Car Club History Stories

As in the beginning of virtually anything, it is difficult to pinpoint the exact moment when something actually began.  You might ask if it was an explosive single action, or was it a process that brought things together?  Here are the stories of six of the founding group, which became The Caledon Cruisers.

“I met with John McGuire who was building a street rod for Satch Beraldo.  A yellow 1931 Ford coupe. John told me that Tom Pickett ran a cruise at Bolton Canadian Tire and would like some help.  I went to the cruise night and talked to Tom and later I met with John and Satch at my home.  We discussed my past experience with the Corvette Club.  I held a number of different offices in the Corvette Club.  They asked me to organize the start up of the Caledon Cruisers. We recruited people for the various offices, Secretary, Treasurer, etc.
To promote the Club we produced a flyer.  We distributed this flyer in the Bolton and Caledon East areas inviting people to learn more about our Club.  We held a cruise and the Caledon East Community Centre and had about 40 people show up with their cars.
We also held dances at the Caledon East Community Centre, which helped to raise money for our club insurance and to give to local charity.
Somewhere, check with John and Bev McGuire, the history of the club is archived.  I do recall that a short piece about the Club appeared in the Bolton newspaper a few years ago.  Al Squires may be able to help with this..
I hope this helps…”
Fred Jones.”

            “It was late one rainy summer night in the late 1980s, there were two guys sitting on a couple on milk cartons drinking diet coke and looking out the garage door down a long driveway in Caledon East.  It was raining real hard.  They were building an American Graffiti coupe clone.  It was the second car in two years, the other was also and automotive icon, a three window deuce coupe.  Well, a club had been mentioned many times and finally it was agreed that maybe, just maybe it would be fun.  A jacket was discussed and it would be black and yellow and the one club rule would be written on that jacket hence the saying ‘JUST FOR FUN’.  A notice was posted on the blackboard in the shop and the interested parties let their phone numbers.
About a month passed by and there was a meeting, nine eager car nuts showed up and the jacket and the rules were discussed as well as the fact that we might need a bit of cash to mail out newsletters and the like.  So those nine eager guys voted on a membership fee and the club colours and the famous dice on the jacket.
No doubt we all have our fond memories of our classic cars and the old friends who owned them.  I have seen people buried in Caledon Cruiser Jackets.  I have seen divorces, marriages and lives carried on around this club. I remember when there were only four cruise nights in the Southern Ontario area.  I remember when this club won the best club display at Canada’s most premier car show four times in a row.  There are still a few of the original members still in the club to this day and the famous club jacket is still in place and if there is ever a discrepancy about the rules or procedures that govern this historic club, just check the Caledon Cruisers Jacket. The main rule was put in place before the club ever existed and remember it’s all JUST FOR FUN”…respectfully, John McGuire, with Satch Beraldo.

            “In the winter of 1988,I sat around chatting with Tom Pickett after Monday nigh hockey talking about our love for cars.  Tom was involved with drag racing and my love for hot rods had been developed for many years.  We knew there were many other individuals out there with the same passion for cars but unfortunately there was no local club to unite everyone.  After sharing our ideas with Danny LaChapelle and his dad Karl, we decided t set up a Cruise Night in Bolton.  Tom knew the owner of the local Canadian Tire Store and we were able to secure a section in the parking lot for members to display their cars.  Jack’s Restaurant heard about out plans and wanted to get involved as well, so he offered discounts to members to dine at the restaurant on Wednesday nights.
My childhood friend Steve Brown provided the entertainment for the night.  Steve would show up with his  Big White VW loaded with his sound system and pump out 50’s & 60’s music, which perfected our cruise night atmosphere.
Every week I would rush home and Jean and I would load up my trailer with cement blocks, wood stakes and several rolls of caution tape, then head to meet Tom & Danny to set up.  We sold 50/50 tickets and used the profits to buy our weekly prizes from the retailer that helped start it all---Canadian Tire.
We enjoyed every Wednesday night filled with dinner at Jacks, the live entertainment and the time with Friends sharing their love for cars.
After the fourth summer, Satch Beraldo, John McGuire and Fred Jones established the Caledon Cruisers, growing it into the event it is today,---- 22 years later”
------Rick Hayward.

