The new and improved www.mbca.org website launched on Sept. 1, 2010. Please visit the site, login (yes, all MBCA members have an account) and explore! Also, you can renew your membership, update your own contact information and read the current Star magazine online. There are too many new features to list so  visit the site and let us know what you think.

• MBCA National Website: www.mbca.org

More Than a Car | We’re a Community!

In this issue…

• Read this Newsletter Online
• June 27 – Tech Session and Dinner Party
  
• Editor’s Message
• Central VA Website
  

We look forward to seeing you at our next event, which is the Tech Session and Dinner Party on June 27.

Questions? Please contact us at your convenience.

Best Regards,
Greg Magnus
Newsletter Editor
MBCA Central Virginia Section
Regional Director, Eastern Region

Here’s your chance to help us create a MBCA-related Virgina special license plate similar to the ones available to members who reside in Maryland!

Virginia MBCA members will now have a chance to show off their pride in membership in the Mercedes-Benz Club of America through official Virginia State license plates. The tags will include the MB club logo! To make this happen, we need 350 pre-paid applications. Club members can order the new tags for any legally registered car they own. Your E Class daily driver, your weekend SL, your UNIMOG, or even that old beat up American pickup truck you use to haul Mercedes-Benz parts from the junk yard! Learn more about the program and get your plates here!

StarFest® 2010 – MBCA’s Premier National Event
Don’t miss out on the Concours d’Elegance, Rally, Seminars, Clinics, Social & Track Events and much, much more in beautiful Winchester, Virginia! Hosted by Greater Washington Section. For complete details and registration info, visit the – StarFest® 2010 website here!

Our next event is Sunday, June 27 starting at 11 a.m.. It will be a technical inspection and a Sunday dinner at the Bavarian Chef. The new Mercedes dealer in Fredericksburg, has agreed to host a technical inspection of our cars and provide finger foods to tie us over to dinner. On display are many of the new and more exotic Mercedes-Benz as well as a 1971 350 SL housed in its own private display room. Fredericksburg Mercedes has a brand-new facility. Well worth just coming out to enjoy! In addition, they plan to have the Parts Department open in the case anybody needs something to fix their precious Mercedes-Benz.

After the technical inspection we will travel to downtown Fredericksburg to have dinner in the 100-year-old railroad station. The Bavarian Chef has just recently opened its second restaurant in that building. You will have the choice of one of eight entrées, and you will not need to make your choice until you arrive. For those of you who have been in the club for many years, you may recall we’ve eaten in the other Bavarian Chef restaurant in Madison. For anyone who’s had the opportunity to eat in the Bavarian Chef it is a culinary treat with excellent German food.

Details

Date: June 27, 2010
Time: Starts at 11AM
Event Cost: The cost of this event is $25 for the first 25 people, who make paid reservations. After that, the cost is $35 per person. PLEASE NOTE: The cost is the same whether you plan to join us for dinner or not. The registration fee includes the technical inspection and dinner.
Register NOW: Please send your reservations to Richard Schwartz, 5215 Calvert Ct. Fredericksburg, VA 22407. If you have any questions, call Richard at 540-891-5334. Deadline for reservations is June 21.
Directions: Take I-95 to exit 130B and exit towards Culpepper. Take a right at the first traffic light, which is Carl Silver Parkway follow this around to Fall Hill Avenue (WalMart on the left, and a Sheets gas station on the corner) and make a right-hand turn; Fredericksburg Mercedes is about two blocks on the right.

Visit the Fredericksburg Mercedes website here for additional directions and information.

Fredericksburg Mercedes
3400 Fall Hill Avenue, Fredericksburg, VA 22401
Sales: 1-888-276-6449 | Service: 1-888-858-6986

Take a ride in a C36 – with section V-P John Heflin!

Thanks John for putting together a great video!

Check the GWS website for the next scheduled autocross event and join us!

Our Smithfield Station Dine and Drive event will take place on Saturday, April 24th. Our trip will start at 9:15 AM at Phillips Mercedes, located at 4949 Virginia Beach Blvd in Virginia Beach. We will have some fresh donuts from the nearby Krispy Kreme as we socialize and wait for everyone to arrive. We will depart around 9:30 AM to meet the rest of our group around 10:00 AM at Tysinger Mercedes located 2712 Magruder Blvd in Hampton. After a visit to the showroom we will head out around 10:45. We will travel north along Route 17 to the Yorktown Battlefield, down to the waterfront and onto the Colonial Parkway. There is no passing on the Parkway so try to stay together as people are entering all along the route.

Once we get through Williamsburg, be on the lookout for red detour signs at exit to Route 199. If they are there, follow Route 199 to Route 31 onto the FREE ferry. It’s a short trip to Surry and if you wish you can feed the seagull out of you hands so bring some bread. Once across, stay on Route 31 to Route 10 and make a left. We will enter Smithfield on Route 10 business. Just before crossing the bridge out of town you will see our destination Smithfield Station on the left. Parking is across the street on the right. Our lunch should start around 1:00 PM. This looks to be a great event and we are inviting members of the Central Virginia Section to join us.

