— Daily Freeman-Journal photo by Courney Sogard Family of 3 Doodle Bug generations are pictured at the reunion. The Smith family, Kristi, Matt, and Dave, with grandchildren front left, Mason 9, and MayAnn, 11, sit astride two of their own Doodle Bugs, carrying on the tradition their dad and grandfather started decades earlier.

As their sign boasts above the parts’ booths out at the Ed Prince Building, “There are no strangers here … just gray-haired twelve-year olds you’ve never met.”

That was certainly the case for visitors when entered into their domain, where anything and everything having to do with Doodle Bugs and the individual history of each motorized scooter will be discussed with the “Doodle Buggers” themselves if you allow them to, and in the process a sort of familial bond will begin to form over the shared love of these WWII era scooters.

That familial bond can be taken quite literally when referring to the Smith family, who had 3 generations in attendance for the 32nd Doodle Bug Reunion this past weekend. Dave Smith along with his son Matt, daughter-in-law Kristi, granddaughter MayAnn, 11, and grandson, Mason 9 have been coming to the Doodle Bug reunions as a family since the grandkids were born, but the tradition began back in the 90s, with Grandpa Dave bringing their dad Matt out when he was just 9-years-old himself, according to Matt.

“Scooters are fun to ride,” said Mason Smith, after winning a first place pin to adorn his Doodle Bug hat after competing in an obstacle course on Thursday morning. The obstacle course consisted of a 2 by 6 wood plank and a zig zag pattern made up of milk jugs that Mason was able to maneuver in just 28 seconds, making him the 2018 obstacle coarse winner.

Paul Gorrell, along with wife, Shirley, have been showing some of his own creations that he has built upon over the years, such as the 2 Crosley 4 Cylinder engines joined into a V8 engine displayed within a 1947 Doodle Bug. Gorrell has presented this particular Doodle Bug nationwide in states such as Indiana, Missouri, and even New York, before bringing it back to where it was first created over 7 decades ago to share the ingenuity behind such an invention with other avid enthusiasts like himself.

“A lot of first time people were in attendance this year, some who had just heard about it and decided to attend on the spur of the moment,” said Vern Ratcliff, one of the Doodle Bug Club members. “Most of the people coming out looking for parts, or to buy or sell their own scooter were successful in doing so.”

Among the other events taking place at the reunion, their was a record set for the annual Saturday night banquet, in which 68 were in attendance, according to Jerry Wells, another long time Doodle Bug Club member. The other success was the $5 pork burger dinner hosted by the Future Farmers of America, in which the turn out almost doubled from what their goal had been, with all of the proceeds going to the FFA.