HISTORY

On January 12, 1991, at Shoney's Restaurant on Rivers Ave., twenty-one people got together to set up a club for the venerable VW Beetle. We Started with Ron Wike as our first president and Al Stiles as vice president, with Rick and Ruth Carlson as the secretary and treasurer.

The first monthly newsletter came out that same month and items discussed were yearly dues ($12.00), goals of the club, establishing by-laws, designing a club logo and the wide variety of club member's cars. The variety was as interesting as the members who drove them -- a '63 and '70 Ghia were now valued members, as well as a '73 camper, several mid-70s Beetles, a Thing or two and an '83 Vanagon. 

One of the club's goals was to be a center for technical expertise, where we could pool our knowledge and help anyone with a VW problem (simple or complex) and the price of membership was small when it came to getting help within the club! Lots of information passed between members and a good rapport soon was established. 

Shortly after we formed, an article appeared in the Charleston newspaper to help spread the word and membership increased to 32 paid members by the end of March 1991. With increased membership, serious discussion about organizing car shows, road trips, building a technical library and sponsoring a local organization started. 

With all this enthusiasm brewing, something was bound to happen. In March of that year, the monthly meeting was held at the Cinema 8 Movie Theater at Northwoods Mall where 15 new members were signed up before the meeting! Afterwards, a total of 31 VWs gathered to form a caravan which then headed out to Old Dorchester State Park. On the way, they received lots of admiring looks and a great time was had by all! 

With the club off to a good start, various projects began to materialize. Project Days were planned, so if anyone needed maintenance and extra elbow grease to keep (or get) their Vee-Dub on the road but didn't have the expertise or tools to do it, this was the way to go. 

Members who had the talents and tools pitched in to work with other members and liberally spread the knowledge (and grease!) around. If there was something you didn't know about your car by the time you started, you certainly knew it by the end of the day! (Sometimes that was a good thing, other times not!). 

Today, the Lowcountry VW Club is well established. Our members attend shows throughout the year, throughout the Southeast. Our cars have taken honors for Best Original Class, Best Modified Class, and "Under Construction" to name a few. But our greatest efforts go to support the kids at Camp Happy Days and Special Times, "The Loving Answer For Children With Cancer"; a non-profit organization providing emotional and financial support to children with cancer and their families throughout the Southeast. 

We, the proud members of the Lowcountry VW Club, intend to be around for many years to come and warmly welcome owners of all VW types/makes/models to come and join us as we look forward to the future...

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