By Larry Tucker
If you crave the time gone by when street rods and muscle cars ruled the day and “American Graffiti” is your favorite movie, the Lake Country Classics Car Club has the answer.
Classics and Coffee Cruise-In
Every third Saturday of the month through November the club hosts a “Classics and Coffee Cruise-In” from 8:00 to 10:30 a.m. on the north side of the county courthouse in Quitman. There are no entry fees while coffee, kolaches, and donuts are free for participants. There are also several door prizes given away during the cruise.
The club seeks to bring together car enthusiasts who are interested in vintage automobiles and trucks, especially street rods and muscle vehicles. “The club doesn’t require you to own a classic car or truck. If you enjoy talking about cars, trucks, or motorcycles, this is the place for you. The goal of the club is to serve the community and promote public knowledge through parades, car shows, and other events. The club wants to display a favorable public image of the hobby,” club President David Terrell said.
Charter club member Larry Barnes has been with the club since its inception. “We are proud of our November Coffee Cruise-In. That is when we do our Christmas Toy Drive when we fill up the classic trucks and cars with toys we donate to the Rainbow Room in Quitman,” Barnes said. “We also do a food drive, and we donate those items to the Quitman Sharing program every year to help out folks during the holidays. We always look forward to new members. We are an open and family-friendly group, and it’s only $35 for the whole family to become members.”
Although the Cruise-In is not a competition event, Quitman Mayor Rand Dunn chooses a “Mayor’s Choice Award” for his favorite vehicle.
Club Activities and Officers
The Lake Country Classics Car Club is active throughout the year with different activities. The club meets weekly on Thursdays for coffee and conversation at 8:00 a.m. at the Country Kitchen in Quitman on Lane Street, across from UT Health Quitman.
The club gets together for a barbeque yearly and makes plans for a fall cruise. November is a big month for the Coffee and Cruise-In Saturday, when vintage pickups and other vehicles are filled with toys as the club does its best to bring Christmas to needy families in the area. Club members also collect canned goods and other food items to help out families who might be in need during the holidays.
Members are able to download a current list of upcoming car shows on the club’s website.
The club members come together at their regular monthly meeting on the second Tuesday of each month at 6:30 p.m. at Red Dome restaurant in Quitman. Members start gathering around 5:30 p.m. if they want to eat before the meeting begins.
The club is led by President David Terrell, Vice President & Special Events Coordinator Gary Novian, Secretary Chuck Holt, Treasurer Diane Stone, and Public Relations Coordinators Karen Terrell and Geneva Holmes.
What the Members Say
The club used to have an annual car show. “We started having it at Jim Hogg City Park in Quitman, but when it grew so much we had to move it to the Mineola Civic Center, because we had more than 300 vehicles come. We have not had a big car show since then. And after the Covid thing, we got reorganized and started having the Coffee and Cruise-In,” Barnes said. “We used to meet up at the Quitman Dairy Queen, but it got so well-attended that R.T. (Bridges) and I decided it was time to start our own club.”
Jack Brown and his wife, Marsha are new club members, joining in the past year. Jack, at a young 83 years old, lives between Quitman and Winnsboro and enjoys the club. “We joined because we enjoyed the older vehicles, and there is a lot of camaraderie with all the other members,” Brown said. “I have restored a 1981 GMC Cavalier with a new engine.”
The club’s Coffee and Cruise Saturdays begin in March and stretch through November. Craig Bryant and his wife, Debbie, drive over to the Cruise-In from their home in the Hideaway Lake area. “We were looking for a group just like this. The people in this club are great,” Bryant said. “I have a 2007 Mustang 350 Shelby Cobra. The folks in this club make everyone feel at home.”
Brown reminisced about some of the vehicles he remembered while growing up. He learned to drive in a 1948 Ford, and his first car was a 1958 Chevy Impala. “I grew up showing horses, and now I show my car, trading the horses for horsepower,” Brown said.
“We had a fantastic Coffee and Cruise-In July sponsored by Wood County Electric, and there were 55 vehicles in attendance. We even had a tractor at this Cruise-In,” Terrell said. “We have great sponsors for each of our events.
Terrell noted that the club members take their community service seriously. “We had a great time and enjoyed our activities at the toy and food drives in November at the Coffee and Cruise-In. Seeing those faces light up at Christmas is worth it all,” Terrell said. “We love getting the toys to the Rainbow Room here in Quitman.”
Recent and upcoming sponsors are Wood County Electric, First National Bank of East Texas (Quitman), and Origin Bank of Quitman.
For more information about the club and the Coffee and Cruise-In, contact the club at 319-238-1070 or 910-478-8721, or email david.a.terrell1@gmail.com or gncrete@yahoo.com.