WKCC THROUGH THE YEARS 1997 – 2017

In early September 1997, 21 "red Corvette" invitations were sent by someone who would become a founding member of WKCC to people in the Western Kentucky counties who owned Corvettes. They were invited to go on a cruise to the Corvette Museum in Bowling Green , KY on the last Sunday of the month. Ten Corvettes took that trip. The group toured the museum and enjoyed an early dinner at Martin's Country Farm House. Lots of good food was served country style. 

After returning to Hopkinsville, the group met at the Sonic Drive-in on Fort Campbell Boulevard for ice cream. It was at the Sonic that the idea of starting a Corvette Club began to be kicked around earnestly. Most believed it would be best to wait until the first of the year (1998) to try to get it going , and an initial meeting place was determined. After that, the idea just "floated" for a while.

After several months of hearing no more about the formation of a club, in February 1998  two corvette owners discussed the idea of organizing a Corvette Club. They decided to move forward, and agreed to hold a pre-organizational meeting in Hopkinsville, KY on March 3, 1998. Four Corvette owners attended that meeting. They studied information provided by the NCCC and Longhorn Corvette Club of Texas concerning the formation of a club. 

But before proceeding any further, they decided to poll the known Corvette owners in the area to see if there was enough interest to go forward. Three Corvette owners who would become founding WKCC members divided the list of known Corvette owners in the area and did a phone survey, which revealed a great deal of interest. Almost everyone contacted gave a positive response! Thus, they decided to send invitations to an organizational meeting for Thursday, April 30, 1998, and wrote a PSA to send to all media in Christian County, KY.

A total of 32 people attended the first organizational meeting. It was thrilling to have such a great turnout. The membership chairperson for the NCCC southeast region addressed various aspects of organizing a club. The NCCC regional membership chairman for Indiana and Western KY addressed the group about NCCC membership and distributed printed material related to Corvette Clubs. Other items on the agenda were nomination of officers, club name suggestions, incorporation of the club, and a possible dues structure. A by-laws committee was selected to draft a sample by-laws for the organization. Everyone in attendance agreed to set the next meeting for the last Thursday in May 1998.

At the second meeting, club officers were elected.  The drafted by-laws were read and questions were answered by the by-laws committee members. The by-laws were accepted with very few changes. The group then voted on a list of suggested names for the organization and agreed upon Western Kentucky Corvette Club. Club applications were distributed to those in attendance. It was decided that those who returned their dues and application by July 1, 1998 would be "Charter Members". 

That first year was a busy one with trips to the Corvette Homecoming in Bowling Green, KY; to Diamond Lakes; and to the Mid-America Fun Fest in Effingham, IL. The club conducted its first annual meeting and barbecue dinner at Patriot Chevrolet. A GM engineer from the Corvette plant was the guest speaker. The first mystery cruises were taken, and the club adopted its official logo. 

The first year of the Western Kentucky Corvette Club was deemed exceedingly successful. Members agreed that the foremost purpose of the club would be social in nature with planned trips, fun events, and a variety of activities for the members to enjoy.

In 1999 WKCC club members decided to retain the same officers that had been elected the previous year and had served since June 1998. 

In Fall 1999 the club had a 12 X 12 paver set in the entranceway to the Corvette Museum in Bowling Green. It was set at the 5th year anniversary of the museum celebration on September 4, 1999. 

Also, the club held its first Sonic Cruise at the Sonic Drive-In Restaurant on Fort Campbell Boulevard, and it was a huge success. The club held its annual club picnic in June. Everyone had a great time, and we decided to make it an annual event. 

Several members also helped with the "hot dog" booth that the club set up at the Hopkinsville Jazz Festival. And members took a fun trip to the Chattanooga, TN Aquarium. Another important event of 1999 was the establishment of the club's own website. 

At the annual club meeting, Officers and Board Members were elected for 2000. 

The end of the year was celebrated by the first of our annual Christmas pot luck dinners. Everyone brought gifts, and we played a gift-swapping game called "Dirty Santa".

