo booth! Everyone

seemed to enjoy both the soothing harp music and the comic

results at the photo booth. Just outside our ballroom was a

huge screen television that was live broadcasting the Dallas

Cowboys versus the New Orleans Saints football game, what

a combination! (The Cowboys won)

A special recognition was presented to Ms. Laural Dowd,

widow of Richard Dowd a longtime club member. Ms. Dowd

not only presented our club with a significant financial

contribution for our charitable campaign, but spent a few

minutes explaining Richard’s connection not only to the

club, but all things Mercedes. It was a very touching

remembrance and we thank you Laural.

Looking forward we are already receiving reservations

for our very first Red River Concours car show in May

2019. This event is a combination regional effort with

direct supervision from the Oklahoma City section and

promises to be a lot of fun. If you’re interested and for

more information go to the Red River car show article

in this issue that has much more detail. Can we

expect to see you there?

Other exciting events are planned and include several

do it yourself tech sessions, a tour of Denton County

horse farms, a tulip farm tour and drive, a trip to and on

the Texas State Railroad plus much, much more. As

always we need member feedback and volunteers so

please let us know how we can better serve you.

Thanks again and I’ll look forward to your input.

Very sincerely,

Craig Halverson President, North Texas Section

The North Texas Section of the Mercedes-Benz Club of

America (MBCA) is dedicated to enhancing the

ownership experience of the finest automobiles in the

world. We engage in a variety of activities throughout

the year that hopefully appeal to a broad section of our

membership.

Currently our membership totals almost 1000 members

who are committed to furthering their experience and

enjoyment of their cars. Whether you’re a gear head,

performance driver, rally enthusiast, cultural maven or

social mingler, the MBCA North Texas Section had an

upcoming event for you. Check out the Events section

to see what’s coming up during the year, and for details

on events that are just over the horizon.

Welcome!

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January/February 2019

We had 26 members attend the latest edition of the Monthly Membership Lunch

on December 15, 2018. Thanks to John & Suzi Checki for finding a great new

place for this meeting, Joe’s Italian Cafe in Addison, Texas. We had 2 new

members attend and everyone enjoyed great fellowship and great genuine Italian

dishes. We will definitely add Joe’s to our rotation for these popular meetings.

Hope to see you at a future Membership Lunch.

December Membership Lunch

Event Reports

Saturday, December 15, 2018 - Joe’s Italian Café, Addison, TX

Dinner & Theater

On Saturday evening, November 3, 2018, the MBCA, North Texas Section, celebrated an evening out for dinner and to

attend the Mesquite Community Theatre’s presentation of “The Curious Savage” by John Patrick. One of our

members, Gayle Brewer, Treasurer, played the lead role of Ethel Savage. Twelve members and guests met for dinner

at 5:30pm at the Café Del Rio Restaurant in Mesquite, Texas, for Tex-Mex food. The play was produced at the Black

Box Theatre located at 1527 Galloway, Mesquite, Texas. It was a fun time for all with good food, good fellowship, good

entertainment, and another opportunity to drive and display Mercedes cars. Many in attendance commented on how

much they enjoyed both the food and the play.

The Play - The Curious Savage

Saturday, November 3, 2018 - Mesquite, TX

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January/February 2019

Upcoming Events

MBCA North Texas Section - DIY Technical Session

Park Place Motorcars, Dallas, TX

Saturday, February 2, 2018

The North Texas Section will conduct the first DIY Technical Session of 2019 hosted by Park Place Dallas Lemmon Avenue. PP Dallas has again graciously invited us into their Workshop as guests and Preferred Customers. We look forward to these DIYs as an opportunity to inspect and perform light maintenance on these beautiful well-engineered cars using our own tools with "over the shoulder technical guidance”. No other US Sections enjoy the relationship your Section has developed over the past two decades. You don’t have to be a mechanic. Appreciation for the Brand, respect for the privilege and a Saturday morning with NTX Members, PP Staff, sweet rolls, juice, and coffee is all it takes. Join us! Please Advance Plan and prioritize your tasks to complete in the time allotted, using your own tools and within your own capability. Meet in the parking lot before 7:30 for Introductions, Briefing, and setting expectations. Arrive late, miss the briefing, No Lift. Please limit

