Save The Wave!

Have you ever wondered where the slogan, "Save The Wave" came from and what it means? I know I have. Working in Club Marketing, I visit many of the local NCCC websites and see the slogan there. I wasn't sure what it meant until I happened across the Tidewater Corvette Club site and noticed an article about this very thing. I even found Wave Rules on the Cowtown Vettes site!

Below is an article that first appeared in the August/September 1969 issue of Corvette News. The article was entitled "Save The Wave".

SAVE THE WAVE

Ever since Corvette No. 00001 first met Corvette No. 00002 on the road, their drivers saluted each other with waves. Today, unfortunately, this grand and glorious tradition is wavering.

There's one item of standard equipment that comes as a pleasant surprise to every new Corvette owner. It's an instant wave of recognition he or she receives when he meets one of their ilks on the road. The first time it happens, they will be taken by surprise. He immediately thinks:

1. He has been mistaken for Stirling Moss.
2. His lights are on.
3. He has just been given the bird.

Soon, however, the new Vette owner anticipates, indeed even relishes, encountering other Vettes as he drives. During this period, he experiments with his waves, running the gamut from the gaping "yoo hoo" to the ultra cool "two finger flip." He perfects his timing, making sure he affects neither a too-early wave, nor the jaded "oh brother" too-late variety. Determined not to be one upped, he even develops a defense mechanism for non wavers, usually settling on the "Wave"? My hand was just on the way to scratch my head" approach. (This is especially useful when you're not driving your Vette, but you forget, and like a dummy, you wave anyway.)




















Indeed, one of the most perplexing problems facing a would-be waver is what to do when driving next to a fellow Vette owner. Passing him going in opposite directions is one thing. Greetings are exchanged, and that's that. But what happens when you pull up next to a guy at a light, wave, nod, smile and then pull up to him at the next light, a block later? Wave again? Nod bashfully? Grin self-consciously? Ignore him? Or take the chicken's way out and turn down the next side street? If you're expecting an answer, you won't find it here. Sad to say, some questions don't have any.

Girl-type Corvette drivers also have a unique problem: to wave or not to wave. This miss or misses who borrows her man's Corvette for the first time is immediately faced with this quandary. Should she wave first and look overly friendly, or ignore the wave and look like a snob? Most ladies who drive their own Vettes prefer to suffer the latter rather than take a chance of being misread. For this reason, all girls are excused for occasionally failing to return a well-meaning wave. So are new owners who are still learning the ropes.





There is no excuse, however, for a guy who refuses to return the wave, not out of ignorance, but of arrogance or apathy. While this type of behavior is the exception to the rule, it seems a few owners of newer models refuse to recognize anything older than theirs, while some others simply won't wave, period. Boo on them. These ding-a-lings don't seem to realize that they are helping to squash a tradition that had its beginnings back when most of us were still driving tootsietoys.

Sharing The Love

The Adirondack Model A's is actively promoting a hands-on learning program, in conjunction with the Saratoga Auto Museum, starting this fall. They purchased a rolling Model A chassis and plan to restore or build a Model A Huckster. Twelve children between the ages of 13 to 16 will be chosen to participate based on a written composition contest and the agreement of their parents and school.

The club's goal is to build a car with the selected children, museum staff, and corporate sponsors throughout the winter, putting mathematics, physics, and chemistry lessons to practical use. The students will get down and dirty, have mentors and learn to work together as a team.

The project, called "Sam's Garage", will provide students with hats, gloves, safety glasses, written materials, and food. "We believe that we can all learn from each other, especially when we all sit down together with dogs and sodas.", said club member Henry Ashton.

The project will be displayed at the museum as a "Restoration project underway." A televised loop will show the children working on the project, and once completed, the car will be shown at the museum, schools, and local venues.

Says Mr. Ashton, "Our goals are to educate, preserve, and promote the Model A Ford and other era cars and trucks. We believe that without our assistance, the museums, shows, and clubs will fade into obscurity".

See? I told you so.

I don't know how many times I have said this, but a common thread found in every car club I have worked with, has been their desire to help others. (If you really want to know how many times I have said it since we launched our blog, you can find them here, here, here, here and here.)

Let me tell you about another club that I find amazing. The Hillbilly Hotrodders main purpose in being a club is to raise money for charity. In October, they hosted a car show in order to raise money for a little girl with leukemia. They were thrilled to be able to give her family $4,000.00.

This is what matters. Making a difference in some way-big or small, while building friendships with others who share the same values and interests.

Like in some really cool classic cars.

Ooooh...Spooky!

The Houston Mopar Connection club held their annual Halloween Car Show last week. There were costumed cars and costumed car owners.




They showed off a variety of cool vehicles from a 1943 WW II Military Fire Truck to a new Chevy Camaro.

I always say that car club members have huge hearts! This club didn't prove me wrong.

They raised over $6,000 for their charities: Shriner's' Burn Hospital in Galveston, TX, Depelchen Children's' Center, The Food Bank and The Star of Hope Mission

Visit their website to check out more photos and a video of the their Halloween Dance Contest!

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