Valley Vettes Corvette Club
The purpose of this social club is to promote the fellowship of Corvette enthusiasts.
Club Events 2023
July 17 Corvettes and Coffee
Thanks to all who attended at il Bar Coffeehouse & Bristro. There were 15 members and one guest who enjoyed coffee, water, Iced Coffee Flights, and some breakfast foods too, along with some great conversation from 9-11 am. And of course we enjoyed a sampling of “Wilmar” Orange or Cherry Cream Chocolates. Thanks again to all who joined in the event.
Host: Susan Meyer
June 29 Corvettes and Coffee
We had a nice group of 15 members. We stayed inside the restaurant due to outdoor air quality. Everyone ordered breakfast with their coffee and.We had a nice 2 hour visit. Dennis Carew won a gift certificate to Angels.
Hosts: Gary and Joyce Allen
June 21 South Dinner Cruise
A beautiful, hot day driving with the tops down. Everyone met at the Town of Center on Hwy 47. We left the parking lot with a total of 9 corvettes to drive the country roads to our destination. It was a short run. We ended up at Hotel Seymour. Good foods, drinks and fellowship. Thanks to all who joined in.
Hosts: Lyn & Gary Kaphingst
June 10 Appleton Flag Day Parade
We began the day with rain in the forecast for the 72nd Appleton Flag Day Parade. Thankfully the rain held off and the weather turned out to be perfect. This year marked the 39th year the club has participated in the parade. The crowd was estimated to be over 50,000 people and let us know how much they appreciated the corvettes. The 11 cars in the parade proudly represented the club. The theme of the parade was to honor the “Pride of Old Glory” and the United States Coast Guard. A special thanks to Pat Murray for supplying our cars with signs to showcase the U.S. Coast Guard. Parade veteran Dick Rank also added another one to his long list and his participation was greatly appreciated. After the parade, we cruised over to the Outpost Bar and Grill in Sherwood for some great food and socializing. The Outpost again took great care of us. We would like to say a “BIG THANK YOU” to all the people that participated in making this a great event.
Hosts: Valerie & Gary
June 7 North Dinner Cruise
Started out with six corvettes from the Town of Center lot, then headed north toward Black Creek on Hwy 47. We then detoured the back roads to Hwy 187. Fine backwoods cruise to Shawano to eat on the Patio at Luigi’s Pizza and Pasta.
Wonderful drive, great food and conversation on a sunny warm day.
Thanks all for attending.
Hosts: Lyn & Gary Kaphingst
Club Events 2023
July 9 Fremont Legion Post 391 Car Show – 10th Annual Event
Club members left Citgo Hwy 96/76 at 9:15 with 11 cars in caravan. Ron Seibel had a Reserved Area ready as we entered the Hahn-A-Lula Resort Parking lot. Most found shade and a lot of conversation was heard among members. We had a total of 16 cars with 30 members attending. The show had approximately 100 plus nice show cars and trucks throughout the day to look at and admire. Thanks to Ryan and Brian of Hahn-A-Lula Resort for the chicken dinners, and Dan and Barb of Wolf River Lodge with the American Legion Post 391 serving the brats, burgers and refreshments. In the afternoon we enjoyed music by “Rings” at the Hahn-A-Lula Resort outside venue along with refreshments. By participating in this event we have helped the American Legion and supported veterans through this fund raiser event.
What a perfect day to be had by all and a thanks to Ron Seibel your host.
By Gary Kaphingst
June 29 Corvettes and Coffee
We had a nice group of 15 members. We stayed inside the restaurant due to outdoor air quality. Everyone ordered breakfast with their coffee and.We had a nice 2 hour visit. Dennis Carew won a gift certificate to Angels.
Hosts: Gary and Joyce Allen
June 21 South Dinner Cruise
A beautiful, hot day driving with the tops down. Everyone met at the Town of Center on Hwy 47. We left the parking lot with a total of 9 corvettes to drive the country roads to our destination. It was a short run. We ended up at Hotel Seymour. Good foods, drinks and fellowship. Thanks to all who joined in.