The year 2000 saw several events added to the club's calendar, including an overnight trip to Knoxville, TN, Expo and Pigeon Forge, TN. A cruise to Sikeston, MO to Lambert's House of "Throwed" Rolls was enjoyed,.

Several members participated in the American Cancer Society's Cancer Walk at the Stadium of Champions. Several club members began talking about taking a Caribbean Cruise in January 2001. 

At the annual club meeting in October, Officers and Board Members were elected for 2001.

The big event for 2001 for a group of WKCC members was a Caribbean cruise. Fifteen club members went on a 4-day cruise to Key West, FL and Cozumel, Mexico. Some members took guests for a total of 18 in the group. All had a great time, and the idea to plan a cruise every other year was proposed.

In April, club members cruised to Lynchburg, TN to eat at Miss Mary Bo Bo's Boarding House and tour the Jack Daniel's Distillery. Another cruise was taken in July. This was a dinner cruise down the Cumberland River on the riverboat General Jackson. After an afternoon at the Opry Mills Mall, the group attended the Grand Old Opry where they saw Vince Gill and Allison Krauss with Union Station. It was a full day, but everyone had a great time.

In October, the club participated in the first "Cruise for Life" to raise money for Pennyroyal Hospice. Several local car clubs participated in the event. All of these new activities were in addition to yearly activities of the club like the Cancer Walk, the Jazz Festival, the Madisonville Veterans Parade, the WKCC club picnic and Christmas Party, and a group trip to Effingham, IL.

At the October meeting the club elected Officers and Board Members for the year 2002.

The club started discussing another "ocean" cruise for the year 2003. In February we had a Daytona 500 party with good food, a big screen TV, and lots of fun at the old Fuqua-Hinton Funeral Home building.

The club conducted 5 mystery cruises in 2002. One was an overnight cruise to Edenburgh, IN. The other mystery cruises consisted of a poker run to Milldale in Roberston County, TN; a cruise to Ashland City to Stratton's, a 50s-style restaurant; a cruise to the "land between the lakes" – through the "trace" – to Miss Scarlett's Restaurant; and finally a cruise to the Garden of the Gods in Illinois. The last cruise involved ferrying across the Ohio River and later driving to Evansville, IN for dinner at the Old Mill Restaurant. One member couple put 270 miles on their Vette. Others probably put on even more! It was a fun trip.

At our annual June picnic we introduced a new activity – Hot Wheels Races. It was a triple elimination event, and everyone had a great time. In addition to these activities, the club held annual events, including the cancer walk; cookout in the park; the Madisonville Veterans Parade; the Hospice cruise; Fun Fest trip to Effingham, IL; our annual meeting at Patriot Chevrolet; and the annual Christmas party and gift exchange. 

At the October meeting at Patriot Chevrolet, the new Officers and Board Members were elected for 2003.

The year 2002 was a great recruiting year for the club. Twenty-two (22) new members were added to the roster. 

A Caribbean cruise to Jamaica and Grand Cayman was taken in January by a group of members and their friends. 

The club also held a football ticket raffle in the fall to raise money for the American Cancer Society (ACS), and at the Walk for a Cure held in June we held a "Race Against Cancer" featuring local politicians who raced Hot Wheels Corvettes to raise money. In all, the club donated $1,620 to the ACS. The annual club picnic was again held, and the Match Box Corvette races were a big hit. 

The 50th Anniversary of Corvettes celebration was held in Nashville, TN with thousands of Corvettes cruising in for the event. In September the WKCC also took an overnight trip to the Bourbon Festival in Bardstown, KY. A tour of the Maker's Mark Distillery and a mystery cruise "with a twist" were also held. We had a poker run where we had to answer questions about our route to a restaurant in Princeton. Everyone had a great time! We took a cruise to Patti's Old Settlement in Grand Rivers, KY and Lambert's House of Throwed Rolls in Sikeston, MO. Some members also joined with the Clarksville club for dinner at the Sportsman Lodge and some attended the Corvettes on the River event in Paducah. 