your tasks and patronize our Host Workshop by coordinating with Park Place Parts [(P) 214.443.8290] to have fluids, filters, parts, and material on hand. We will start about 8:30 and roll out by 11:30. This allows time for you to settle your parts tab, police your work area, stow your tools, to ensure you’ve left nothing behind and that your bay is in better shape than you found it. Please allow time to personally thank all the Techs and PP Leadership that came in to help us Saturday. These hands-on DIYs are a privilege and we will continue to earn it. All MBCA members in good standing are welcome to register online via PayPal. Access to the Lifts is first come first served based on PayPal registration date and time for Mercedes vehicles only and current Members. Registration is $15 per Benz. This covers Refreshments, Coffee and Sweet rolls for all. Registration is limited to 22. The PayPal launch will be taken down when the event is full. All MBCA Sections Members are welcome to join us to learn and socialize.

North Texas Tulips and Sweetie Pie Drive

Join us for a Spring Drive and a Fiesta of Color, overcast or sunny, rain or shine, as we caravan along FM 455 from McKinney, Anna to Decatur with a stop or three along the way to see and smell Tulips, savor burnt offerings and Vino. We enjoy some incredible March weather in North Texas, none the less bring a jacket and a change of shoes. The Tulip fields can be soft and the wind on the Prairie cool. We'll gather at the Quick Trip in North McKinney at US 75 Central and Wilmeth (1750 Wilmeth) a little after 8am. Roll out after sign in and formalities, NLT 8:25 we will be westbound and down on paved winding roads to Pilot Point and other points west. Our schedule calls for a couple hours at Texas Tulips LLC (https://texas-tulips.com). On the agenda is a second

leg Scenic Drive to Decatur with a late lunch at Sweetie Pie's Ribeyes about 2pm, Lunch is on your own. But that's not all! Check out the Petrified Wood Gas Station, go west to Ft Richardson or drift NW to 3 Wineries nearby. Map will be provided.

Meet in McKinney, TX

Saturday, March 2, 2019

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Event Report

For something new and different for our 2019 Events, we are scheduling a great tour of the Horse Farms in

Denton County, now known as the North Texas Horse Country on April 13, 2019.The North Texas Horse

Country is one of the largest concentrations of horse farms in the United States, it offers a variety of breeds

and disciplines. Quarter horses, Thoroughbreds, Paints, Arabians, Appaloosas, Warmbloods…they are all

here…and world champion horses abound in cutting, halter, roping, western pleasure, reining and many other

disciplines. Large breeding farms, training facilities, and equine specialists are all available, making this a

mecca for horse enthusiasts from all over the world. Our tour will be accompanied with a knowledgeable

guide as we enjoy beautiful vistas and relaxing backroads on your visit to the Horse Country of North Texas in

our motor coach. we will see miles of pipe and rail fencing, gorgeous countryside, impressive barns, and lots

and lots of horses. We will gather at 9 AM at the Denton Convention and Visitor Bureau at 414 West Parkway

Street, Denton, TX. Our motor coach will leave at 9:30 AM and we will visit two Premier Horse Ranches with

guided tours of the facilities and we will get a look into the world of horse breeding. At this time of year, we

should see a lot of new colts as well as seeing the inside of these wonderful horse barns. Also, we will be

seeing the countryside between visits and after the tours, we will be stopping for lunch at Mom’s on Main

Café for lunch. It is not recommended for children under 13 years of age and the tour is limited to 54 folks.

Upcoming Events

January/February 2019

Texas Horse Country Tour

Meet at Denton Convention and Visitor Bureau

414 West Parkway St., Denton, TX

Saturday, April 13, 2019 - 9am - 2pm

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Belal Alsibai

Andy Anand

Chinelo Anugwom

Cathy DeMers

Kenn Elliott

Gary Gerlacher

Edwin Gregory

Gary Heintzman

Viswanadham Lammata

Dena Miller

Neil Reese

Carleen Richards

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Welcome 18 New Members Between 11/1 - 12/31!

