Fellow members of C3VR,
I started C3VR 12 years ago to give C3 enthusiasts a place of their own on the web. There were a number of sites that covered all generations, but none that focused solely on the C3. I thought it would just be cool to have a website for folks to chat online about C3s. What I didn't expect to happen was something much more.
C3VR became a place where people made strong, lifelong connections with other people.
What started as relationships online, became meeting up with each other in person at
member gatherings, the first of which was in Hershey, PA in 2003, and various national Corvette events. Has turned into important friendships with folks meeting up with each other on a personal level, just for the hell of it - not for a Corvette show - but because they want to see each other again.
Ok, this sounds like a dating site now, but those of you that have made these friendships know what I mean.
I know the group we have here is relatively small compared to the likes of the other big Corvette sites out there, but I think that is what makes our group so special.
I know I've mentioned before that one of my original intentions was for this to become a money making endeavor to become my full time job. And as most of you know, that never happened. I still work full time for "the man." And over the past 10 years (and especially the past 4) I've spent my non-working time with my family and being a part of Cub Scouting. My wife also works, so if she's not home, I'm watching the kids. I've considered that it would make my life easier if I were to abandon my VR sites, but I can not bring myself to let them simply disappear. I know there is a great bunch of folks here that would be very upset if C3VR went away. Not that that would keep you from keeping your connections with the friends you've made, but it would take away the hub of these friendships. So, you've probably noticed that I am not around here as much as I once was, but please know that I am keeping an eye on things here, and with folks like Norsky and Adams' Apple "having my back" when I'm not able to tend to things, you can count on C3VR being here for you.
It was hard for our members to loose some of our most well known members recently - Butch and Jani. Of course we've lost others over the past 12 years too, and each loss hurts. Which proves what a tight group we have - that losing them is felt so deeply by so many here.
It's also nice to know that we have each other in times of need. We're not just another website. We're a family!
I appreciate the support of this family and I am so glad to have come to know you all and have had the privilege to meet many of you in person over the past 12 years. I hope to see those people again, and meet even more of you over the next 12 years!
Happy 12th Birthday, C3VR!
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-Adam Wartell
NCM Lifetime Member #1222
Founder: C3 Vette Registry
C4 Vette Registry, C6 Vette Registry
My first Vette, now owned by JB79: