300 cars to be displayed in show

By ASHLEY LUTHERN

Donations are being requested for a Hubbard boy’s medical expenses.

BOARDMAN — The Green Oasis will turn into a paradise for car enthusiasts as the Mahoning Valley Olde Car Club presents its 30th annual car show.

“Cars in the Park” will run from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday at Boardman Park off U.S. Route 224. The event will feature a pinewood derby, auto vendors and a variety of cars from different time periods that will be judged to determine which is the best of the show.

“The worst part of it is judging because the quality of cars is great, and we have a lot of talented people in the area that restore these cars,” said Rich Posivak, car club chairman. “Each year, it’s harder and harder.”

There are 24 classes for cars ranging from Ford Model A from the 1930s to Ford Thunderbirds from the late 1950s. Judging will take place at 1:15 p.m. and prizes will be awarded to the top two cars in each class.

“We have around 200 members, but they are not eligible for trophies at this show because they work the event,” said Dee Tripp, club publicist.

About 300 cars are expected to be on display Sunday, she said.

“We do the Tuesday night cruises at Chick-fil-A [in Boardman] and we’ve been averaging about 200 cars, so this will definitely be bigger,” Posivak said.

New to the car show is a pine-wood derby race for children ages 5 to 17.

“We always have something for the kids,” said Marianne Plunkett, derby organizer. “It used to be displaying model cars, but now we’re trying the derby.”

There is a $1 registration fee for the derby, and registration is from 10 a.m. to noon at the club booth in the park, she said.

General admission is free, but as people enter the gates, the club is asking for a donation to benefit an 11-month-old boy named Addison Michael Sweeney from Hubbard.

Addison was born with craniosynotosis, which is when the skull bones close too soon after birth and the skull no longer can expand normally with the growth of the brain.

The disorder affects one in 4,200 babies each year, but Addison underwent an expensive operation in January that will allow his brain to grow and develop normally.

“We’ve promised the family that we will donate a minimum of $2,000 to help pay for medical fees and other related expenses,” Tripp said.

The club picks three children to honor each year.

“We find out about kids who need help through the club and sponsors, basically just putting the word out there,” Posivak said. “Our board makes the final decision.”

The car club also volunteers in the Valley by hosting events to benefit Hospice of the Valley and visiting the elderly.

“The club goes to nursing homes, too,” Tripp said. “We park in the lot and the residents come and look at the cars, saying ‘I remember having a car like that.’ They really relate to the antiques.”

With the upcoming car show, however, Posivak adds that not only is the club helping Addison, it is looking for the best car in the area.

“If people want to see the best car in the area, they have to come to this show,” Posivak said. “Sharon and Warren have car shows, but we want the people in the Youngstown area to have their own show.”