            “Back in 1988 after attending a car cruise in Brampton, I thought it would be a god idea to try a cruise in Bolton.  I called a good friend, Rick Hayward to get him on board with the plan.  He contacted Steve Brown (music) and Dan LaChapelle.  A subsequent visit to Hugh Sutherland (former CTC store owner) and with some convincing, we secured a location on their parking lot.
Our plan came together and back then we met on Wednesday night at the original Canadian Tire Store located at Allen Drive and Highway 50.  With advertising in the local paper and word of mouth, it quickly grew to be a bigger and well-attended weekly event.
After our first year, we obtained more volunteer help from the guys and girls thought it was time to form a club.  Personally I never thought a club would work.  But a club it became and the Caledon Cruisers were born.
Over the past 21 years and with the leadership of presidents Fred Jones, Al Squires, Rick Hayward and John Gilroy, the Cruisers membership has grown to over thirty active members. Two club highlights include many successful years participating at Performance World, and monetary donations to many local charities.  But the major event still continues to be the weekly cruises at the Canadian Tire store, where people of all ages gather with their old and new cars to share some conversation and make new memories.
We look forward to our 22nd year beginning in May 2010.  Happy cruising…….”
Tom Pickett. Vice President.

            21 years ago I received a call from Rick Hayward seeking m help to from and promote a weekly cruise night in Bolton.  The weekly cruise night was in part to the credit of Tom, Rick and Peter.  With the sponsorship of Jack’s Burgers, we occupied their parking lot each week inviting car owners and enthusiasts to join us to share an evening of oldies and times fondly remembered and visually displayed.  At the end f the evening we would collectively share a shake and burger to strategize and build on our achievement.  In succeeding years and in part to the success of the evenings we relocated, transforming the Canadian Tire lot immediately next door into a corral to form the Caledon Cruiser Car Club.  The success of the club today is in part to its members and their devotion to keeping a part of our history alive and cherished for future generations.  As the name states, JUST FOR FUN”
Steve Brown.

Car Club History Stories

As in the beginning of virtually anything, it is difficult to pinpoint the exact moment when something actually began.  You might ask if it was an explosive single action, or was it a process that brought things together?  Here are the stories of six of the founding group, which became The Caledon Cruisers.

“I met with John McGuire who was building a street rod for Satch Beraldo.  A yellow 1931 Ford coupe. John told me that Tom Pickett ran a cruise at Bolton Canadian Tire and would like some help.  I went to the cruise night and talked to Tom and later I met with John and Satch at my home.  We discussed my past experience with the Corvette Club.  I held a number of different offices in the Corvette Club.  They asked me to organize the start up of the Caledon Cruisers. We recruited people for the various offices, Secretary, Treasurer, etc.
To promote the Club we produced a flyer.  We distributed this flyer in the Bolton and Caledon East areas inviting people to learn more about our Club.  We held a cruise and the Caledon East Community Centre and had about 40 people show up with their cars.
We also held dances at the Caledon East Community Centre, which helped to raise money for our club insurance and to give to local charity.
Somewhere, check with John and Bev McGuire, the history of the club is archived.  I do recall that a short piece about the Club appeared in the Bolton newspaper a few years ago.  Al Squires may be able to help with this..
I hope this helps…”
Fred Jones.”

            “It was late one rainy summer night in the late 1980s, there were two guys sitting on a couple on milk cartons drinking diet coke and looking out the garage door down a long driveway in Caledon East.  It was raining real hard.  They were building an American Graffiti coupe clone.  It was the second car in two years, the other was also and automotive icon, a three window deuce coupe.  Well, a club had been mentioned many times and finally it was agreed that maybe, just maybe it would be fun.  A jacket was discussed and it would be black and yellow and the one club rule would be written on that jacket hence the saying ‘JUST FOR FUN’.  A notice was posted on the blackboard in the shop and the interested parties let their phone numbers.
About a month passed by and there was a meeting, nine eager car nuts showed up and the jacket and the rules were discussed as well as the fact that we might need a bit of cash to mail out newsletters and the like.  So those nine eager guys voted on a membership fee and the club colours and the famous dice on the jacket.
No doubt we all have our fond memories of our classic cars and the old friends who owned them.  I have seen people buried in Caledon Cruiser Jackets.  I have seen divorces, marriages and lives carried on around this club. I remember when there were only four cruise nights in the Southern Ontario area.  I remember when this club won the best club display at Canada’s most premier car show four times in a row.  There are still a few of the original members still in the club to this day and the famous club jacket is still in place and if there is ever a discrepancy about the rules or procedures that govern this historic club, just check the Caledon Cruisers Jacket. The main rule was put in place before the club ever existed and remember it’s all JUST FOR FUN”…respectfully, John McGuire, with Satch Beraldo.

