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Next Level gets some good press.. CorvetteWeb Magazine feature - 1000 Horse Drop Top.. Click Here to check it out!
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Talladega Nights... and Days! We pull out Monday morning, May 20th
Sixteen CCO cars pull away from the Florida Turnpike Okahumpka Service Plaza at 9:30 AM, Monday, May 20. Destination - Talladega Superspeedway! This road trip is four days of fun heading to Talladega and two days at the event itself! More info - Click Vettes-4-Vets to see the official website and learn more about this worthy cause in support of our Veterans!
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CCO Announces 2013 Homecoming Fundraising Campaign
Wedesday, May 15 - The CCO Board of Directors officially kicked off CCO's 2013 Homecoming Fundraising Campaign with a review of progress to date regarding this year's events by Club President, Mike Nostro. As of this writing, three Central Florida High Schools have reserved their dates with CCO. During the monthly meeting of the Board of Directors, Mike reviewed his vision for how this year's campaign will be handled. We are still seeking volunteers to assist the board in completing this very important annual club mission.
School faculty and homecoming chairpersons responsible for orgainzing your schools' 2013 event are strongly encouraged to contact CCO to reserve your date now. Whether you've used CCO's Corvettes to parade your homecoming court in previous years or are considering enhancing your event by adding an appearance by a squad of America's only true Sportscar, you need to act quick. Homecoming season dates will be rapidly reserved.
Click this link to open a CCO Homecoming Contact Response Form, complete the required information and confirm. We'll be in touch as soon as possible to work with you to create a memorable 2013 homecoming event for your high school! |
Festival of Speed
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Mission Inn - Howey In The Hills - May 5th. Sunday was a crisp, beautiful morning. Looking forward to a great day, several hardy Corvette Club of Orlando souls journeyed to the Mission Inn in Howey-in-the-Hills for the 3rd annual Festival of Speed Concours d'Elegance. This is one of motorsports' premier gatherings in Florida. As the morning dew gave way to bright blue sunny skies, more and more cars of all eras began to arrive. Covering the first hole of golf at Mission Inn, our ten beautiful Corvettes were among the dozens of cars that came out to be seen this fine morning by many spectators. There were also Ferraris, Bentleys, Benz's, BMWs, Porsches as well as vintage and muscle cars of all eras, race cars and plenty of Camaros. Some really cool motorcycles made their way here and even a small plane landed on the fairway. One of the highlights of the day was the All-You-Can-Eat buffet offered by Mission Inn. Eighteen dollars and a paper wrist band allowed us a 'til your heart's content or stomach's fill (which ever came 1st), come back anytime you felt hungry, all day through 5 PM meal deal! Knowing our group of hungry freinds, guess who took full advantage of this opportunity several times throughout the day? John Bradham's beautiful '58 Corvette won the Vintage Spirit Award. Awesome job John! Spending a beautiful sunny Sunday morning with great CCO friends, awesome cars of all sorts, great food and fun overall truly brings our motto to life once again; CCO - FRIENDSHIP, FAMILY, FUN!
~ Story and photos contributed by Nick Francoforte.
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Run For The Roses Best Hats Recognized
Sweetwater Country Club - Apopka, FL - Saturday evening, May 5th saw almost 50 CCO members cheering on their favorite horse for the 139th "Running for the Roses" at a rainy Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky. With hats festooned in all the feathered and flowered glory normally found at a botanical garden, our group gathered for the festivities at 4:00 PM. The bar opened and we settled in with refreshments and began the difficult task of selecting our favorite hats worn by our fellow members. Dinner was served as our men selected their favorite ladies hats & our ladies picked their favorite mans hat. Don kept us entertained by introducing all the men and ladies for review, reintroducing the Ladies award, 'The Kellie,' and showing off our new Mens Hat award category, 'The Horses Ass.' The voting took place and Don announced three men finalists, John, Paul and Mike. Finalists among the ladies were Susan, Sandi, Debbie & Patty. Soon after, the excitement in the room went to a fever pitch as the Churchill Downs gates opened and our favorite horses made their Run for the Roses. Coming from the back in a half-track burst of speed, it was #16, "Orb" at the finish! Lucky winners cashed in, more refreshments were served and Don began the second most anticipated part of the evening, announcing the Best Hat Winners for 2013. Congratulations go to Susan and her bright, multi-flowered blue work of art and Paul, for his, well..., we'll just say 'unique thingy,' for being our favorites. Susan & Paul will keep 'The Kellie' and 'Horses' Ass' each respectively for one year, and present them all over again to two lucky new Best Hat recipients in 2014. Thanks go to Don for all his hard work on making this another special CCO evening. Thanks go to the helpful & friendly staff at Sweetwater Country Club, and of course, thanks go to each CCO member in attendance for supporting CCO!
For photos of this event - check out CCO's Facebook Group Page and on our Gallery Pages! |
Beachfront & Wine
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Flagler Beach, Florida - Although the weather was downright gloomy at times, Saturday morning, April 20, saw nine Corvettes along with their determined owners and riders leaving Central Florida to drive back roads in search of the Flagler Beachfront Winery on A1A.