Hosts: Lyn & Gary Kaphingst
June 10 Appleton Flag Day Parade
We began the day with rain in the forecast for the 72nd Appleton Flag Day Parade. Thankfully the rain held off and the weather turned out to be perfect. This year marked the 39th year the club has participated in the parade. The crowd was estimated to be over 50,000 people and let us know how much they appreciated the corvettes. The 11 cars in the parade proudly represented the club. The theme of the parade was to honor the “Pride of Old Glory” and the United States Coast Guard. A special thanks to Pat Murray for supplying our cars with signs to showcase the U.S. Coast Guard. Parade veteran Dick Rank also added another one to his long list and his participation was greatly appreciated. After the parade, we cruised over to the Outpost Bar and Grill in Sherwood for some great food and socializing. The Outpost again took great care of us. We would like to say a “BIG THANK YOU” to all the people that participated in making this a great event.
Hosts: Valerie & Gary
June 7 North Dinner Cruise
Started out with six corvettes from the Town of Center lot, then headed north toward Black Creek on Hwy 47. We then detoured the back roads to Hwy 187. Fine backwoods cruise to Shawano to eat on the Patio at Luigi’s Pizza and Pasta.
Wonderful drive, great food and conversation on a sunny warm day.
Thanks all for attending.
Hosts: Lyn & Gary Kaphingst
June 4 Trip Around the Lake
The 52nd Annual Trip Around the Lake, sponsored by the Fond de Vettes, began on a warm sunny day in Neenah with five cars meeting at 7:00 am, which also included new members Jeff and Lori Smith. We made the trip to Fond du Lac, registered, and got in line at Holiday Automotive. Fond de Vettes announced they had registered 209 cars, and also announced that Valley Vettes were one of the clubs represented.
We left Fond du Lac about 9:25 am and took a new route due to the new registration and gathering location. Everything with the ride was good until we almost got through Oshkosh, when the group ahead of us to a wrong turn, then tried to work their way back into our group. We didn’t all get back together again until a little less than half way around at Waverly Beach.
After a 30-minute break, we picked up three more Valley Vettes cars and started out towards the eastern side of the lake. Again, everything was going good until the infamous left turn”. Three cars turned correctly, but the group ahead of us had gone
straight, so others in our group went straight as well (oops). We met (again) at Holiday Automotive at the end of the 84-mile ride. Huge thanks to OUR group leader Todd from Fond de Vettes, who has been a leader of a group for 15 years, and who
tried to keep us together and knew where he was going. Unfortunately, we left Roy and Lin Fleishman behind and after the break at Holiday Auto, we drove back up Hwy 41 to the Mineshaft Restaurant in Oshkosh where Roy and Lin eventually met up with us, and eleven of us had a great meal and good conversation. Thanks to all those who participated.
Hosts: Bob & Mary Boswell
June 2 Little Chute Cheese Festival Parade
The weather was perfect with a sunny and warm day, which brought out a record crowd for the parade. The 8 corvettes excited the crowd during the entire parade route. After the parade, we cruised over to the Outpost Pub & Grill in Sherwood for lunch and socializing. We would like to give a BIG Thank You to all who participated in this event with us. We would also like to thank The Outpost for great tasting food and fantastic service.
Hosts: Valerie & Gary
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May 7 Spring Kick Off Cruise
We departed from Darboy plaza at 3:00 PM with 15 Corvettes, followed by two stops, a short cruise though Menasha and Neenah, and then a stop for dinner at the Bago Bar & Grill in Vinland, We could either order off menu or sample the buffet. It turned out to be a sunny and mild day for a cruise with the top down. Following dinner, we headed to Leons Drive-In in Oshkosh for ice cream. We were greeted with a small shower which did not last long.
