Just buy a new Mustang and looking to spice it up? Check out the 2011 Mustang Wheels that are available at American Muscle

Ford Round-Up Well Attended

Published: 5/04/11

Memorial Day Parade

Published: 5/04/11

Area Clubs Form New Car Club Association

Published: 2:00 AM - 5/04/11

Five area car clubs have joined to form the Car Club Association of New York. The mission of the association is to have area car clubs work together to schedule shows and events, without conflicts, and to have multiclub events.

The five clubs that make up the association are:

The clubs are represented by their respective presidents and vice presidents, and chaired by Donna Kessler of the Times Herald-Record "My Ride." The recording secretary is Steve Gonzalez of the Mustang Club.

The Association would like to invite other area car clubs to consider joining the Association. For more information, call Steve Motola at 973-809-4052.

The first two meetings were held at Panera Bread in the Town of Wallkill. The next meeting will be May 19, at a location to be announced.

Club Profile: Mustang Club of Orange County

Published: 2:00 AM - 3/28/11

Mission: If you own a Mustang or are thinking of buying one and have been looking for a local Mustang Club, here is your chance to get involved with one right in your own backyard. You don't have to own a Mustang; you just have to have the love of the American muscle car.

In existence: MCOC is 4 years young. Started by Steve Motola and Joe Rememter in October 2006.

Meeting info: MCOC meets the first Thursday of every month (unless that day is a holiday) at Erie Bar & Grille in Middletown at 7 p.m.

Club activities: Weekly Saturday night cruise-ins start in mid-April and ending at the end of October, with each week having a different theme. MCOC is involved with the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF) by participating in the Walk for JDRF held in September and a yearly raffle and show program held at its cruise-ins. MCOC is also involved with the MS Walk in April by organizing a Mustang display (weather permitting) as well as participating in the walk. The club also does a yearly Mustang exhibit for the VA Medical Center at Castle Point and collects toys for Toys for Tots every December. MCOC also has good relations with other local clubs and is present at their shows or when they need help with a show. MCOC members are constantly in touch with bimonthly newsletters and are on Facebook.

Club cruises: Weather permitting, the club members will meet from midApril through November as a group/club and attend other car clubs' shows and cruise-ins as well as conducting tits own cruises to different places such as Bethel Woods, Mohonk, Bear Mountain and other places of interest that are family-oriented.

Club shows: MCOC holds two all-Ford car shows (spring and fall) where a portion of the proceeds are donated to charitable organizations (this year and last year, the charity was JDRF).

Contact: Steve Motola (smotola@mustangcluboforangecounty.org); URL: www.mustangcluboforangecounty.org

Halfway Through The Winter Gathering - A Hit!

Published: 2:00 AM - 3/23/11

Car folks celebrate the cruising season

DONNA KESSLER/Times Herald-Record

On March 5, members of the local car clubs gathered together to celebrate the halfway mark to the start of the cruising season. The Halfway Party was hosted by the Mustang Club of Orange County. There was an abundance of great food and drink. Partygoers filled the community room at the Otisville FCI Employees Training Lodge in Otisville; in fact, they ran out of chairs. The event featured great food, music, a slide show and a cake with the MCOC logo on top. There was a moment when a Saturday Night Cruisers logo snuck in, too. Presidents of the local car clubs shared in the cutting of the cake; from left are Steve Motola of the Mustang Club of Orange County, Mike Muntz of the Saturday Night Cruisers Car Club, Bob Hull of the Orange County Antique Auto Club and Bob Sprague of the Tri State Car Club. It was a wonderful evening with everyone sharing what they are all passionate about, and everyone can't wait to get out there and cruise, together.

Published: 2:00 AM - 12/22/10

In June, California Mustang Parts Magazine held a photo contest for old and new Mustangs. Sydney Bayer and her son, Steve, both members of the Mustang Club of Orange County, entered their Mustangs in the contest.

Sydney owns a 2005 Mustang GT convertible, and Steve owns a 1988 Mustang GT. Well, Steve's car ended up being one of the 12 finalists. In the end, Steve's car was selected the winner and is featured on the cover of the magazine's November issue.

Steve's car was the Bayer family's first new Mustang. The family has had several Mustangs over the years. This one they acquired at Sunshine Ford in Newburgh for their daughter. After she got married, the car just didn't fit into married life with children, so instead of getting rid of the car, Steve bought the car from his sister.

The 1988 Mustang GT is unrestored and was a daily driver. However, it never saw snow. As soon as the first snow falls, the car is stored in the garage until spring. His car has won numerous trophies. Now that it's on the cover of a national magazine, he can show it off to thousands of Mustang fans.

Donna Kessler

Published: 2:00 AM - 11/08/10

Well, the season has come to a close. Gone are the cruises, bike nights and car shows until the spring. Seems like an awfully long wait to me. But the show that sums up the season for me and leaves me with good memories is the "My Ride Reunion Show" hosted by the Saturday Night Cruisers. This year's show was held on Sept. 26 in the Price Chopper parking lot in New Windsor.

