Our meetings are held at the Royal Canadian Legion Br. #263 at 1025 Ridgeway in Coquitlam -- 8pm. For the Coquitlam-challenged that would be one block North of Austin and one block East of Blue Mountain.

Nothing beats Spring in the Gulf Islands so come on out to the Great Galiano Campout and Gun Shoot May 1st and 2nd. This is always a very popular event and a lot of fun for all ages, and even if you're not into target practice on the range ("you'll shoot yer eye out, kid!"), come for the cameraderie and take some time to have a look around the Island or just hang out at Don Robson's seaside acreage and soak up as much laid back life as you can handle without turning into a granola.

May is VERY popular with tourists so even though it's still only March - book your ferry NOW. I am not kidding. Thousands upon thousands of cyclists and West End residents looking for just the right piece of driftwood art will descend upon the single skinny little ferry taking us to and from the Island and if you wait...well...you'll be swimming; catching a ride with someone else, or chartering a float plane to get there. Contact Don Robson for details dfrobson@telus.net or (604) 266-5131 -- or just download the handout below:

 

The April meeting is our AGM and also time for Western Command elections. I *believe* all positions are up for election so if you want to put your name in the ring for President, Vice-President, Secretary etc. make sure you're paid up - and what's more - you SHOW up. This is your chance to have a say in the direction your Club takes whether as a nominee or a voter, so please come on down and remember: Vote Once, Vote Often!

The Freedom Route convoy pulled out of Chilliwack on August 10th with 17 vehicles parading and picked up a few more throughout the various Okanagan stops to put the total in the 20's. I have a number of newspaper article links forwarded to me by the Boatmans I'll post here, but in the meantime - since yours truly couldn't make it at the last minute (blame the film industry) -- if someone would like to write an After Action Report for posting here, please write it up and email to me.

Member Ian Price will be sifting through the many, many pictures taken during the event and will host them off-site, with the appropriate links posted here. Thanks, Ian -- that's a ton of work as I well know from personal experience and I no longer have the time for stuff like that.

Apparently the only breakdowns were an oil pressure problem with Walde Libera's newly-restored FAT (Canadian Field Artillery Tractor) - a self-destructing roadwheel on George Clark's halftrack (quickly repaired by Sid's Roadside Insurance Program :) - and another couple of minor headaches which for once didn't appear to include the word 'Harley'.

Most of us are members of Steelsoldiers and G503, but now we have a place to discuss our own events etc. and just generally interact when we're not at meetings or events thanks to WCMVHS member Ian Price.

I'll soon have a button on the front page here to take you directly to the forums, but in the meantime you can visit the bulletin-board and forum by going to:

http://the-hole.com/WCMVHS/4um/

And you can register yourself here:

http://the-hole.com/WCMVHS/4um/register.php

You will be emailed a password to allow login to the forum so make sure you enter a valid email address and check your email! If you haven't received your email and are sure you did everything correctly - check out your email's SPAM folder in case your emailprog dumped it in there by mistake (best to check that folder regularly anyway - once a week , I'd suggest - as things get mistakenly sent there all the time by overeager spamfilters.)

After years of turning out our Newsletter, our current editor Bruce MacMillan finds it necessary to pass the torch thanks to various other pressures on his available time, so until the position can be filled, the last newsletter posted will be the last one for awhile. Until then, this website will be the main organ for information on upcoming events etc., so keep watching this space.

I'd like to join our fellow members in thanking Bruce for performing the often thankless task of Newsletter Editor for such a long period of time, and wish continued success to whomever is railroade..uhhh...'appointed' his successor. If you wish to take on the position or would like some more information as to what it entails, please feel free to contact me.

There are many events coming up in the next little while, including The Great Galiano Gun Shoot May 1st-2nd; the Fort Rodd Hill Living History event which is, I think, the week before the Victoria Day long weekend - and the Arlington Airshow July 8-10th. More details to follow as I get them. The best way to learn about upcoming events (or to suggest some) is to come to the Wednesday meetings - but check back here often too.