Coker Tire Company will soon celebrate its 50th anniversary. That means a bunch of Christmas parties! My Mom and Dad started the tradition of having a Coker Tire family Christmas party when I was a just a boy. I was much younger and bet I didn’t even have gray hair or a mustache back then, but its been so long I can’t remember that. I can remember having our company Christmas gatherings in our house or down at the barn. Steve Jackson, one of our “old timers” reminded me about having one of our Christmas parties in the loft of the barn at the Coker Farm. (We might have even had a few there!). I remember many long time employees and families long gone but who played an important part of who we are today and how we got here. Bradley, Big John, Rick, Alton, Ed Westmoreland, the Higgins, brother David, Marguerite and so many I can’t name em all. All helped us get here.
We enjoy hosting our employee’s spouses and children. Many of us can remember our kids coming when they were babies and grammer school ages. Many of those same kids are all grown up now! There are gifts at our Coker Tire family party for all the kids brought by a jolly old Santa (looks a lot like my pop). It sure is great to see the whole family all at once. I have heard it said that you can conquer the world but if you don’t have health, happiness and family, you ain’t got much! I really enjoy seeing the whole crowd together especially the kids. Christmas is great when the kids are smiling and laughing. I really am thankful for our business and customers when I see how many “family members” are impacted by Coker Tire.
We have been renovating our headquarters facility (more on that later…) and this year, we had our Christmas party for the first time in “the Warehouse” which is a big old 1920 era brick building which has been fully restored and houses some Coker collectible cars, trucks, buses n bikes. It is really pretty cool, so stop in some time and see it and our junk.
We had a great time together and ate a lot of great food thanks to caterer Terri Myers. Santa cruised in to the Warehouse in a bright red 51 Ford convertible. He was met by 30 or 40 wide eyed, happy kids and parents.
Casey did a video blog or two which has already been posted. Chris Evans and Aaron finished up our 2008 catalog just in the nick of time to snap a few photos.
Casey invited her friend Corey, from Kansas. We had our special friends, Mike and Carol Crutchfield with us up from Montgomery. Tracy and Kathy Scrader’s son Sean was home from on leave and brought Tracy’s new granddaughter. He was sure proud!
Our crew at our retail store was represented well with all of their kids too.
A good time was had by all, including yours truly. You can see more pictures at the Coker Tire Photo Gallery.
On the road again to Fresno to celebrate Christmas with our Coker left coasters!
Merry Christmas to all and Happy Holidays too!
From the road,