In addition to these new events, the WKCC continued our annual events like the cruise-in for the Humane Society and the October annual club meeting where new Officers and Board Members were elected for 2004.

The year 2003 was another great recruiting year for the WKCC. We added 18 new members to our roster! 

The WKCC held our annual activities throughout 2004, including mystery cruises, poker runs, and monthly club meetings, which were all well attended. In addition, a Zaino products representative gave a demonstration to club members (mostly men) at Classic Tires in Cadiz. And the ladies of the club participated in a sweatshirt decorating class. 

The club raised $1,200 for the American Cancer Society by participating in the Relay for Life. The club held our annual picnic at Pennyrile State Park and took a fall cruise to Lambert's House of "Throwed" Rolls in Sikeston, MO in October. At the annual club dinner and meeting in October, Officers and Board Members were elected for 2005. The year was concluded with our annual Christmas dinner held at the Pioneer's Building. 

Seventeen (17) new members were added to the club's roster, and the club's website was updated and improved.

A few new activities were added to the WKCC agenda for 2005 in addition to our regular meetings, mystery cruises, and annual events. 

During the year, we held a mystery cruise based on the movie National Treasure. Participants were first invited to a movie screening at the home of a club member couple to prepare them for the cruise. A poker run out of Madisonville, KY was sponsored by Browning Chevrolet. Several members attended the Fun Fest in Effingham, IL where they also enjoyed a concert by the Beach Boys. A group of about 40 club members took an overnight trip to Chattanooga, TN to attend a Blue Angels air show and enjoy a dinner boat cruise. Other activities in Chattanooga included attending the aquarium, IMAX theater, and railroad museum. 

The club again raised money for the American Cancer Society by having a team in the Relay for Life. The annual picnic was held, Officers and Board Members for 2006 were elected at the October annual club meeting, and the Christmas dinner was held for the first time at Oakland Manor outside of Hopkinsville, KY. 

In 2005, 15 new members were added to the club roster.

The year 2006 sped by with the usual activities of the WKCC. Several mystery cruises were conducted. Several members of the club also participated in the National Corvette Museum (NCM) Volunteer Day. Our annual club picnic was held at Tie Breaker Park in Hopkinsville, and our Christmas dinner was again held at Oakland Manor with those attending bringing gifts for a game of "Dirty Santa". 

The club hosted a tour of the Dana Plant in Hopkinsville where the Z06 frames are made. Tony Starkey, personnel officer at Dana, coordinated the tour as part of the NCM Z06 fest in Bowling Green, KY. Following the tour, a special lunch was held at Oakland Manor. Several club members served as hosts for the event – escorting the group to Hopkinsville, greeting them at Dana, leading them to the luncheon site, and decorating and hosting the lunch. Everyone attending complimented WKCC's efforts, and the museum seemed interested in repeating the tour in the future. 

At the annual club meeting in October, Officers and Board Members were elected for 2007. 

In 2006, 12 new members were added to the club roster.

The year 2007 began the 10th calendar year of the WKCC. How time flew! 

Many of our usual activities were continued. We had several mystery cruises., and a small group of members attended the Strawberry Festival in Adairville, KY, with an enjoyable return trip through the countryside. The club picnic returned to the back yard of a club member couple after several years at public places. The group played bingo for prizes and competed in Match Box car races. Several members attended the Fun Fest in Effingham, IL. 

Our annual club meeting saw the election of new Officers and Board Members for 2008, and the group was treated to a walk-through of a new Corvette by a Patriot salesman. 

This year, the WKCC made charitable contributions to Warm the Children – a program to buy coats for needy children. Donations of personal wear also were made to two local skilled nursing care homes for needy residents. 

The year again saw the WKCC participating in the Veterans Parade in Madisonville, and for the first time, participating club members decorated their cars for Christmas, put on their Santa hats, and drove their Corvettes in the Hopkinsville Christmas Parade. Our annual Christmas dinner and Dirty Santa game were held again at Oakland Manor. We had a great turnout. 

In 2007, 8 new members were added to the WKCC roster.

