NORG History

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Published on Thursday, 26 March 2015 20:01

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The inception of the Northern Ohio Regional Group (NORG) began as a meeting between a fellow named Bob Jones who began talking to another fellow, Ken Canankamp. They met at a Swap Meet in Randolph, Ohio, in early 1967. Bob Jones had lived in southern Ohio but moved north to find work in the Akron area. Bob had belonged to a southern Ohio Group of the Early Ford V-8 Club of America. This group, which has since broken up, was known as the Ohio Regional Group, with a mailing address in Newark, Ohio. Both Bob and Ken were members of the National Club but without a regional affiliation. According to the Club history, they were listed as Regional Group #20 in the 1969 September/October issue of the V-8 Times. The V-8 Times is the National magazine published by Early Ford V-8 Club of America. Early club records did not accurately track Regional Group numbers. However the 1970 May/June issue of the V-8 Times suggests that the Ohio Regional Group was #20. This was determined by counting the total number of Regional Groups, beginning with #1, the Golden Gate Regional Group. The Northern Ohio Regional Group was #21 on that same list. However after the Ohio Regional Group broke up, N.O.R.G became #20. The first address was Paris, Ohio 44469. As events unfolded, Bob and Ken discussed forming a Regional Group. Bob knew a number of fellows with early (1932-1940) Ford V-8s and sent postcards to them asking if they had any interest in forming a Regional Group. As a result, significant interest was generated, resulting in a number of these fellows getting together. This provided the genesis of N.O.R.G. The early members included Bob Jones, Ken Canakamp, Gene Baumburger, Eddie Black, George and Paul Fabick, Jerry Firl, Elton (Sonny) Hunt, Ray Moore, Bill Royer, Jack Pratt, Paul Barnhart, Tom Crites, Rick Dahlman, Gary Kittle, Jim Miller, Stan Perenkovich, and Joe Sirgo. The club was officially formed in 1968 and chartered by the National Early Ford V-8 Club of America as Regional group #20. The first officers included President, Gene Baumburger who served during 1968; Vice President, Ray Moore; Treasurer, Joe Sirgo; Secretary, Annette Kittle; and Newsletter Editor, Tom Crites. A note of interest, the Club Newsletter was originally titled The Greyhound. Some time later it was changed to The Headliner. The second President was Bob Jones who served in 1969, followed by Ken Canakamp who served from 1970 until 1977. Ken and Bill Royer have the distinction of being continuous members since the club's inception in 1968. The first meetings were held in members' homes. A few years later club meetings took place in a small room located in the Post Office in Berlin Center, Ohio. When Ken was President, he was in charge of a large number of apartment complexes for a large company in the area. As a result, the club would meet in the clubrooms at these facilities. One member owned a funeral parlor and we even met there on occasion. As with any group, members came and left; however there were about seven or eight couples who managed to provide the stability that was necessary to keep the club together. After seven years as President, Ken was looking to pass the torch so as to instill new ideas and "new blood" into the club. About this same time fellow member John Coleman took a keen interest and volunteered to run for President. John held the office for the next two years and during this time the club experienced a "second wind" which has kept the club successful into this millennium. N.O.R.G. has remained very active both as a Charter member of the Early Ford V-8 Club of America as well as a local car club. Not only has it hosted two Eastern National Early Ford V-8 Club Meets, but it publishes a monthly newsletter, The Headliner, and an annual membership roster. The Club also provides a variety of interesting social programs for its members as well as supporting the less fortunate through an annual charitable donation.