Club Information
Mailing Address:
Iowa Chapter BMW CCAPO Box 42113
Urbandale, IA 50323
Join the Club:
If you are as enthusiastic about driving your BMW as we are about ours, then we want you as part of
the Club!
Membership
Application
Connect With Us:
Chapter Elections 2025 — Officer Nominations
We’re just starting the ball rolling on plans for the chapter’s annual membership meeting. Our current plans are to hold the event in the middle of March at the same venue as last year, the Des Moines Golf and Country Club.
As those plans come together, it’s time to solicit nominations for positions on the chapter’s board. In addition to the officer positions of President, Vice President, Secretary and Treasurer, we have members serving in five “at-large” board positions. The election will proceed the annual membership meeting, with results provided by the club’s national office at the event.
Board members meet monthly, usually via video conference, and all members welcome on the call. If you are interested in and/or have any questions about serving on the board, please contact me at the email address below, or any of the current board members as listed on the Newswerks masthead. Contact any of those same members to be added to the invitation to our monthly meetings as well.
Serving in these roles is a rewarding experience and having a strong board of directors is key to continuing all of the fun things the club does!
Mike Myers
president
BMW Informal Social – Local Eats Food Court in the Merle Hay Mall, Des Moines, IA at 6:00 pm – January 14, 2025
Another fan favorite, the Local Eats Food Court at Merle Hay Mall offers a variety of cuisine from Maid Rite to Mexican and Vietnamese. We’ll get started a little earlier at 6:00pm this time as the food vendors tend to shut down by 7pm.
Location
Merle Hay Mall
Local Eats Food Court
3800 Merle Hay Rd.
Des Moines, IA 50310
BMW Informal Social at 6:30 PM – A Dong, Des Moines – February 11
Low-key spot serving Vietnamese & other Asian cuisines behind an unassuming brick facade.
Location
A Dong
1511 High Street
Des Moines, IA 50309
Annual Dinner & Awards Banquet –Des Moines Golf and Country Club – March 15
Save the Date
Expect detailed information on how to RSVP on the chapter’s website and via email once we have additional details.
Awaiting Additional Events – Under Construction
BMW Informal Social at 6:30 PM – Lua Brewing, Des Moines – November 12
Come see why Lua earned both a spot as one of the top 50 breweries in the world and awards for best restaurant and one of the best restaurants in Des Moines (Catch Des Moines) in just its first 18 months.
Location
Lua Brewing
1525 High St.
Des Moines, IA 50309
Watches & BBQ, Johnston – Saturday, November 16, 11:30 AM Lunch first
If you like BBQ, cars and would like to learn more about watches, join us Saturday, November 16 at 11:30 at Cactus Bob’s BBQ, 5955 Merle Hay Road, Johnston, just two blocks north of Watch and Clock Jct.
After lunch the will head over to Watch and Clock Junction, 5785 Merle Hay Road, Johnston from 12:30 to 1:00 pm.
Watch and Clock Jct. repairs watches, clocks, and provides many accessories including watch straps and display boxes. They are authorized dealers for Seiko, Bulova, Citizen, Alpina, Frédérique Constant and Delma.
In addition, they have a large display of pre-owned estate watches in their newly expanded show room.
We look forward to seeing you Saturday, November 16 at 11:30. Be sure to sign up so I can provide the restaurant with a head count. Contact Gene “Chip” Nelson with any questions and to sign up. 515-822-1627.
Location
Watch and Clock Junction
5785 Merle Hay Road
Johnston, IA 50131
Planning Meeting (Virtual) – November 23 at 3:00 PM
Is there a shop, vendor, public event or even a member’s garage you’d like the chapter to visit? A particular driving tour or event you’d like to participate in organizing? Any past chapter events you particularly enjoyed you’d like to see happen again or have a input on how it should be improved? Have you recently moved to the Iowa Chapter and recall an event from your prior home chapter that you think deserves a try here?
It’s the time of year to draft a plan for the chapter’s 2024 calendar of events. You’re welcome to attend our annual planning meeting that will be held virtually on Saturday, November 23rd (Thanksgiving is quite late this year!) at 3 PM.
If you have ideas you’d like to discuss or submit for club activities, please submit them to any of the chapter board members or RSVP for the event at president@bmwia.org. A link to attend the meeting will be provided to any member once their RSVP is received.
BMW Club Wine Tasting – Evening of Tuesday, December 10, 2024 6-7pm+
Allan and Gina Graham, owners of the Johnston WineStyles Tasting Station, and long-time supporters of our club activities, have offered to host a wine tasting event Iowa Chapter members on Tuesday, December 10th at 6pm. Cost of the tasting is $10.00 per person.
Here’s how it works: We have reserved spaces for 12 members with the first to RSVP with Rick Talbot, rickminir59@gmail.com or 515-782-1429, to snag a spot. Allan and Gina will provide us an overview of each sampled wine, its origin, growing region and winemaker background and then encourage participants to voice their opinions on the wine. They are knowledgeable and fun hosts. You will also have the opportunity to purchase a pizzette or perhaps a cheese, charcuterie and cracker plate or even some tasty snack mix to accompany your paid wine tasting. They typically also have a couple of regional craft brews on tap for anyone who prefers a bier (intentionally mis-spelled ja wohl !).
So that Allan and Gina can setup for the confirmed number of BMW Club participants, please RSVP to Rick Talbot, 515-782-1429 or rickminir59@gmail.com , no later than Friday, December 6th regarding your intentions to participate. Check out WineStyles wine, beer and cheese selections at: https://winestyles.com/johnston/. Their store is located at 8460 Birchwood Court, #500, Johnston IA 50131 (just north of I-80; east side of 86th Street, behind the new Canes Chicken in the small retail strip center).
Here’s another idea/suggestion…with holidays approaching, the evening might also be an opportunity to purchase a gift membership for one of their wine, beer or cheese clubs; “checking that box” for someone special? Besides a very large selection of wines for purchase, there’s also a large variety of wine related gifts available…or maybe a special box of hand-selected chocolates? See…we’re trying to help you all out here!
Hope to see you at the event! Please support our local small businesses!
Location
Wine Styles
8460 Birchwood Court, #500
Johnston IA 50131
Tire Rack Street Survival April 28th, 8:30AM-4:30PM at DMACC in Ankeny
The primary emphasis of the Tire Rack Street Survival® is a “hands-on” driving experience in real-world situations! We use your own car to teach you about its handling limits and how you can control them. The students will become more observant of the traffic situation they find themselves in. They will learn to look far enough ahead to anticipate unwise actions of other drivers. As the students master the application of physics to drive their cars, they will make fewer unwise driving actions themselves. They will understand why they should always wear their own seatbelts, and why they should insist that their passengers wear seatbelts, too.
It’s about more than driving – it’s about LIVING!
Three parents, including Scott Goodyear, former Indy Car Champion, share their perspectives in this video.
All Schools $125.
See our FAQ page at: www.streetsurvival.org/frequently-asked-questions.php
Any questions after reviewing the FAQ page call Bill Wade, National Program Director, @ 502-649-4871 (8 am – 8 pm EST)
Location:
Des Moines Area Community College
Location: 2006 S. Ankeny Blvd.
Ankeny, IA 50023
