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FULLY LOADED

Special surprises are in the works for 50th anniversary convention

By Gary Hanson

Don’t wait another minute. Convention 2005 is just around the corner. The Volkswagen Club of America’s 50th anniversary convention is June 24-26.

The festivities will begin southwest of Chicago, in Naperville Ill. The Northeast Illinois Volkswagen Association is proud to be hosting Convention 50 at the Courtyard by Marriott hotel in Naperville.

On Friday, the hospitality suite will open at 2 p.m. to welcome all to Convention 2005. Photos and memorabilia from conventions past will be on display to spark memories and conversations with fellow VW enthusiasts both old and new. We encourage you to bring your favorite photos and memorabilia to share.

Later we will catch some dessert at the end of an Ice Cream Cruise. As a special treat, we are making arrangements with a local movie theater (maybe even a drive-in) to view the new Disney Love Bug movie “Herbie Fully Loaded” on the première night. Just think of all those VWs old and new alike in the parking lot.

Saturday will have a rallye and/or scenic caravan, general membership and trustee meetings, a sit-down 50th anniversary dinner and awards presentation. There even will be some time for relaxing and enjoying the pool, reminiscing with friends.
Convention 2005 will wind down with one of the area’s largest all-Volkswagen car show and swap meets, held at Bill Jacobs Volkswagen in Naperville. All convention attendees are invited to participate. Admission to the car show is included in the convention price.

All this and more (some details are still being worked out) for just $45 per person. Kids 12 and under are just $10. Hotel rooms start at just $69 per night for a king with sofa sleeper, or two queen beds for $79. Hurry and register now, conventions like this happen once in a lifetime. You don’t want to miss this one.

We are also offering an event T-shirt for the 50th VWCA anniversary with the 50th anniversary logo on the back for only $12 for L and XL, with convention registration. XXL shirts are $13. If you have already sent in your registration, you will get an order form with your confirmation.

Special License Plate: The Northeast Illinois Volkswagen Association is again offering Illinois special event license plates commemorating VWCA’s 50th anniversary.

For vehicles licensed in Illinois, these are legal plates that may be displayed on your vehicle starting 60 days before our event. These plates expire on Sept. 18, 2005.

However, due to a missed deadline, the plates will not be available till early June. The only vehicles that are eligible to display special event plates are passenger cars, B-trucks and recreational vehicles weighing 8,000 pounds or less.

The vehicles must be currently registered in Illinois and the owner must keep the regular license plates and registration ID in the vehicle at all times.

We are offering this program to all VWCA members residing in Illinois to give you the opportunity to participate in the special event plate program. If you would like to participate in this part of our 50th anniversary convention celebration, we will need a completed request form (PDF) and a readable copy of your current Illinois registration card for each vehicle that special event plates are requested for.

Cost is only $20 per set plus a $5 mailing fee. If you are unable to attend the convention, you may still participate in the special plate program.

A limited quantity of these plates has been produced, so please send in your request as soon as possible. The state of Illinois allows us to order only once, and we want to be able to meet demand.

Some plates are available for sale as souvenirs to non-Illinois residents and you can order them on the form and pick them up at the convention. You can email Gary Hanson for more information.