ROBERTSDALE, Alabama — The Gear Jammers Car Club members have participated in numerous car shows and cruises throughout Baldwin, Mobile and Escambia counties in Alabama and Escambia County, Fla.

The year of 2011 we had a number of new members join our club, bringing the number of members to 66. They are from Baldwin and Mobile counties.

The Car Club sponsors three events during the year, first, hosting the Fallen Heroes War Memorial Cruise-in at the USS Alabama Battleship Park on Oct. 15. We have cars from Mississippi, Florida and Alabama attending this event.

The Club presents a very good program and a fly over of vintage airplanes during the program. This year the event raised $6,000 with donations from the participating vehicle owners, selling chances on a rifle, a crochet American Flag and donations from business owners where the club members participated in cruise-ins.

President Gary Peterson, along with the club members, presented a check for $6,000 to the Battleship Memorial Committee on Dec. 7. This was on Pearl Harbor Day and that amount brought the memorial fund to the goal of $150,000.

Committee Chairman Nathan Cox of Spanish Fort has stated that the work on the memorial has begun. Peterson would like to thank all those who participated in the Oct. 15 cruise-in, the business owners who donated to the memorial fund and the car clubs that have participated in the past events to help make this memorial a reality.

This memorial will honor all the soldiers from Alabama who have made the ultimate sacrifice for their country’s freedom, in the Iraq and Afghanistan wars.

The second event is the adoption of half of the veterans at the William F. Green Veterans Home in Bay Minette. For Christmas the Gear Jammers Car Club and Robertsdale Rotary Club members bring gifts to their adopted veterans and share Christmas with them and bring a little happiness to them, which they all enjoy. We all enjoy bringing some happiness to our military heroes, who have so bravely served their country.

The third event was hosting the car show during the North Baldwin Chamber of Commerce Christmas Fest in Bay Minette. This year’s show brought in $1,032 and the money will be divided between The Lighthouse, a home for battered women and children in Robertsdale, and the Baldwin County Humane Society (BARC) in Fairhope. The lady Gear Jammers selected the two charities.

We are all looking for another good year.