Host: Phil Gross
May 1 Coffee & Corvettes
Despite the snow we were blessed with on May 1st, “Corvettes and Coffee” Event at Biggby Coffee was a great success, (without the Corvettes of course). 19 people attended and enjoyed various coffees and other drinks, sampled some Espresso Truffles and French Mint Meltaways from Wilmar Chocolates, and lots of conversation! With the unexpected business, at Biggby Coffee that day, we actually had some of the guys standing, because of lack of seating(SORRY!). We started gathering at 8:45 and the last people left just before noon. Thanks everyone who joined in!
Host: Susan Meyer
March 19 Coffee & Corvettes
Sixteen members gathered at Shellattes in Neenah for coffee and conversation.
March 26 Krazy Bowling
Menbers lucked out, no snow flurries. We had twelve members at Sabre lanes, with 9 members bowling. The ladies drew the names for partners and lanes. We played a regular bowling game, Scotch Doubles, and Krazy Bowling with plungers, oven mitts, granny style and left/right. Made it fun and interesting to watch.
The winners were: Regular Bowling winners were Herb G. for the men and Violet G. for the women. Scotch Doubles winners were Diane B. and Herb G. and Krazy Bowling winners were Gary K. and Penny M. Gifts were given out to the first place winners. Diane B. donated a beautiful Spring Wreath for the door prize. Jim and Penny M. won it.
A thank you to Lin Fleischman for helping verify totals and winners.
Next we all met at the Stonetoad for supper. They were very busy and full in the bar area, so we were placed in the meeting room due to Val S. stepping up (since they arrived first) and asking for the meeting room. Nice and quiet there. Good conversation and a variety of food had by all.
Thank you for all who attended.
Hosts: Gary & Lyn Kaphingst
March 22 Corvettes & Coffee
Fourteen members strong at Corvettes and Coffee at Wildfire Coffee house in
Kimberly. Great conversation, good food and coffee. The monthly coffees have been successful and will continue through the year with a host.
Host: Sue Krenz.
February 22 Corvettes and Coffee
At 9:00am, members arrived at the “il Bar Coffeehouse & Bistro” located in the Birch Street Center,
100 S. Birch Street, Kimberly, WI.
It was not a nice day. Lots of snow and more falling, but we had 13 hardy members attend for coffee and fellowship. It was a good time to talk and learn about each other likes, hobbies, and favorite places to go. As usual, girls sat in one room and the guys got the room with the fireplace. It is hard to talk guys over girls, so we segregate. Several had the Coffee Flights. They were delicious. Others had rolls or breakfast food. A very nice place to go and relax with friends.
Hosts: Lyn & Gary Kaphingst
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February 14 Valentine's Day Dinner
Our first Valentine’s Day dinner was at George’s Steak House. Everyone met at George’s around 5:00 o’clock. Sure glad that Cliff made reservations, as we found out it was reservations only. The food and drinks were excellent. Service outstanding. All the ladies got a red rose before the meal. We had 18 members attending. A big thanks to all who came out that night.
A big thanks for Cliff Baker for getting George’s Steak House as a sponsor for our club. Such a great place to have a dinner. Since Cliff could not be there to meet the members, he asked Gary to help him out.
Thanks everyone.
Hosts: Cliff Baker and Gary Kaphingst
February 10 Spina Bifida Fundraiser & Dance
Twelve club members attended the Spina Bifida benefit dance & raffle, at the Grand Meridian in Appleton. Our group scored a lot of prizes during the evening with Jim & Penny Much winning a $250 grand prize, Marty Garofalo winning the Matt LaFleur autographed NFL football donated by Bergstrom Automotive, Terry Lee winning a game set, Gary Kaphingst winning a bird feeder/food, and Lynn Kaphingst winning a nice gift bag. Bergstrom also donated a framed & autographed Randal Cobb #18 Green Bay Packer jersey which was won by a very excited packer fan. These Packer items netted $228, to Spina Bifida, in the "bucket" raffles. This benefit event was very well attended by the community and was a great fundraiser for the local Spina Bifida charity again this year.
Hosts: Herb Grube, Dick & Carol Rank