Deep grey clouds followed us most of the way along with sprinkles here and there. The hour-long drive was a scenic tour with twisting canopy-covered roads, fields of wildflowers and fences where horses and livestock grazed the morning away. Even in the subdued light of this damp morning, spring was ever evident in the newly sprouted leaves and colorful blossoms at every turn.
There was crispness in the air…, and our tires seemed to hug the road a little more snugly.
Upon arrival, we were welcomed with great enthusiasm by our gracious host, Kelly. She was surprised we would drive our Corvettes on such a dismal day, but glad we did just the same. Kelly went on to explain just how she and her husband, along with three children, left their Ohio home & vineyards and with hard work and determination, made their Florida dream come true. The winery, newly opened in March of this year, sits directly on A1A across the street from the great Atlantic Ocean and it’s beaches.
For over an hour, we sampled various wines and indulged in a few bottles at our tables. Kelly served up flatbreads to accompany her wines while we watched the ocean churn just across the old highway. The experience was wonderful.
As might be expected, this enjoyable morning did not include the planned “beach day” part – as we all agreed to put sand and surf on hold due to the inclement weather. So, saying our goodbyes to Kelly & her staff, most of us turned the Corvettes south on A1A and had a late lunch at an ocean-side restaurant down the beach. After food and more socializing, everyone rolled out on their own, heading home or wherever the open road led them.
Despite a grey day and cold rain on this Saturday, the Corvette Club of Orlando enjoyed time together – discovering more of Florida. CCO – Friendship, Family, Fun!
Great times always!
See Photos to right in Latest Happenings.
~ Photos and storyline contributed by Rich C, Nick F and Patty L
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WWII Veteran Honored
MetroWest - At CCO's April Meeting of the Membership, Senior Member Norman Goldner was honored for his service to our country during the Second World War. As thirteen other CCO members (see below) - all US Veterans of more recent conflicts, stood along side, Norman was presented with a special Veterans Cap embroidered with all the important details including his European Service Ribbons and his very own personal moniker "Slick 99" on the back. Originally trained as an infantryman, Norman's Army service career made an early shift to spending his time in England serving in supply staff support. Norman, we salute you and thank you for your service. Now, we always want to see you proudly sporting that new gold embroidered hat at every event!
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CCO To Share Adventures With Florida's Leading Online Luxury Lifestyle Magazine
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Orlando - April 3. CCO and Art & Gator Magazine launch a collaborative effort of Florida Travel Adventure sharing.
Art & Gator is the leading Florida luxury outdoor lifestyle and travel online magazine - presenting Florida's arts & culture, history, people and destinations that are in harmony with nature. As a VISIT FLORIDA partner they have a unique view of local beaches, art galleries, fishing, boating, festivals, bird watching, conservation, antiquing, green hotels, and adventure activities for the discerning traveler.
In February of this year, A&G Founder and CEO George Byfield contacted CCO VP Howard Brown seeking input on our view of the recent C7 Corvette Reveal by General Motors. A&G was working on a feature for the March 2013 Amelia Island Concours D'Elegance car show - where a C7 was to be on display. That initial conversation led to more talks between Howard and George regarding ways we could work together.
Our initial plan will include the featuring of select Florida based CCO adventures in A&G's Monthly Newsletter - 'Venture Out More' - in their Outdoor Lifestyle Section - Our March 9th visit with the Alpacas is our first share feature! Please see the lead-in article at the link above and click our Feature to see the full page feature!!
Howard and George will continue to refine our relationship over the coming months. We are especially excited about the similarities in our organizations' core interests - exploring Florida's unique places, enjoying outdoor experiences and preserving the quality of Florida's lifestyle. And just as important, we share a philanthropic heart. We want to give back to our communities. Stay tuned for news and links on our Home Page and for live progress reports from Howard at our monthly meetings!
How about an Art & Gator Club membership? For a limited time, A&G is offering complimentary enrollment. Members receive the Monthly Venture Out More newsletter and exclusive offers from select Florida destinations. Get on board if you love travel, fine wine and dining, and outdoor adventure. We see more fun, more day and weekend trips to new places in Florida as a result of this collaboration with Art & Gator. Now, are you interested?!? |
Apopka Music & Bike Fest
Apopka, Florida - March 30th - CCO Attends Invitational Show sponsored by Second Annual Apopka Music & Bike Fest.
