Thomas W. Rogers, Founder/President
Thomas W. Rogers started Organizing and Promoting Deer Creek Cruising Classics as a company back in the early spring of 2002, and is the Founder of this Company and it's related Car Shows. The 1st Annual Deer Creek Cruising Classics Car Show was on September 22nd of 2002 which was a great success and the largest event to come to Deer Creek Illinois up to that time. As part of his efforts to get this car show off the ground he enlisted Dave and Pam Lester of Deer Creek Illinois as "Volunteers" to help further assist with the planned annual car shows. But the car show was only one part of the larger event, The Celebration of Fire and Rescue Workers Everywhere that he also founded at that same time, and set up the date of the event as the third weekend of each year to HONOR all Fire and Rescue Workers everywhere about 11 days after the anniversary of 911.
Later, in 2003, when Thomas W. Rogers personal life fell apart and he suffered greatly due to an alledged very long term major financial betrayal by his wife of 22 years, (Tom quoted as saying: some say I went crazy, and as in all betrayals of this magnatude, I probably did) Dave and Pam Lester stepped forward to continue their "volunteer" efforts to keep the car shows moving forward in the same direction as was originally established by Thomas W. Rogers from day one. when Pam Lester felt she couldn't continue volunteering to promote the event, Tom Utley stepped forward to do so, for which we are all very grateful. The Village of Deer Creek has made efforts to continue the car show, but as a "Company" we believe the status of the "Company" and it's management should be now more centralized to give us a solid direction for our continued growth. Thus, we are establishing rules and guidelines for the Celebration of Fire and Rescue Workers Everywhere and the Deer Creek Cruizin Classics Car Shows.
Since 2002, the car show event has struggled and as many of you know, "dog food" as a goody bag just doesn't do much to make a great event, which alledgedly, Tom Utley thought was a good idea. But, for those of you who recall the first show, and how wonderful it was, a large part of that was in fact my direct promotional efforts as well as money that I generously put up to make it a success. Now, I am trying, and once again, I have those who want control of this event, but from day one, this has been and continues to be my dream. According to federal copyright law, I own the name of this event since I came up with it and the variations back in 2002 and "published" these names on different printed material. I then published the web site and copyright it on top of that, not counting the corporate status. But from day one individuals have attempted to block my involvement in this event and take it from me to an extent I can not even discuss publicly. However, this event will move forward one way or the other, in Deer Creek Illinois or at another location closeby.
So, as the first Meeting of the Board of Directors of the newly Incorporated Company "Deer Creek Cruising Classics, Inc." as of May 15, 2008 begins our new business, establishes new rules, regulations and goals for 2008 and beyond, we all look forward with high hopes once again with Thomas W. Rogers as our guiding force. As continued efforts move forward, assets of the company begin to grow again, we look forward to wonderful new car shows in the future. At the same time, the Board of Directors of the newly Incorporated Company as "Established" in 2002 looks forward, they must also look back to insure that all rules and regulations were followed, with proper paperwork put in place. The first bank account established back in 2002 in the "Company's" name and related assets injected into the company must all be re-organized and secured before new business can be conducted. Also, the printing, trademarks put into place and paperwork established, records, ect., must also be updated and examined to validate what has taken place since this has been, up to this point, strickly a loosely ran "Volunteer" based organization. The IRS has certain regulations and requirements, as well as documentated filings that have to be made when raising money for a non-profit cause. As a result, we are asking the IRS for assistance in gathering needed information to validte and verify such filings were in fact made.
One part of the Celebration that Tom Rogers wanted to build and couldn't up until now, was the Motorcycle Jamboree and Motorcycle Rode ...which as of 2008, this now is starting to come together. It was hoped and possibly next year, that this event would grow into a three day event. Mr. Scott Neman came aboard to help organize this part of the event and from there, he brought in Mike Kendred to organize the bands, as well as Dan Pheonix with the band Pheonix.
On September 21, 2008, a new era for the Celebration of Fire and Rescue Workers Everywhere evolved and split from Deer Creek Cruising Classics as the festival outgrew the Village of Deer Creek Illinois location. The web site then split leaving behind just Deer Creek Cruising Classics information on this web site as the new site began being privately and more professionally being built.
In closing, from day one, it has been the Volunteer Efforts of many who have kept this wonderful event moving forward in Deer Creek Illinois, just as it will take in the years to come as we now move on building this event in As we raise funds for Volunteer Fire and Rescue, lets not forget our cause. For this is how we Honor those individual Volunteer Fire and Rescue Workers Everywhere.
Mr. Castleberry, Deer Creek Cruising Classics, Inc.
Related Tradenames, Trademarks, Registered Domain Names, ect. are available upon request. All material is copyrighted, and trademarks and tradenames date back to the spring of 2002, under Thomas W. Rogers ownership, now currently being transferred thru certain agreements to the actual corporation. May 9, 2008, and Officially Incorporated May 15, 2008.
Deer Creek's Cruisin Classics, Deer Creek Cruising Classics, Deer Creek's Cruzin Classics, Deer Creek Cruising Classic's, Deer Creek Cruising Classic's Car Show, Deer Creek Car Show, Deer Creek Cruising Classic's Car Club, Celebration of Fire and Rescue Workers Everywhere, Fire Rescue Festival, Fire and Rescue Festival and variations of that wording are all used and owned by as well as other related variations of our company's name, tradenames, dba's, and trademarks are in various stages of registration and are the sole ownership of Thomas W. Rogers and Deer Creek Cruising Classics Car Shows, Inc., a fully Incorporated Business in good standing in the State of Illinois and as copyrighted thru such online and printed publications since first published in 2002. Deer Creek Cruising Classics Car Show, Inc. is just one of these many names and the variations of them that ALL stand for the same event.
All printed or electronic media or material, tradenames, trademarks, dba's, and variations off such are copyrighted and owned solely by Thomas W. Rogers and the Deer Creek Cruising Classics, Inc. as a car show promotional company.
Copyrights/tradenames/trademarks 02/08/02 05/09/08