January/February 2019

Many Thanks to Our 45 Renewing Members Between 11/1 - 12/31!

Christina Adams

Don Auerbach

Edward Beauvais

Rolfe Black

Lewis Bluitt

John Cole

Natalie Collins

David Curry

Trevor Dahlen

George Davis

Eric Dorsey

Sajeev Francis

Robert Frank

Spencer Greene

Gary Greenwood

Randall Grubbs

Kirk Hawrysio

Carol Holland

Kimberly Hopkins

Patrick Jones

Muljadi Kasman

Bill Kimbal

Radovan Kovacecvic

Paula Mabry

Julissa Martinez

Gloria Mays

Mike McCarty

Charles Miller

Kenneth Niederer

Ann Pletta

Patricia Robinson

Greg Rumsey

Kathryn Russell

Elena Sanchez

Ronald Seifert

Joe Shaw

Jerry Smith

H E Smith

Sherian Smith

David Spencer

Christopher Stokes

Henry Tomarelli

Joan Tuma

Daniel Walker

Beverley Wilson

Charles Roberts

Jyri Strandman

Kurt Thomas

William Thomas

Abdulla Zatar

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September/October 2018 .

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January/February 2019

Mercedes-Benz Club of America Membership Application Please call the National Office at 800-637-2360 to join by phone or go to www.mbca.org/ to

join online.

Full Name ____________________________________________________________________

Associate Member’s Name ______________________________________________________

Street Address ________________________________________________________________

City _____________________________________ State _______ Zip ___________________

Home Phone ( ) ____________________ Business ( ) ____________________

Email address ________________________________________________________________

Member’s Occupation __________________________________________________________

Mercedes Cars Now Owned _____________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

(list year(s) and model(s))

I hereby apply for membership in the Mercedes-Benz Club of America.

_______________________________________ Date _______________!

(Signature)

New U.S. Membership Rates

$55.00 for one year

$107.00 for two years

$157.00 for three years

New Canada & Int’l Rates

$65.00 for one year

$127.00 for two years

$187.00 for three years

Annual dues include six issues of “The Star” each year,

plus your local section’s newsletter.

Make your check payable to MBCA, and mail it along with

the application to:

Mercedes-Benz Club of America, Inc.

National Business Office

1907 Lelaray Street

Colorado Springs, CO 80909

Calling All Members...

We are always looking for new folks who are

interested in participating in Club activities.

Whether through events, driving, etc. Please

contact Brett Jurick at bjurick@tx.rr.com to learn

more.

New Ideas Wanted

We’re always looking for new ideas for events,

get-togethers, drives, overnight tours, etc. If

there’s a particular type of event you would like

us to host, let us know. Contact Maurice Nahas

at maurice@mnahas.com.

Help!

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Date Event

February 2 DIY Tech Session - Park Place

March 2 NTX Tulips & Sweetie Pie Drive - McKinney

April 13 Texas Horse Country Tour - Denton

May 11 DIY Tech Session - MB McKinney TBD

May 17-19 Red River Concours d’Elegance

June 15 Granbury Drive

July 13 DIY Tech Session - Louden Motorcars

July 20 Day at the Range

September 7 Membership Appreciation Picnic

September 14 DIY Tech Session - MB Plano

September 28 Park Place Luxury & Supercar Showcase

October 5 Drive to Palastine

October 10 MBCA NTX Oktoberfest - Bavarian Grill

November 14-17 MBCA National Board Meeting - Frisco

December 14 MBCA NTX Christmas Party

Mercedes–Benz Club of America—North Texas Section January/February 2019

Event dates, times and locations are subject to change. Please check out our

website at http://ntx.mbca.org for the most updated information.

Have you visited our new

website?

www.ntx.mbca.org/ www.facebook.com/mbcantx

17202 Hidden Glen Drive

Dallas, TX 75248

More to Come!