Driver Happenings

This page has been re-named "Driver Happenings" and will feature Better-Bilt Alumni, Family, and Friend's Get-Togethers and "Happenings".

2012 Driver-Alumni Breakfast Photos

Click on the 2011 Breakfast Photo truck to see the 2011 Driver Alumni Breakfast Photos.

Click on the Blue Flatbed to see the 2010 Driver Alumni Breakfast photos.

This page features our 2009 Driver Alumni Breakfast photos.

	Waking up to 15 and 20 degree temperatures on Saturday, December 12th, 2009, it was amazing that we had anyone wanting to get out in a cold car or truck to come out and eat breakfast -- but we did! Our last Driver Alumni Breakfast for 2009 was held at our usual Shoney's in Murfreesboro and though our numbers were small, we still had some great fellowship and memories. I will be mailing out the 2009 Driver Alumni Breakfast DVDs sometime after Christmas. Bill "Camshaft"













	This is a Driver who is ready for any job that might come down the road.... Former Cumberland-Swan driver Richard Foster ( Lucky Devil ) keeps his driver Resume and qualifications in his billfold, as he says, "You never know when I MIGHT want to get a job!" Now I ask you.... Is this being prepared or what?


I thought "Charlie" from the Farm Bureau TV commercials had walked in but it was only Bobby Reeves, and of course, Miss Evelyn!






	One of our regular Breakfast Alumni found himself headed to Salt Lake City, Utah on this day. Shown at left is Diane Gary, wife of Harold Gary, showing Harold's Breakfast Club post card. I told Miss Diane to tell "Snake Doctor" he would have to "buy" his way back into this club by buying everyone's breakfast at our next get-together! Thanks to everyone who braved the cold weather to come out. Merry Christmas everyone! "Camshaft"

	Our Breakfast Club held our Fall Breakfast at the Murfreesboro, TN Shoney's on Saturday October 24, 2009. Again, Miss Kimberly was our wonderful hostess. Our numbers were small this time but considering the weather, the College Football Games, and the MTSU Homecoming in town for the day, we still enjoyed some great food, wonderful fellowship, and good times.



For the Better-Bilt drivers, this breakfast was an extra special treat as Hueland Biggs ( Plowboy ) was able to make the breakfast with his daughters Nancy and Meleah along with grandson Dillion. We had not seen Plowboy for several years and his visit just made this breakfast all the more special.
















	I want to thank Meleah Carter, Hueland Biggs' daughter, shown below left for sending me a couple of the group photos with Hueland. My camera suffered a malfunction of some sort during some of the group photos and turned out too blurry to use. Shown below is daughter Nancy and grandson Dillion.



	Our next driver/alumni breakfast will be held at the Murfreesboro Shoney's on Saturday December 12, 2009. Cards will go our the week of Nov. 20th. Bill

We held our June 27th Driver Alumni Breakfast at the Shoney's Restaurant in downtown Murfreesboro on June 27, 2009.

We had our quarterly Better-Bilt Aluminum/Swan Drugs Alumni Driver Breakfast Saturday June 20, 2009 at the Shoney's restaurant in downtown Murfreesboro, TN.

Shown at right with Miss Kimberly, our wonderful waitress for this month's breakfast is left to right: Jimmy Jackson, Better-Bilt, Gary Johnson, Dixie Car Haulers with Nissan, Hubert Tucker, Swan Drugs, Miss Kimberly, and Herschel Campbell, Better-Bilt.

The private meeting room, the breakfast buffet, and Miss Kimberly keeping the coffee cups full made for a great breakfast and wonderful fellowship.

Thanks, Kimberly and Shoney's!

	I want to thank Jimmy Jackson (Dagwood - Better-Bilt) for bringing the model Cumberland/Swan Drugs truck to our breakfast. I have been hoping some of our neighbor/drivers might find some photos I could start using in this section of our website.
Jimmy's wife Ruby worked in the Cumberland-Swan plant for a number of years. My thanks to Miss Ruby for finding this truck and to Dagwood for bringing it to the breakfast.
	First-time visitor to our Breakfast Club was former Cumberland-Swan driver Wayne Shockey and his son. I kept asking if he was related to George Shockey, one of the Cumberland-Swan drivers who came to our last breakfast. I never did get an answer to that....maybe I should ask Sugarfoot? Thanks for coming, Wayne!

We were really glad to see David and Pam Prater at this breakfast. David, known on the CB as "D J" is still driving for Better-Bilt, even the company is now known as MI Home Products. Thanks for coming! Bring Buford and Georgia next time!

	Another "first-timer" to our Breakfast this time was Hubert Tucker, known to all as "Quarterback" Shown at left are former Cumberland-Swan drivers Bob Graham ( Big Foot) on the left and Hubert Tucker on the right.


	Who says the OLDER we get we can't act like our kids did sometimes???? Former Better-Bilt driver Bobby Stevens (Rolaid Kid) announcing his arrival.


