Lanier Corvettes Unlimited (LCU) doesn’t run from the rain.
Many Corvette club events and local car shows get canceled when the threat of rain reaches a certain percentage. Often it’s around 25% or when the organizer’s joints and arthritis convince them rainfall is headed their way.
Not LCU. When they commit to attending an event, they show up.
So what prompted the Lanier club to test the hydrophobic properties of their show-quality Corvettes?
The reason to brave the intermittent drizzle was the 16th Annual Flowery Branch Chili Cookoff & Car show. This year’s event brought the community together for great cars, tasty food, and a worthy charity.
The featured organization was The Children’s Center for Hope and Healing. This group provides counseling services to children who are sexually abused and provide services to families to help break that cycle of abuse.
According to Michael Lancaster, Director of the Car Show and Chili Cookoff, “What makes this year’s show unique from those before it is that it’s going a step further by highlighting the vendors and bringing the community together, but we’re also doing it with a greater purpose.”
We couldn’t agree more as we showed up early, umbrella in tow, for the event that ran from 9 am to 3 pm.
LCU Delivers
Rod Worley – Editor – LCU filled both sides of the street with Corvettes even in the rain. How did your club come to be a part of the festivities?
Fred Fletcher – President of Lanier Corvettes Unlimited (LCU) – For the first 15 years, this event was called “A Taste of Flowery Branch.” After Covid, they renamed it the Annual Chili Cookoff and Car Show.
Some local merchants approached our club early on while planning this year’s event. They also reached out to the Saleen Club of Georgia, and the Chevelle Club for help.
As you can see, even in the rain, many of our LCU members brought their Corvettes out to show their support. This event has been a great way to bring visitors and interest back to downtown Flowery Branch.
We’re happy to support them and will probably make this an annual event for Lanier Corvettes Unlimited (LCU).
About Lanier Corvette Unlimited
Rod Worley – Editor – While we’ve got a minute, can you tell our readers about Lanier Corvettes Unlimited?
Fred Fletcher – President of Lanier Corvettes Unlimited (LCU) – LCU has been coming together as a club for over three decades. We meet at the Carroll Daniel Building in downtown Gainesville on the first Thursday of every month at 7:00 pm.
Many of us get together for dinner beforehand to socialize and talk about Corvettes. Our roster has 88 members, and we expect to be over 100 next year.
We consider ourselves fortunate to have all eight generations of Corvettes in the club. In addition, several members have multiple Corvettes in their collection.
At least once a month, we go somewhere like restaurants, wineries, or car museums. Next year we’re planning on some overnight club trips.
One of the overnighters will probably take us to the National Corvette Museum (NCM) in Bowling Green and include a factory tour.
We’re also considering an overnight trip to Savannah with a river dinner cruise later in the year and a trip to Charleston. Besides that, we’ll probably schedule three or four individual day trips.
Our club has done a few outings jointly with Corvette Cruisers of Atlanta. Recently, we made a Clarkesville trip with them, and they did a Blue Ridge event with us.
I’d have to say Lanier Corvettes Unlimited is a Gwinnett County group that enjoys getting together and staying active.
Georgia Concours d’Elegance
Wherever you have a turnout of classic automobiles, you’ll probably find Aaron Spaulding, Chairman of the Georgia Concours d’Elegance nearby. Threatening skies notwithstanding, Aaron was on hand to admire some of the classics in attendance.
Perhaps a lucky few of these vehicles will be invited to the upcoming Spring 2023 Georgia Concours event. This highly-anticipated competition of elegance promises to deliver a rare experience for competitors and attendees alike.
No doubt, you will enjoy an amazing, hand-curated collection of pristine automobiles that are beautiful and meticulously restored to mint condition. We’re eagerly looking forward to next year’s event.
Lanier Technical College
John Leverett from Lanier Technical College and a contingent of his students made a strong showing at the event. Not only did they impress the crowd of onlookers with the race car they brought, but also with the highly sought-after trophies they created.
As you recall, John is the Program Director & Instructor of the Motorsports Vehicle Technology Program which is a two-year program that offers a degree or a diploma.
Upwards of 90% of their students are in the degree program, leading to an Associate of Applied Science degree. In addition, several of their alumni have gone on to pursue 4-year engineering or business degrees.
As part of your Motorsport degree, you’ve got the choice of taking things like CAD fundamentals, Principles of Marketing, or Principles of Management.
Right now, they’ve got 100% placement for the people who graduate from the program. Obviously, there is so much demand here in the Southeast for the skillset they provide.
Peyton’s Pie Company
The advantage of a downtown car show is that it allows you to explore and experience the local businesses and restaurants at your leisure. During our walkabout, we were fortunate to run into Roland Stanley, the co-owner of Peyton’s Pie Company.
In addition to the pizza restaurant, Roland is the founder and owner of Cork It – Wine and Charcuterie in his hometown of Gainesville, GA. We took advantage of our stroll to his establishment to ask a few questions.
Rod Worley – Editor – First off, I like the clever use of “Pie” in the name of a restaurant that specializes in pizza. So how long has Peyton’s been in business, and what makes it distinct?
Roland Stanley – Co-Owner of Peyton’s Pie Company – “So, Peyton’s opened a little over two years ago. We just celebrated our second anniversary on September 6th.
It’s been a great journey, and our incredible staff and team have been a crucial part of that. What separates Peyton’s is that we stay true to the woodfired tradition of the original pizza makers.
Often “woodfired” pizzerias use gas to heat their ovens. Instead, we use actual wood because it adds a unique flavor and helps the cooking process.
Along with a few ingredient secrets for our sauce and dough, our American woodfired process gives you a nice crust crunch with a soft inside reminiscent of an Italian-style, traditional pizza.”
While I may not be a professional food critic, I know my way around a good pizza. I can tell you that a woodfired oven with a revolving turntable makes a real difference you can taste.
Bringing People Together
In our experience, few things in life can bring people together faster than a shared meal or a shared passion. This event combined both in the historic downtown streets of Flowery Branch, Ga.
All in all, this was a fun event, especially getting the chance to experience the shops and restaurants. Had the weather been in their favor, there is no telling how many Corvettes Fred Fletcher and the LCU club could have brought to the event.
We know one thing for sure, even in the rain, Lanier Corvettes Unlimited showed they could deliver.
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