43
Mahoning Valley Olde Car Club’s Cars in the Park draws crowds, benefits boy
Photo
Ed Swaneck stands by his 1957 Corvette at the Mahoning Valley Olde Car Club’s 33rd annual Cars in the Park in Boardman. The Corvette only has 20 miles on its odometer.
Photo
Proceeds from the Cars in the Park show at Boardman Township Park went to the family of Hunter Shaffer, a 4-year-old New Waterford boy with refractory epilepsy, a seizure disorder. Hunter munched on Pringles in the arms of his mother, Dana Shaffer.
BOARDMAN
When Ed Swaneck graduated high school in 1957, he dreamed of owning a new Corvette.
Swaneck was making 50 cents an hour at a grocery store and couldn’t afford the $3,600 price of a 1957 Corvette.
But three decades later, Swaneck had the money for a ’57 Corvette, purchasing an orange one in 1988 for $35,000. Since then, Swaneck, of Boardman, has put about $50,000 into the car, making it 99.1 percent factory original. When he bought the car, it had two or three miles on it. Today, it has 20.
Swaneck’s 1957 Corvette was among the 250 or so classic vehicles on display Sunday at the Mahoning Valley Olde Car Club’s 33rd annual Cars in the Park show at Boardman Township Park.
Swaneck also owns four other Corvettes — 1978, 1980, 1997 and 2007 models — but the 1957 is his pride and joy, and the one he brought to Sunday’s show.
The vehicle caught the eye of Shawn Olson of Vienna, who carefully studied what was underneath the car’s hood with admiration.
“It’s a beautiful car,” he said. “This is high-end and rare. It’s worth a lot of money.”
Olson goes to about a dozen classic-car shows a year, and has loved vehicles since he was a kid.
Several hundred people attended the show.
Proceeds from the show went to the family of Hunter Shaffer, a 4-year-old New Waterford boy with refractory epilepsy, a seizure disorder. His parents said medication hasn’t controlled the seizures.
Hunter was diagnosed when he was 21/2 years old, said Dana Shaffer, his mother.
“This show is a blessing,” she said. “We’re very, very excited to be a part of it. [The money] will definitely help. I grew up at car shows with my father. This is really nice.”
Hunter’s father, Jeremy, said he was also thankful for the assistance provided by the car club.
“It’s been a great turnout,” he said.
Hunter didn’t say too much as he was busy eating Pringles.
But he had a fun day, adding he really likes orange vehicles, particularly “4-by-4s.”
The club raises money every year at this show for a young child in need, said Rich Posivak of Youngstown, the group’s show chairman.