            “In the winter of 1988,I sat around chatting with Tom Pickett after Monday nigh hockey talking about our love for cars.  Tom was involved with drag racing and my love for hot rods had been developed for many years.  We knew there were many other individuals out there with the same passion for cars but unfortunately there was no local club to unite everyone.  After sharing our ideas with Danny LaChapelle and his dad Karl, we decided t set up a Cruise Night in Bolton.  Tom knew the owner of the local Canadian Tire Store and we were able to secure a section in the parking lot for members to display their cars.  Jack’s Restaurant heard about out plans and wanted to get involved as well, so he offered discounts to members to dine at the restaurant on Wednesday nights.
My childhood friend Steve Brown provided the entertainment for the night.  Steve would show up with his  Big White VW loaded with his sound system and pump out 50’s & 60’s music, which perfected our cruise night atmosphere.
Every week I would rush home and Jean and I would load up my trailer with cement blocks, wood stakes and several rolls of caution tape, then head to meet Tom & Danny to set up.  We sold 50/50 tickets and used the profits to buy our weekly prizes from the retailer that helped start it all---Canadian Tire.
We enjoyed every Wednesday night filled with dinner at Jacks, the live entertainment and the time with Friends sharing their love for cars.
After the fourth summer, Satch Beraldo, John McGuire and Fred Jones established the Caledon Cruisers, growing it into the event it is today,---- 22 years later”
------Rick Hayward.

            “Back in 1988 after attending a car cruise in Brampton, I thought it would be a god idea to try a cruise in Bolton.  I called a good friend, Rick Hayward to get him on board with the plan.  He contacted Steve Brown (music) and Dan LaChapelle.  A subsequent visit to Hugh Sutherland (former CTC store owner) and with some convincing, we secured a location on their parking lot.
Our plan came together and back then we met on Wednesday night at the original Canadian Tire Store located at Allen Drive and Highway 50.  With advertising in the local paper and word of mouth, it quickly grew to be a bigger and well-attended weekly event.
After our first year, we obtained more volunteer help from the guys and girls thought it was time to form a club.  Personally I never thought a club would work.  But a club it became and the Caledon Cruisers were born.
Over the past 21 years and with the leadership of presidents Fred Jones, Al Squires, Rick Hayward and John Gilroy, the Cruisers membership has grown to over thirty active members. Two club highlights include many successful years participating at Performance World, and monetary donations to many local charities.  But the major event still continues to be the weekly cruises at the Canadian Tire store, where people of all ages gather with their old and new cars to share some conversation and make new memories.
We look forward to our 22nd year beginning in May 2010.  Happy cruising…….”
Tom Pickett. Vice President.

            21 years ago I received a call from Rick Hayward seeking m help to from and promote a weekly cruise night in Bolton.  The weekly cruise night was in part to the credit of Tom, Rick and Peter.  With the sponsorship of Jack’s Burgers, we occupied their parking lot each week inviting car owners and enthusiasts to join us to share an evening of oldies and times fondly remembered and visually displayed.  At the end f the evening we would collectively share a shake and burger to strategize and build on our achievement.  In succeeding years and in part to the success of the evenings we relocated, transforming the Canadian Tire lot immediately next door into a corral to form the Caledon Cruiser Car Club.  The success of the club today is in part to its members and their devotion to keeping a part of our history alive and cherished for future generations.  As the name states, JUST FOR FUN”
Steve Brown.