This show is not just for My Ride Ride of the Month winners, it is for EVERYONE. All of you who read My Ride. All of you who have appeared on the pages. All of you who just plain share my passion. This is my opportunity to show my appreciation and, the best part of all, is being able to hang out with you all at the show. It's also a great time to see the Ride of the Month winners up close in the special display area.

Bob Bradley's 1999 Prowler was my very first Ride of the Month winner, and the car was there for all to see. Bob Gayton's 1958 Divco Model 13 Milk Truck was a huge hit with its cow-mooing horn.

Matthew Balkowski's 2003 Mustang Mach 1 was equally impressive sitting amongst the other Mustangs from the Mustang Club of Orange County. And who could have missed Tom Crone's 1968 Camaro "Sinister" sitting right beside my booth.

Brian Carey rolled in with his his 1969 Charger RT and his 1975 Plymouth Fury Custom patrol car (the official "Dukes of Hazzard" appearance squad car for Sonny Shroyer, who played Enos on the CBS series). They were quite the pair!

Gillin Custom Design & Upholstery displayed Rich Rizzi's 1965 GTO, which recently graced the cover of High Performance Pontiac, and the awesome 2010 Right Coast Giveaway Project Nova.

I can't say enough to thank the members of the Saturday Night Cruisers Car Club for hosting this show. Equally, I want to thank everyone who came that day. A total of $400 was raised for the Times Herald-Record People for People Fund. I also want to thank the trophy sponsors, Gillin Custom Design & Upholstery, Saturday Night Cruisers, Roger Dwyer Agency, John Abrams & Associates Insurance and Marcelinos Pizza and Restaurant.

It's gonna be a long winter. But spring will be here before we know it, and it'll be time to dust off our rides and hit the cruisin' road again. Until then, enjoy My Ride and have a great holiday season, and I hope to see you all at next year's Reunion Show.

Published: 2:15 PM - 10/20/10

On Sept. 26, members of the Mustang Club of Orange County participated in the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation Walk at Chadwick Lake Park in Newburgh under sunny skies. From left, front row, are Kaylah Gonzalez, Nicole Ramos-Gonzalez, Steve Motola, Sydney Bayer and Christine Ramos; back row, Steve Gonzalez and Phil Harter. They raised $1,000 and hope to double that after donating proceeds from their TV, Clock & Gear raffle. First prize is a 26-inch LCD Sharp Aquos TV; second prize, Craftsman clock; third prize, MCOC duffel bag. Tickets are $5 and proceeds benefit the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation. Call Steve at 973-809-4052 or Joe at 346-5312, or you can purchase tickets at the Saturday Night All-American Cruise-in at Boston Market parking lot, 400 Route 211, Town of Wallkill, from 4-9 p.m.

Published: 2:00 AM - 09/15/10

The All-American Muscle and Classic Car Show to benefit the Littman Cancer Center at St. Luke's Cornwall Hospital was held Aug. 29 and brought in more than 80 vehicles. The Mustang Club of Orange County organized the show with St. Luke's Cornwall Hospital. Included in the show was a tricky tray, and the hospital staff conducted blood pressure screenings and there were discussions on sleep apnea. A tour of the new unit was also conducted. The show was a success and the Mustang Club is happy to report a profit of $3,000 for the Littman Center.

Published: 2:00 AM - 09/13/10

The Mustang Club of Orange County was awarded the President's Award from the Mustang Club of America at the National Show held Labor Day weekend.

To qualify, the club had to have at least 100 points, points gained from distributing its monthly newsletters, parade participation, organizing and attending local car shows, weekly cruise-ins, memberships, national judges, MCA membership and sponsoring a local charity. The club scored 210 points.

The Mustang Club of Orange County is a dedicated and hardworking club that never hesitates to help wherever it is needed. Keep up the good work, and congratulations!

Visit www.mustangcluboforangecounty.org.

Donna Kessler

Published: 2:00 AM - 08/02/10

Published: 2:00 AM - 06/28/10

On May 30, twenty-two Mustangs, all members of the Mustang Club of Orange County, participated in the Bloomingburg Memorial Day Parade. Club member Joe Rementer towed the club trailer and had family members waving flags and tossing candy to the parade spectators. After the parade, the club set up its club tent behind Memory Lane Ice Cream Stand and sold raffle tickets for its raffle, which includes a first prize of a 26-inch Sharp TV with built-in DVD player; second prize, a Craftsman clock; third prize, a club duffle bag and T-shirt. Tickets are $5, and only 300 tickets will be sold. Proceeds from the raffle will benefit the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation. The drawing will be held Oct. 30. The Mustang Club of Orange County meets at 7 p.m. the first Thursday of each month at the Olde Erie Brew Pub & Grille at 7-11 W. Main St. in Middletown. Call Steve Motola at 973-809-4052 or Joe Rementer at 346-5312, e-mail joerementer@yahoo.com or visit www.mustangcluboforangecounty.org for info.

Published: 9:45 AM - 04/28/10

Members of the Mustang Club of Orange County participated in the Walk for MS April 17 at the Goshen Historic Track. Despite the rain and cold, the team did the five miles. As a team, they raised more than $1,000 for MS.