	And yet another first-time visitor to our breakfast was Don Voss, seated at right in the picture shown left. Don was, for many years, the crew boss whose crew either went into a store ahead of the driver or got there as the driver did to help set up Better-Bilt displays and check on any major warranty problems with our customers. The gentleman seated on the left is none other than Raymond Oakley, known as "Dixieboy". He was a Cumberland-Swan driver for many years.

We had 18 drivers/wives at this breakfast with many first-timers. We also missed 6 from our previous breakfast in February and we hope see them as well as the first-timers who made this breakfast, at our next breakfast, most likely to be held this fall. A special note to our first-timers, anyone can be a "repeat offender" by coming to our breakfasts. I hope everyone had as much fun and enjoyed the fellowship as I did. Anyone wishing a photo CD with these pictures can get one by calling me at 615-400-9989 or by sending an e-mail. For e-mail, just use the "E-Mail Webmaster" button located on the main page of this website.

Shown at left, obviously enjoying his retirement, is Dane Starkey, who was our Better-Bilt Company Rep in Florida along with his brother Mark for many years.

Dane retired in 2006 and Mark Starkey, with his son and son-in-law now operate Starkey Associates in Jacksonville, FL.

During our Golden Years at Better-Bilt, anyone who ever had to do a "switch-out" at a Lowes or Home Depot got to know Dane Starkey well. He and his brother Mark were always known as two of the few company reps who made sure to talk to the drivers who delivered to the customers. Dane was seen inside a Better-Bilt trailer on many occasions helping the driver unload large orders to help keep the driver on schedule.

	We got our 2009 Better-Bilt Aluminum/Swan Drugs Alumni Driver Breakfast off to good start despite a chilly, windy, rainy Saturday morning on February 28, 2009. We met at our usual Cracker Barrel Restaurant on Chaffin Place in Murfreesboro about 8:30. Despite the weather, we had 17 turnout for some great fellowship, memories, and food. One thing for sure........ there are many memories between the drivers of Better-Bilt Aluminum Products and Swan Drugs of the 1970's through the 1990's. No two companies could be located next door to each other and yet seem so much like family to one another. And still --- we have other drivers in this alumni group from yet other companies of that era who share weekly asphalt memories from those times as well. For a few hours, we return to those times. It is good.
Pictured above are former Better-Bilt drivers Joe McDaniel (TN Pony) Left, Ken Young (Silver Whip), and Bobby Stevens (Rolaid Kid). Shown at right at former Better-Bilt drivers Herschel Campbell (Green Hornet) and Buford Prator (TN Charlie).
Shown in the photo at right are George Shockey (Sugar Foot), former Swan Drugs Driver, Bobby Reeves (Bobcat), Teledyne Industries, Harold Gary (Snake Doctor) Werthan Bag Company, and Cecil Roberts (Whiskers), Swan Drugs.
	There would be no better way to kick off our 2009 Driver Alumni Breakfasts than to be honored with the presence of Hosea Magee, shown at left, Senior VP Sales & Marketing (retired), Better-Bilt Aluminum Products Company. 1972 - 1995 During those years, Sales and Marketing also including Traffic and Transportation. And that meant T R U C K S, too!







	Shown at left are former Better-Bilt driver Jimmy Jackson (Dagwood) with Ryder Truck Leasing Technician Ray Cox. Ray moved to Smyrna, TN from Bluefield, WVA in 1985 when Better-Bilt left Ryder for a short time for Leaseway Truck Rental. Ray was the Leaseway Service manager. We liked him so well.....we kept him after getting rid of Leaseway Truck Rental.

It is with sadness that we learned at this breakfast that several of our Swan Drugs Driver Colleagues have passed on in the past that we were unaware of. We will always cherish the memories and miles shared with Hoyt Brother (Big Brother), William Bauman ( Little Beaver), and Jimmy Willis (Screamin' Jimmy). They were some of the best of the breed.

	On Saturday morning, November 29, 2008, Ken Young (Silver Whip) organized a Driver's Breakfast at the Murfreesboro, TN Cracker Barrel off Old Fort Parkway. Some faces and CB Handles who showed up I have not seen or heard from in more than 20 years. Hopefully we will have these Saturday driver Breakfasts more often in 2009. Shown below right are Gary Johnson (Water Bucket), former Dixie Driver who used to haul cars for Nissan, Harold Gary (Snake Doctor), former Werthan Bag Driver, and Ken Young (Silver Whip).

	Some old familiar faces -- Jimmy Jackson (Dagwood), Bobby Stevens (Rolaid Kid), and Joe McDaniel (TN Pony).


Some faces and handles from long ago days -- Bob Graham (Big Foot) Former Swan Drugs Driver
	Bob Crues (Gray Fox) Former Swan Drugs Driver Retired from driving and working part-time "sometimes".
Richard Foster (Lucky Devil) Former Swan Drugs Driver Now driving for Averitt Express

Return to Hammer Down Home Page