Message from the President Oct 2026
Fellow Pushrodders,
A successful September is now behind us! It was a busy month filled with plenty of car club activities, good food, great weather, and even a little casino action.
September – A Month of Fun and Activities
Our Pushrod lunch at Billy’s brought out seven members for a nice meal and some good fellowship.
The Loggers Playday Parade had seven cars show up. Norm was THE MAN, sporting his own T-shirt and providing his legendary Volkswagen Beetle for destruction at the show. You never know what Norm is going to come up with!
Our trip to the Shoalwater Bay Casino was another fun day, with beautiful weather. Four classic club cars and seven other club members showed up, along with five visitors who brought their own cars.
Gil Stork apparently had a pretty good day, too. He robbed the casino without even wearing a mask!
The Pushrod board meeting followed the next Wednesday, with several actions taken.
On Saturday, the club traveled to Lake Quinault to help celebrate 100 years as a lodge. We enjoyed a great lunch, beautiful weather, and an all-around wonderful time.
Greater Northwest Hot Rod Hall of Fame
The Greater Northwest Hot Rod Hall of Fame Banquet in Spokane made for a very special weekend.
Seven Pushrod members traveled over the mountains to witness my induction into the Hall of Fame.
The reason I was accepted was largely due to my association with the Pushrods of Hoquiam, helping lead the club in its community involvement and helping change the format of our car shows.
I certainly didn’t have the impressive résumé of some of the other inductees, but I am grateful for this club that has become my second family.
Once again, the Pushrods of Hoquiam proved to be a tremendous supporter of the Hot Rod Hall of Fame.
This year, Fred Scott provided a pedal car kit. Don Richardson took it to his shop and handled the bodywork and paint, while Handycane added the pinstriping. The finished product was truly a piece of art!
Between Don’s time and expertise, Fred’s generous donation, and the additional expenses, the total value of this pedal car was around $3,000.
Well, during the bidding process, it came to my attention that I had placed the winning bid!
The Pushrods have a tradition of buying back items that the club has donated, keeping them in the family. It was great to see that tradition continue.
Of the 14 clubs represented at the banquet, the Pushrods were recognized and appreciated for our continued support.
Annual Pushrod Picnic
Our annual Pushrod picnic was a huge success at Ralph’s house!
Thirty-one members and loved ones showed up, and everyone had a great time.
A big thank-you to Ralph for opening his home and hosting us once again. We certainly appreciate it!
A special thank-you also goes out to Gil Stork and Ray Pumphrey for applying a protective coating over the mural for our Armed Services project. Nice job, guys!
Treasurer Position Update
A few months ago, Ralph expressed his desire to step down from the treasurer’s position due to other circumstances developing in his life.
Effective October 2026, Patty Rager is taking over the officer’s position of treasurer.
First, I want to express my gratitude to Ralph for stepping up when we needed him. Second, a big thank-you to Patty for stepping forward to fill this important position in our club.
We appreciate both of you!
October Calendar
October’s calendar is pretty bare, but here are the dates to remember:
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| October 7 | Pushrod Business Meeting – Hoquiam Elks, 6:30 PM |
| October 12 | Pushrod Lunch – Lighthouse Drive-In, 12:00 PM |
| October 14 | Christmas Party Planning Meeting – Contact Monica |
| October 21 | Pushrod Board Meeting – Gil’s Shop, 12:00 PM |
| October 30 | Pushrod Dinner – Duffy’s, 6:00 PM |
As always, thanks to everyone who participates, volunteers, and helps make the Pushrods of Hoquiam such a special organization.
We’re more than a car club. We’re a group of friends who enjoy cars, community involvement, and spending time together.
Keep those hot rods running, and I’ll see you down the road!