For more information concerning this event, please contact Don LaBar at 757-620-6772 (Virginia Section website).

DODGE, Shirley Cooper, 74, of Richmond, went to be with her Lord on April 5, 2010. She is survived by her loving husband of 52 years, Oliver Cromwell Dodge; children, Jeffrey Michael Dodge and wife, Lyn, Therese Dodge and her husband, Sean O’Grady, all of Richmond; as well two grandchildren, Katie and Emily Dodge. Shirley was born October 24, 1935, in Niagara Falls, N.Y., the only child of John and Adele Cooper. She will be remembered always for her love of cooking and gardening. She especially cherished her grandchildren and spent many wonderful times with them. She married Oliver Cromwell Dodge in 1957. Shirley attended Miami of Ohio, Virginia Commonwealth University and the University of Richmond. An avid chef, Shirley was a former president of the Richmond Culinary Guild. Her biggest thrill was having brunch with Julia Child at a celebration in Washington, D.C. Thank you to the staff at Beth Shalom Home, especially Andrea, Terry, Shannon, Connie, Juliana and Bernice. The family will receive friends Wednesday, April 14, from 6 to 8 p.m. at Bliley’s-Central, 3801 Augusta Ave. Funeral services will be held in Niagara Falls, N.Y. at the River Dale Cemetery at a later date.

In this issue…

• Read this Newsletter Online
• April 17 – Lewis Ginter
  
• President’s Message
• Central VA Website
  

We look forward to seeing you at our next event, which is the Lewis Ginter Garden Tour and Lunch.

Questions? Please contact us at your convenience.

Best Regards,
Greg Magnus
Newsletter Editor
MBCA Central Virginia Section
Regional Director, Eastern Region

Greetings from the President:

I would like to take this opportunity to introduce myself to the Central VA Section of the MB club. I have been a member of this section for almost 8 years. My first exposure to the club was a Holiday dinner at the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts member’s dining room. I was amazed at how knowledgeable each member was about their car and all Mercedes cars. I was intimidated by the very thought of having to learn about my car. I didn’t realize it was up to me whether I wanted to do that or not. Well, I did learn some things about my Mercedes-Benz vehicles and myself. I learned that the biggest part of this club had more to do with meeting new people, sharing good times and becoming involved in the Central Virginia Section than really becoming a mechanic.

I became the Vice-President at one of the Holiday events and thought to myself, “What have I done to deserve this?” I was worried about it taking up all my free time. I had been traveling quite a bit for work so I was getting nervous. I will say that I was able to still go on business trips, work late and still had time to devote to the club. My level of commitment was a comfortable amount of time for me and the club. It really did turn out to be a win-win situation.

For those of you that haven’t been involved to any degree with the club, I would encourage you to come to an event and meet the great group of people who are Mercedes-Benz owners. I should also mention that you don’t have to be an owner to be a member. If you appreciate a new or old German vehicle, this is a good fit for you too.

We have an exciting line up of events for 2010. And, we look forward to seeing you at our next event.

Therese Dodge
President
MBCA CVA Section

MBCA CVA Lewis Ginter Botanical Gardens Event
Date: April 17, 2010
Cost: $30.00
Registration ends April 4th.
[Complete registration form below to register now!]

Join us for a stroll along the Lewis Ginter Botanical Gardens. A million blooms will have begun. See the tulips, jonquils and hyacinths in full bloom. We’ll take a guided tour of the gardens so be sure to bring your camera. Arrive promptly at 11:30  to be included in the tour.

Heart of the Garden Tour and Lunch Buffet

Explore the Central Garden closest to the Robins Visitor Center. Enjoy the Conservatory displays, the Sunken Garden, Healing Garden, and Four Seasons Garden. Visit the current exhibit in the Gallery space of the Education and Library complex. All paths are flat and ramps are available. Benches and restrooms are conveniently located.

Garden Guides can pace the visit to suit your group. Abundant displays from orchids to artwork make this a rewarding visit without extensive walking. Groups are free to visit the rest of the garden at their own pace after the tour. Most paths are paved and benches are widely distributed. Direction for Lewis Ginter here.

The tour will last approximately and hour to an hour and a half. We will return to the visitors center to enjoy the Savory Lunch Buffet. The buffet is a choice of two salads; grilled chicken with fresh steamed vegetables; pasta or potato salad; bread; dessert; iced tea and coffee.

Upcoming Events

New Kent Winery – June 19, 2010

Bring a picnic and enjoy a tour and tasting at the New Kent Winery.  Arrive at 11:30 to enjoy the picnic you brought. At Noon the tour begins. We will be tasting seven different wines and you will be able to keep your souvenir wines glass. The tour and tasting is $7.00 per person age 21 and over. Registration ends June 5th. Directions to the New Kent Winery here.

Future events include the following (check back for details):

• August:  Gray Rock Inn
• September:  Starfest 2010 in Winchester, VA
• October: Brown Tech Event
• January 2011: Holiday Gala

APRIL 17 EVENT – REGISTRATION FORM