What a year! The WKCC set records all over the place in 2008. We had better average attendance at meetings, events, trips – everything was bigger and better! 

The attendance at our 3 mystery cruises was way up with over 20 attending the first two and a whopping 35 attending our last one. Another fourteen (14) members and guest participated in the National Corvette Museum volunteer work day.  In addition to these exciting statistics, the club had many interesting and fun activities. 

We took an overnight trip in the spring to Louisville, KY and stayed in the historic Brown Hotel in downtown Louisville. It's where the famous "Kentucky Hot Brown" is said to have originated. We went to the  horse races on Saturday, and on Saturday night we went to 4th Street Live, had dinner, and some of us went to "Howling at the Moon", a wild dual piano bar. 

Another overnight for the club was a trip in October to Nashville, TN. WKCC members went to the flea market on Saturday, attended the Grand Ole Opry that night, and attended a Keith Urban concert. On Sunday, members took a tour of Nashville and the stars' homes. It was a blast! 

In 2008 we also held our annual club picnic and Hot Wheels races, took a fall cruise to Sikeston, MO to eat at Lambert's House of "Throwed" Rolls, and participated in the Madisonville Veterans Parade and the Hopkinsville Christmas Parade. 

The club donated canned goods and our split-the-pot proceeds to the Salvation Army during the year. At our annual October club meeting we elected new Officers and Board Members for 2009. 

The year ended with our annual Christmas dinner at Oakland Manor and the group playing "Dirty Santa".

A record for new members in a single year was set with 22 new members joining the WKCC. How exciting!  And the great thing is that most of them were very active. 

The year 2009 started with a bang or maybe a crackle and pop. An ice storm in January caused the cancellation of our first meeting of the year. Many area residents were without electricity for weeks. Lots of damage to property and trees occurred. 

The club selected the Hopkins County Red Cross as our charity for the year. That county was hardest hit by the storm. We gave cash and had several food drives for them. 

A new overnight this year took us to Somerset, KY for their SomerNites Cruise-In featuring Corvettes. The weather was uncooperative, but the group had a great time anyway. Some of us cruised over to Renfro Valley to eat and enjoy country music and a comedy show.  Others of our members attended the Effingham, IL Fun Fest that weekend. 

Our mystery cruises continued to be a success with 31 people attending the first one. Everyone loves going somewhere new to eat. We had over 30 people  at our annual picnic. This year we introduced the corn hole game to our events. Another trip to Lambert's House of "Throwed" Rolls was lots of fun, and our annual club meeting was very successful. Patriot Chevrolet donated many items for door prizesat the annual club meeting, plus some items for us to raffle. We also elected Officers and Board Members for 2010 at this meeting. 

Club members again participated in the Veterans Parade in Madisonville and the Christmas Parade in Hopkinsville. The club ended the year with a great dinner at Oakland Manor and lots of fun playing "Dirty Santa". 

We added 7 new members to our roster in 2009.

Our big accomplishment in 2010 was getting our new website up and running. There was a lot more to it than any of us anticipated, but thanks to the help of a member, we finally got the ball rolling! We are very happy with the updated look we have and the fact that we can work together to keep it updated. 

The other challenge for the club this year was planning, organizing, and conducting the first "Coalfield Cruise-In" in Madisonville, KY. It was a 3 -day event with a car show, live band, and numerous other events.

Our mystery cruises took a hard hit from weather in 2010. We had to cancel the first 3 planned due to rain – and not a little sprinkle, it was a downpour. When we were finally able to have one, it was in August! Everyone was so ready to go that we set a new record of 23 cars and 42 people participating in the only mystery cruise of 2010.

Several of our members returned to the SomerNites Cruise-In for Corvettes at the end of September. The weather this year was perfect, and everyone had a great time. Several other members went to the Effingham, IL Fun Fest on that same weekend. We had our annual picnic, which was a lot of fun with the added Corn Hole Tournament. We still raced our Hot Wheel Corvettes and had a great barbecue dinner. Another trip to Sikeston, MO and Lambert's House of "Throwed" Rolls was fun.

