Reminiscing the Picnic in the Park

Reminiscing the Picnic at the Park

AJ Moffitt, Staff Writer Dave Castrillo and Andrew Moffitt, Event Photography

On a gorgeous Sunday afternoon at Sugar Sand Park in Boca Raton, the Gold Coast Region of the Porsche Club of America gathered at the Family Pavilion with some PCA Junior members for a day full of food, festivities, and fun. From babies and toddlers to adults and seniors, the day provided fun for kids of all ages, including some kids at heart. Called Picnic at the Park, the event took place from 9:00 am until 2:00 pm on March 6th, 2022, and was organized by Dottie Kidd. Dottie is not only the Autocross Registrar for GCR, but she’s also a member of the Social Committee, and she runs the PCA Juniors for the area.

PCA Juniors started about ten years ago at the national level, and Dottie was one of the first Gold Coast region members

to sign up. “I signed up my two grandchildren. There wasn’t much in the beginning,” she explained, “But now… now they have an email that goes out at the beginning of every month to the parents with children listing things that they can do. This email is brand new.” How many people work on the PCA Junior program at the national level? Just two, but that doesn’t stop the region from getting new members. Today there are over 250 Juniors signed up as part of the PCA Gold Coast Region, and more than 20 of them participated in the Picnic at the Park. Did you know that over 60 members and guests, young and old, showed up to play?

What type of families participate in Juniors events like these? All types! Friends Borys Kedziora and Ron Potter are both Porsche owners, both members of PCA, and both had a grand time with their kids. Ron became a member of PCA in the Chicago region about 20 years ago when he owned a 944. He has participated in other PCA events, though this was his first PCA Juniors event. He was glad there was something he could do with his wife, Rebecca, and his daughter, Lilliana. Borys, who joined PCA about ten years ago and recently rejoined, was also thrilled to bring his wife, Brittany, and their two kids, Olivia and Reese, to have a little fun. Ron told us, “In the past, I did many things with PCA, like the dinners and club racing events. But that was before kids, so it was a different environment. Today’s event is kid-friendly, and it’s awesome. Having kids, you are always looking for kid-friendly things to do. Being able to combine two things you love–Porches and your kids–it’s wonderful,” and Borys was quick to agree.

Nicky and Juan Carlos Galvez, parents to Mia and Lucas, live in the northern part of the region. Their kids are looking forward to other events. Juan Carlos tells us, “They always say, ‘Oh, I want to learn how to judge a car, and what to look for in a car.’ I think it’s really cool.” Though they didn’t have that opportunity at this event, they still had a blast.

The day started with participants arriving at Sugar Sand Park and checking in at the Family Pavilion located near the carousel. At check-in, each child participant was given a bright green t-shirt with the PCA Juniors logo proudly displayed on it, along with a name tag to help them meet new friends in the group. Kevin Wheeler from KMW Motorsports graciously donated t-shirts. It was easy to locate the PCA participants amongst other park guests because they were wearing these bright green shirts. Breakfast and snacks were available in the tent throughout the festivities. Sweet treats included apple pastries and chocolate cake, while potato chips, cookies, and other snack foods were only an arm’s length away. For beverages, participants could choose from coffee, water, sodas, or juice boxes. When not snacking, the kids enjoyed the swings, the jungle gym, and participating in a scavenger hunt. They had an array of toys to play with, they did some fun arts and crafts, plus they made stylish visors adorned with stickers, built wooden cars, and painted pretty butterflies. It was an event-filled day, and it seemed that everyone had a great time overall.

Some groups were made up of more than moms, dads, and kids. Julie Gonzalez enjoyed the day with her husband, Raul, and their kids, Haley and Alyson. But Raul’s brother, Mario (Sr.), and his wife, Lisette, could also partake. Though Mario and Lisette’s son, Mario Jr., has “junior” in his name, he’s aged out and is no longer a Junior PCA member. Even so, the three were happy to enjoy the day and volunteer at the event. Mario Sr., who has been a PCA member for about four years, said, “I love the club. I love to help out Dottie and Steve. I volunteered before on the poker run in Miami. And we’re already signed up for the Gimmick Rally on March 12th at Everglades National Park.”

Extended families also like to join in the fun. Shelly Sapp, along with husband Chad, son Wollek, and niece Leona, gleefully attended. Shelly and Chad love Porsches so much that not only have they been PCA members for over 25 years, but their son was even named after Porsche driver “Brilliant Bob” Wollek of Sebring. Though Leona’s green shirt got wet at the splash pad, that didn’t stop her from having a great time with her cousin and the other kids.

Partying with PCA Juniors wasn’t all that the day had to bring. The 2021 Enthusiasts of the Year, Noemi and Nestor Sanchez, took the chance to celebrate dad Felix Penton’s 87th birthday at the park since it fell on the same day. To celebrate, a large and scrumptious sheet cake, one side chocolate and the other yellow cake, was served to all the guests.

What if you don’t have kids but want to be social and help the PCA Juniors? Not a problem! Some PCA members came out just to volunteer and lend a hand. Take Kevin Jones, for example, who started with PCA in 2008 but has owned Porsches for more than 30 years. Kevin started with the club in Kentucky where he used to live, but he wanted to be of help at the outing–and a helper he was! Along with other members, Juan Carlos Galvez and Paul Laya, the three tended the fire at lunchtime, cooking up flavorful bratwurst, savory hotdogs, and delicious burgers for all who attended. Supportive club members, like Carolyn Ditrichs, showed up just to help clean up after the celebrating ended. At PCA, we’re always eager to accept a helping hand!

Do you want to join the next PCA Junior event, but your child isn’t a member? We can fix that! Any child under the age of 18 who is registered by a current PCA member can participate in the program. That means you can register not only your sons and daughters but also your nieces and nephews, your granddaughters and grandsons, and more! Registration for PCA Juniors is free, and participants in the program receive a welcome package with an age-appropriate gift along with a PCA Juniors ID badge. Sounds pretty cool to me! For information on the PCA Juniors program, contact Dottie Kidd at dottiekidd@bellsouth. net or 954-562-5919. Please note registration is not a PCA Membership. Visit https://www.pca.org/pca-juniors to learn more about PCA Juniors and to find out about the next great Junior’s events!