About POCI and their Hurricane Chapter

Founded in 1974,  Pontiac-Oakland Club International (POCI) is the world's largest gathering of Pontiac enthusiasts.   The international organization is dedicated to the preserving and enjoying of every single Pontiac ever assembled between 1926 and the present time.  You don't have to own a Pontiac to join POCI just have the desire and interest in the Pontiac hobby..   Each year, POCI hosts a national convention in a different city of the USA.   About 1,000 Pontiac lovers gather and they bring with them 400 to 500 beautiful Pontiacs.  What a sight! 

POCI has much more information about the international club at www.POCI.org.   All member benefits are listed along with how to join and receive the monthly, award-winning "Smoke Signals" which has a great Pontiac-only parts and cars for sale section.  You won't find this stuff on e-Bay.

So what is "Oakland"?   That would be Pontiac's predecessor automobile manufactured in the same Pontiac, Michigan plant between 1908 and 1929.  You see,  the Pontiac marque was actually "born" after the Oakland in 1926 surviving Oakland after its 21-year run.  

Back at the turn of the new millenium (okay, the year 2000),  two POCI members residents of Miami, Marvin and Joe, got together and formed POCI's chapter number 62.  Monica, Marvin's wife, also joined the startup effort becoming the clubs secretary/treasurer.   Marvin became president and Joe vice-president.   Next we needed a name,  but the first choice of Flamingo Chapter didn't go well with GTO and Firebird.   So,  Monica chose "Hurricane Chapter" given our geographic location right smack in the middle of hurricane alley.   Besides,  VP Joe was (and still is) a hurricane research scientist doing all that fun hurricane stuff like riding airplanes into the middle of those ferocious storms.

We started out with 20 or 25 members and then one day there were 125.  Today we hover in the 100 member-zone thanks to the tireless efforts of secretary/treasurer Monica.  

Over the years there have been some leadership changes   Marvin and Joe stepped down.  Joe is a full-time scientist once again, but Marvin still dabbles in the club website and newsletter.  Along the way we picked up a fantastic president Topless Tom (1967 convertible Grand Prix) and vice-president Ray with his third-generation 1981 Trans Am.   We also have a great board of directors - all of them die-hard Pontiac fanatics (see the current officer list here). 

The Hurricane Chapter is well-poised for the future.   Our mission remains the same:  to gather all the Pontiac enthusiasts in West Palm Beach, Fort Lauderdale, and Miami for the simple purpose of enjoying their Pontiacs.     Each month we host a cruise-in to a different part of South Florida.  We also host two car shows (one in April and one in October).   And to close out the year,  the grand finale is the regional Pontiac meet that we call "Pontiac Pow-wow-WOW" each November inside the world-famous Daytona International Speedway in conjunction with Turkey Rod Run which itself unites over 5,000 show cars and 3,000 vendors.

Want to join the Hurricane Chapter of POCI?  Drop Monica a line at:  POCIHurricane@ATT.NET

 

Thanks to the power of the internet,  there is such a wealth of information available about Pontiacs that was previously locked up.  Try typing in "Pontiac" at www.Google.com and see what happens!   eBay is also a great place to find parts four your Pontiac restoration project but watch out for those shipping and handling charges. 

In the paper world there is much to be found in the pages of "Hemming's Motor News" as well as in the pages of POCI's monthly magazine, the "Smoke Signals.".