At our annual October meeting at Patriot Chevrolet, we listened to a speaker from the Corvette plant, Steve Grilli, a great meal, and we elected new Officers and Board Members for 2011. 

We again participated in the Madisonville Veterans Parade and the Hopkinsville Christmas Parade. We ended the year with our annual Christmas dinner at Oakland Manor where we had a great meal and great fun playing "Dirty Santa".

Our charity for 2010 was the "Shop with Cops" program. The Hopkinsville police used the donated funds to take local needy children shopping for Christmas for them and their families. We also conducted a food drive for that same charity. 

We added 11 new members to our roster in 2010.

In 2011, some members of WKCC traveled to Nashville, IN. This trip had been taken several years prior but was new to many of our members. The Wounded Warrior Project. sponsored by the National Corvette Museum (NCM), drew participants from ours and surrounding Corvette Clubs. The soldiers really enjoyed it, and it was a great salute to our fighting men and women. 

A club trip to Badgett Theater in Grand Rivers, KY was held, and more than 20 members and guest made the trip. We attended the 50s show at the theater and then enjoyed a great dinner at Patti's Old Settlement. 

We had to reschedule our picnic for October due to rain. Another trip to Somerset, KY and the SomerNites Cruise-In for Corvettes was enjoyed by many in the club. The weather was beautiful, and a good time was had by all. 

Our October club meeting at Patriot Chevrolet was a huge success. With 2011 being the 100th anniversary of Chevrolet, we had two guest speakers for our meeting. Dave Tatman, plant manager of the Corvette plant, gave an interesting presentation explaining the many changes made at the plant to upgrade and remodel. Also speaking was Gary Cottrell, head of guest services and delivery manager at the NCM. A total of 60 people attended, gave away lots of door prizes, and enjoyed both a great meal and a great time in general. 

"Shop with Cops" was again selected as our charity for the year.

Officers and Board Members were elected for 2012.

Following the Madisonville Veterans Parade and the Christmas Parade in Hopkinsville, the WKCC capped off the year with our Christmas dinner at Oakland Manor. 

Two (2) new members were added to our roster in 2011, with one of those living in New York State.

The year 2012 began with the addition of 4 new members in the first couple of months. 

Our first trip to "Bike Night" in Elkton, KY was taken. The year's first mystery cruise concluded in Auburn, KY where the group ate at Federal Grove, a historic federal-style house where the food was delicious. In July, several members attended the performance of Love Always, Patsy Cline at the Badgett Theater in Grand Rivers, KY followed by dinner at Patti's Old Settlement. Another interesting trip for the club was a cruise to the Country Plantation in Greenville, KY. It is a beautiful home that specializes in hosting weddings and has buffet lunches on Sundays. Everyone really enjoyed that trip. 

Our annual picnic was hosted this year by a member couple in Dawson Springs. They were nice enough to invite the entire club to their home and provided a wonderful meal. Great fun for everyone! 

Our annual club meeting in October was a huge success. Tom Hill, a GM engineer, was our guest speaker. That was special to most of us because Tom had spoken at one of our earliest Patriot meetings years ago, and everyone was delighted to listen to him again. Club Officers and Board Members for 2013 were also elected.

We donated food and our split-the-pot profits to the "Shop with Cops" program again this year.

Our year ended with participation in the Madisonville Veterans Parade and the Hopkinsville Christmas Parade. Our final gathering was again at Oakland Manor for our Christmas dinner and playing "Dirty Santa". 

A total of 12 new members were added to the WKCC rosters in 2012. 

In 2013, a club member volunteered to take over the photo aspect of the WKCC website and worked hard to get members' car pictures on the site and pictures of events the club attends. 

Club members participated in our yearly volunteer day at the NCM, took our first mystery cruise to Shady Cliff Restaurant, and traveled  to Somerset, KY for the annual Corvette weekend. We also took another trip to Grand Rivers, KY and the Badgett Theater to see their 60s show. Everyone loved it! Our second mystery cruise took us to Springfield, TN and Torino's Restaurant - yum! A new event was a trip to the Antique Car and Truck Show in Greenville, KY. The group went to Philly's for dinner, set up their chairs across from the old courthouse downtown, and listened to some great oldies music provided by a group from Nashville. 

A group of members traveled to Shaker Village in Pleasant Hill, KY for an overnight trip and tour of the village. They also went to the Keeneland Horse Park in Lexington, KY. In addition, we had a group of members who went to the "Corvettes on the River" event sponsored by the Paducah, KY Corvette Club. 

Our annual trip to Sikeston, MO and Lambert's House of "Throwed" Rolls was taken, but this time the group went to Paducah first to attend an antique car auction. 

Our annual picnic was a huge success. We had the picnic at Jeff Davis State Park in Fairview, KY. Grilled hamburgers and hotdogs were served with lots of goodies from the members that attended. The members played bingo for cash and had a great day. Some played in a corn hole tournament for prizes. 

The annual club meeting was catered by 4 Seasons Catering with a total of 64 members and guest attending, including a speaker from the Corvette plant who drove a new 2014 Stingray Corvette to the event. Officers and Board Members also were elected for 2014.

The Veterans Parade in Madisonville, the Christmas Parade in Hopkinsville, and our annual Christmas dinner at Oakland Manor rounded out our annual events. 

After the Hopkinsville Christmas Parade, the participants were invited to a club couple members' house for lunch and to participate in the Trenton Christmas Parade afterward. 

A busy 2013 found the club adding 15 new members to its roster for a total of 67 members. What a great recruiting year!

The year 2014 was another success for the WKCC. 

Our Relay for Life team donated $4,218 to the American Cancer Society as a result of our many fundraising efforts – from teeshirt sales to baked goods sales. Two members headed up this effort with lots of help from the club. 

A large group attended the 70s show at the Badgett Theater in Grand Rivers, KY, and several made the trip to visit Loretta Lynn's Ranch in Tennessee. Another 28 members enjoyed a trip to the Greenville, KY car show and downtown entertainment with a Motown band providing the great music. The club also had 29 people attend the mystery cruise to Monell's in Gallatin, TN. Everyone loved the food! Speaking of good food, another trip to Federal Grove in Auburn, KY was enjoyed by those who attended. The club continued its traditions of a volunteer day at the NCM, an annual picnic held this year again at a member couple's home with barbecue and all the fixings, the Veterans Parade in Madisonville, and the Christmas Parade in Hopkinsville. 

We held our annual October meeting at Patriot Chevrolet, the club's corporate sponsor, and elected officers and board members for 2015. 

The year was capped off with the annual Christmas dinner at Oakland Manor and the playing of "Dirty Santa". Everyone had a great time! The club donated $500 to Max's Hope, the club's charity for the year. 

Six (6) new members were added to the club roster in 2014.

The year 2015 began with lots of bad weather, but it didn't hinder our club members who attended our January meeting in force. Unfortunately, the February meeting was canceled due to snow. But we bounced back in March with 34 attending that meeting, and we were off and running for the year. 

Our Relay for Life team donated $2,414.50 to the American Cancer Society. 

The Pennyrile Classic Car Club announced at the end of 2014 that they would no longer conduct the Cruise-In at K-mart on the third Saturday of each month May – October due to the lack of help within their club. The WKCC discussed this and voted to offer our help to keep the Cruise-Ins going. So each month, 4 members volunteered at the K-mart Cruise-In to do whatever was needed. A large group of members also attended another fun day in downtown Greenville, KY eating at the Mustang Grill and enjoying an Elvis tribute artist. We also attended an aerobatic competition at the Hopkinsville airport and supported the Military Affairs Chili Cook-Off in downtown Hopkinsville. We held our annual picnic at the Jeff Davis Park in Fairview, KY. Our annual participation in the NCM volunteer day, Patriot meeting, Madisonville Veterans Parade, and Hopkinsville Christmas Parade continued. 

At the October meeting at Patriot we elected Officers and Board Members for 2016.