Past Apopka Chamber of Commerce Chairman Wayne Levesque and his wife, Terry, are fellow CCO members and very involved Apopka citizens & businessfolk. The Levesques are not just Corvette fans, they're avid bikers as well. Fulfilling a long-time dream, in 2012 Wayne and Terry worked with the city of Apopka, local business leaders and the music & biker community to bring the first annual Apopka Music and Bike Fest to northwest Orange County. At this year's Second Annual event, Wayne & Terry added an invitational peoples choice car show - Exclusive to Corvette and Mustang owners. This was a well attended event with tons of food, drink, great music, vendors, beautiful bikes and cars! A cloudless day brought much sunshine, plenty of 'Vette and 'Stang spectators and time to reconnect with our group of die-hard car show-prone members. Peoples Choice? Well, it seems a well deserving classic Mustang and a mid-year Corvette, (not from CCO) took the honours today! Thanks to Wayne & Terry for including CCO in this year's event! See more photos at the Vette Races, Shows & News Page. |
Senior CCO Member Recognized
Orlando - Senior CCO Member, Norman Goldner is always up to something good. At almost 94 years young, Norman was among an elite group of accomplished Orange County volunteers honored at a dinner hosted by Orange County Sheriff Jerry Deming late last year. Norman volunteers for the Orange County Sheriffs Office - where his self-created network of contacts has helped him collect more than 4400 used cell phones which the OCSO prepares for any senior who can not afford a new one so they can dial 911 in the event of an emergency. Norman also continues in the spirit of giving back at Dr. Phillips Hospital where he's amassed over 2950 volunteer hours! In March of this year, the above photo of he and Sheriff Deming was given to Norman to accompany the certificate he received last October! To quote Norman, "This photo and information about me will be sent out to all Orlando Health facilities and will appear on the internet!" We'll join with Sheriff Deming in thanking Norman for his contribution to our community! |
2014 CCO/National Corvette Caravan Page Now Open
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The excitement is already building..! Our own John Bradham steps up to coordinate CCO's participation in the 2014 National Corvette Caravan & the NCM 20th Anniversary Celebration in Bowling Green Kentucky. Members who will make the journey need to login to MY CCO and keep track of Johns' periodic updates. Click Here to go to CCO's Member Exclusive 2014 Caravan Page. The Caravan is a long way off - but as anyone who attended the 5th, 10th or 15th NCM Anniversary and Caravan events knows, spots fill, slots fill, rooms get reserved early, So consider getting your reservations done! Will you make this historic journey?
CCO's Member Exclusive 2014 Caravan Page |
CCO Discovers The Alpaca...
Plant City, Florida - The morning of Saturday, March 9, CCO gathered at Susan's Cracker Barrel for Breakfast and then took Mike's route down to Sweet Blossom Alpaca Farm in Plant City. The owners of this quaint 9 acre farm love taking care of and working with the alpacas and are dedicated to continuously improving the genetics of the heard. They are a wonderful resource of information about the alpaca, do tours and maintain an impressive full-featured website and even have a vacation rental program on the farm. After CCO members had plenty of time to learn about, and socialize with the alpacas, it was off for some country-style shopping at Southern Hospitality. CCO finished off the day over late lunch at Outback before returning to our Central Florida homes. Thanks go to Carol J. for coordinating this event! For more information on the alpacas go to Sweet Blossom Alpaca Farm. See our pics in the Gallery. |
| CCO Corvette of the Quarter | |
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Willie's 1960 Victory Red Roadster - CCO Corvette of the Quarter
2nd Qtr 2013!
See CCO's Corvette of the Quarter Gallery for BIO's on our 2012 & 2013 Winners!
CCO Members: Click here to find out how to have your car considered for Corvette of the Quarter.
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CCO - "The Journey is the reward!"
CCO Saturday Breakfast gatherings start at 8am
05-25-2013 - Breakfast at Roc City Diner - See Calendar for details.
Monthly Membership Meeting
5-15-2013 - Metro West Country Club - Dinner 5:30, Meeting at 7:00 See Calendar for Details.
Future Activities
5-04-2013 - CCO Annual Kentucky Derby Party and Derby Hat Competion - Sweetwater Country Club - 4:00PM till?- See Calendar for Details.
5-10-13 - CCO Dinner and a Movie - Dinner 6:00 PM at CCO Sponsor Red Eye Grill (Maguire Rd,) then: Movie - Great Gatsby Theater TBA (Most Likely West Orange 5,) Maguire Rd. See Calendar for Details.
5-20 thru 25-2013 - Talladega Days and Nights - This is a CCO Member Exclusive Event - Members can logon to MY CCO and view all details by clicking here.
6-15-2013 - CCO Drive & Dine - Clarks Fish Camp on the St Johns River, on to Old Saint Augustine for afternoon refreshments - See Calendar for Details.
7-04-2013 - CCO July 4th Party - See Calendar for details to be announced in the coming weeks.
7-13-2013 - Big Daddy Don Garlits Museum of Drag Racing & Don's personal Car Collection - More plans to follow. See Calendar for Details.
8-30 thru 9-02-2013 - Dream Cars Weekend - Disney's Coronado Resort - More info will be reviewed at upcoming meetings - See Calendar for all the Details!
11-08 thru 11-11-2013 - 4 day 3 night Bahamas Cruise - More info will be reviewed at upcoming meetings - See Calendar for all the Details and a Link to a CCO Exclusive Website setup just for us to register for and learn more about this special event!
Always Check our Calendar for CCO Event details!
| CCO's Saturday Breakfast Silver Level Sponsors | |
| SILVER Level Club Sponsors | |
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CCO - Lifetime Business Member |
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