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The Chairman's Thoughts on Four Wheels - July 2006
1) The Smiling Lady: As one would expect, my first thought for this month goes to my old friend Lino Debono and his family who, a couple of weeks ago, had their lives shattered by the untimely passing away of their beloved Mary. When I first came to know Lino and Mary they had been married for just a few years, had set up their home in Birkirkara and had three very young children to look after. With the family doctor-patient relationship being much more pronounced in those far away days than it is nowadays, my role of being their family doctor soon changed into one of reciprocal friendship, a friendship which still lasts up to the present day.
For the benefit of those of you members who joined our 'Club' in recent years and who may not have heard about Mary, let alone met her, I have to mention that in the past Mary was a very active member of our Club, especially when the Club was still in its infancy. Although her husband, Lino, was instrumental in founding the 'Club' in 1989 and was its first chairman, Mary was always right behind him, helping him in producing the Newsletter, organising social events and hosting committee meetings at her home. When, owing to pressure of work, Lino's passion for 'old cars' gradually started wearing off, Mary's passion didn't. In fact, just a few weeks before passing away, and when she must have known that her days were numbered, she insisted with her family and friends on taking part in the Run which we were holding in memory of Julian Zammit. Of course she had it her way and took part in the Run. This was the last time that I saw and spoke to Mary and, in spite of every thing, she was still sporting a broad smile on her face which for me, and for all those who knew her, was her trade mark.
While we give our last respect to this charming, ever-smiling lady, we convey our deepest sympathies to her husband, her children and the rest of her family.
2) Our apologies go to Club member Joseph Casha. In the last edition of our Newsletter I failed to mention that Joseph had exhibited all four of his cars at the Annual Mount Carmel Motoring Festival. Although rather late in the day, we wish to offer him our apologies and to thank him for his enthusiastic participation in all our Club's events.
3) The Static car show at the Strand in Sliema, held on 16th June, was an outstanding success. We managed to have 76 cars on show. Our members showed that they were a very disciplined lot and thanks to them everything went smoothly. The only snag that I could detect was the lack of adequate lighting to highlight our cars' features, but this matter was in the promoters' hands and well beyond our control. During the show donations were collected by members in aid of the Amy Zahra Fund. The sum of Lm100 was collected and has already been passed on to the Fund.
4) The Wine and Pizza Party held at the Club premises on 25th June was well attended and enjoyed by all those present. We shall be having more of this with the next one due to be held at the Panorama Hotel in Qawra on a date to be announced later
5) My appeal to members for literary contributions to our Newsletter has elicited a good response from several members. However, in our case, enough is never enough and those members who turned a deaf ear to our appeal are very kindly requested to unplug their ears and to send us their stories.
6) This year's trip to Sicily has had to be cancelled since only eight Club members were interested in doing the trip. It seems that having a trip to Sicily and another one to Beaulieu every year is proving to be too much for our members. It has now been decided to have just one trip every year, one year to Sicily, or to some other part of Italy, and the next year to Beaulieu.
7) Our website needs an urgent overhaul. In view of this we are taking the following measures with immediate effect:
a) Fax number is to be scrapped from the website.
b) Only adverts for old cars, spare parts and items related to them will be allowed on our website. The only exceptions to this directive will be the adverts put in by Club sponsors, who will still be able to advertise on our website free of charge.
c) Club member Simon Tabone, who is also one of our Club photographers, is being asked by our Newsletter editor to pass on all digital photos of our cars and of our activities, which he deems suitable to be put on our website, to Steve Zerafa. Members who have digital photos of their cars may also send them directly to Steve who will choose the ones to be shown in the website 'gallery'.
d) My monthly article 'Thoughts on Four Wheels' will be sent to Steve for inclusion in the website. So will stories of our members' cars that are published in the Newsletter, starting with the one of Noel and Albert Balzan and their Chevrolet Truck.
e) Joe Busuttil's articles, which have been appearing regularly in The Sunday Times, are also being passed on to Steve for inclusion in the website.
8) The Marsascala Local Council has invited us to put on a static show on Wednesday 30th August in conjunction with the Marsascala Week. We shall be combining this show with a Run, meeting near the Millennia Showrooms at 7 pm, leaving at 7.30pm. and arriving at Marsascala at 8pm circa.
9) The Valetta Alive Foundation has invited us to put on 3 Static Shows, one every Friday evening on August 4th, 11th and 18th. For more details please see Forthcoming Events' Page. Tokens will be presented to participating members.
10) On Saturday, 26th August, we shall be having a Wine and Pizza Party in and around the car park in front of the Mdina Glass Factory. Pizza and drinks will start being served at 8pm. Bookings will be taken by John Magri up to 10am of the same day. Members' guests will be welcome. Plates, paper napkins, knives, forks and glasses will be provided by the Club. Members are requested to use their 'old cars' for this occasion and, if thought necessary, to get a stool or chair with them. Prices will be Lm2 per adult, Lm1 per child aged over 10 years. A glass of wine or soft drink or mineral water is included in the price.
11) The Club premises will be closed during the month of August.
Lino Gauci Borda
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