Our annual Christmas dinner was held at Oakland Manor, and we played "Dirty Santa". For the first time the club awarded a plaque to its Outstanding Member of 2015. 

Four (4) new members were added to the club roster in 2015.

The year 2016 started with our first event having to be canceled due to snow, but the club managed to have a February Valentine Weekend at Lake Cumberland State Park. Those who attended said it was a great getaway! 

The club decided to again help with the Pennyrile Classic Car Club Cruise-ins. Four (4) members each month, May through September, volunteered to work. 

A new outing for the club was going to the Discovery Park and Car Museum in Union City, TN. Also, a group of members attended a great Exile concert at the Kentucky Opry in Draffenville, KY. The club again planned a trip to Greenville, KY to the car show with live music. The band out of Nashville was great playing oldies for the crowd. A group of club members also enjoyed a mystery cruise into southern Indiana and our yearly picnic. Some members of the club attended the first Hopkinsville Summer Salute and listened over the weekend to the oldies Motown sound of the Jimmy Church Band and Diamond Rio. The club also had a weekend trip to Chattanooga, TN. Those attending that trip visited the Aquarium and took a river boat trip. They also visited Rock City, Ruby Falls, and Lookout Mountain. 

Our charity for 2016 was Coats for Kids, and the club participated in a car show held to raise money for this charity. 

The club's annual meeting at Patriot Chevrolet featured a speaker from the Corvette Museum, Gary Cotterill. Officers and Board Members also were elected for 2017 at this meeting.

The annual Christmas dinner at Oakland Manor included the ever-popular "Dirty Santa" gift exchange. And for the second year a plaque for  "Outstanding Member of the Year" was awarded. 

The loss of 2 active club members during this calendar year reminded us all to enjoy life while we can and not to take our friends and family for granted. 

The WKCC added 3 new members to our roster in 2016.

The year 2017 started out with a new event – the Valentine Dinner and Dance at Pennyrile State Park. A great time was had by the 9 WKCC couples who attended this event. 

On March 11, a group from the WKCC cruised to Indiana for a tour of the Navy LST followed by lunch and a tour of the Dream Car Museum. In April, club members enjoyed a mystery cruise winding through 4 to 5 counties and ending in Fredonia, KY for a delicious barbecue meal. 

In June the Western KY Veterans Center in Hanson held its Rolling Thunder event. The club grilled burgers for the Veterans who thoroughly enjoyed the events! The Greenville, KY, Music on the Square and Car Show was again a July winner this year. The Downtown Band from Nashville played again by popular demand, and they were great! Those attending went to Philly's to eat before enjoying the event with lots of oldies being played and some popular hits of today. 

One of the club's charities for 2017 was the Back-to-Back Foundation founded by local country singer/songwriter Brice Long who now lives in Nashville. He held a concert at the Bruce Convention Center in Hopkinsville and performed numerous hits along with 2 other songwriters from Nashville. Their stories of how those hits came to exist were very interesting. This charity donates money to needy families in Trigg and Christian Counties. In September, our other charity – Coats for Kids – held its annual car show to raise money for coats for needy families in Hopkins and surrounding counties. It was a great success this year. A total of 16 WKCC cars attended and there were 67 total cars participating in addition to some motorcycles. 

Our 2017 annual club picnic was held at the Kentucky Dam Village shelter on Kentucky Lake. We grilled burgers and hotdogs, and those attending brought great side dishes. The view was fabulous, and the breeze off the lake was wonderful and much appreciated, as it was a warm day. 

Several WKCC members attended the Effingham, IL Fun Fest. They had a great time, enjoyed the entertainment, and visited some interesting places in the area. 

The year wound down quickly. October saw another mystery cruise and our annual club meeting to elect Officers and Board Members for 2018. This year it was held at Oakland Manor. 

November 5 was the Madisonville Veterans Parade, which is said to be the largest in the state. The year ended with our annual Christmas Dinner at Oakland Manor, and included our "Dirty Santa" gift exchange as well as presentation of our "Outstanding Member of the Year" award. 

The WKCC added 2 new members to its roster in 2017.