Donna Kessler

Published: 2:00 AM - 01/26/10

Staff Sgt. Christopher J. Dragon, coordinator of this year's Hudson Valley Toys for Tots campaign, was looking quite sharp in his Marine uniform amongst a sled full of toys as he greeted visitors coming to Orange County Choppers Holiday Event on Dec. 12. Dragon was hoping to get enough toys for around 4,000 children.

This year there was more of a need, and donations were down a little, so OCC decided to match every toy that was brought into the dealership that day. OCC also donated a portion of the proceeds from the sale of WWE die-casts. "Businesses that put the boxes out and the community that donates are really what helps," Dragon said.

Adding donations to the toy effort was Moroney's Harley-Davidson, who donated the toys that they had left over from their toy run, and Steve Motola and Joe Rementer of the Mustang Club of Orange County brought over two big boxes of toys that the club had collected for Toys for Tots.

The holiday event at OCC treated visitors to autograph signings, music by the New York School of Music and local choirs and a chance to meet Santa and have their photos taken on the OCC Christmas Bike.

Donna Kessler

Published: 2:00 AM - 12/30/09

The Mustang Club of Orange County collects for the Toys for Tots campaign at its annual holiday party every year. This year club members did things a little bit differently. Steve Motola set up at the McDonald's on Route 208 in Montgomery, where the club holds its cruise nights in the summer, and took in donations of toys. In the end, he took in a huge number of toys, and on Dec. 12 Steve and Joe Rementer delivered huge boxes of toys to Orange County Choppers Headquarters where Staff Sgt. Christopher J. Dragon, coordinator of this year's Hudson Valley campaign, was accepting donations. Considering that the toy drive was in desperate need of toys, the Mustang Club's donation was a godsend.

Donna Kessler

Published: 2:00 AM - 08/24/09

Six members of the Mustang Club of Orange County had a unique opportunity to attend the Mustang Club of America National Car Show in Raleigh, N.C., on the July 4 weekend. It was hosted by the Heart of Carolinas Mustang Club and was held at the State Fairgrounds in Raleigh.

More than 400 cars participated in the show, including Mustangs from 1964 through 2010 and everything from Shelbys, Cobras and Bullets-GTs to straight 6's of every color. Out of the six members of the club who attended, five took home trophies as well as the club itself. Yep, they were one of the clubs with the most participation. Well done and congratulations!

Donna Kessler

Sydney Bayer, a member of the Mustang Club of Orange County, contributed to this story.

Published: 2:00 AM - 06/29/10

About 200 Ford, Lincoln and Mercury vehicles packed the Sunshine Ford parking lot on Route 17K in Newburgh at the Mustang Club of Orange County's third annual Mustang and Ford Spring Roundup held May 31.

The ponies were definitely a hit at this show. The first one that I spotted was Richie Sanderson's 2004 Mystic Chrome Cobra. Richie belongs to the Adirondack Shelby Mustang Club (www.adirondackshelbymustangclub.org) and drove down to the show from Altamont. His Mustang is gorgeous. The paint alone is an eye-popper, and it gets better: The steering wheel and the leather seats change color. Everyone was circling the car, watching the colors change in the sun. Under the hood is the Terminator motor. There were only 495 convertibles of these cars made, and Richie owns No. 156. Yep, it comes straight from the factory the way you see it.

Up and down each aisle I went, admiring every awesome ride. The perfect sunny day brought out a large number of spectators. The refreshment stand was definitely packed.

The club is still collecting for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation and had a table set up at the show for interested folks. They collected about $100 and tossed in $500 from the proceeds from the show. They will be presenting the check at the walk in Newburgh on Sept. 27.

Members of the club also showcased their own rides, which aren't too shabby either. You can check them out at their Saturday Night All American Cruise-In held at McDonald's on Route 208 in Montgomery starting at 5 p.m. Visit www.mustangcluboforangecounty.org. Want a Mustang of your own? Visit www.sunshinefordlm.com. If you love Fords, Lincolns or Mercury's, this was definitely the show for you.

If you are interested in joining the team from the Mustang Club of Orange County at the JDRF Walk, e-mail Steve at smotola@frontiernet.net.

dkessler@th-record.com

Published: 2:00 AM - 06/01/09

Despite the cold and rain the night before, members of the Mustang Club of Orange County covered 4½ miles during the Multiple Sclerosis Walk at the Goshen Historic Track. Over 400 walkers participated in the event.

The club is also raising funds for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation. A portion of the proceeds from their Spring All Ford Car Show held on May 31 at Sunshine Ford in Newburgh was donated to JDRF.

The club's Saturday Night All American Cruise-In is held at the McDonald's on Route 208 in Montgomery at 5 p.m. every Saturday through Oct. 31. Meetings are held at 7 p.m. the first Thursday of each month at the Olde Erie Brew Pub & Grille on West Main Street in Middletown.

Call Steve Motola at 973-809-4052 or Joe Rementer at 346-5312 or visit www.mustangcluboforangecounty.org.

Donna Kessler