Ohio Corvette Owners Raise Funds for The Village Network

WOOSTER, Ohio - August 25, 2008 - More than 150 Corvettes converged at The Village Network -Boys' Village Campus (TVN) on Sunday for the 10th annual Mid-Ohio Corvette Club event. Some of the Corvette owners were local. Others were from New Philadelphia, Mansfield and Canton. For most of them, it is an annual trek.

"This is a not the normal Corvette show. There's no judging, no prizes, no competition," said Kirk Spurgeon, owner of Spurgeon Chevrolet and founding father of the Mid-Ohio Corvette Club and the TVN event. "We are here for a fun afternoon, a good meal and most importantly to raise money for The Village Network."

The Village Network-Boys' Village Campus is one of 11 networks of care throughout the state of Ohio that specialize in the treatment and care of troubled and traumatized youth.

The Corvette owners do not pay to participate in the event according to Spurgeon. The funds collected are from club donations, a live auction and sponsorships of the remote control car races. TVN's official remote control car track is a result of dollars raised by the Mid-Ohio Corvette Show.

"These Corvette owners not only open their wallets, they give total access to their cars," said Spurgeon. "They trust these boys more than they trust the average citizen. At most shows, these owners go out of their way to keep the crowds at a distance. Here they let the kids touch and sit inside the cars."

In the past, the Corvette event originated at Spurgeon Chevrolet. Because of its size, it now starts at the Wayne County Fair Grounds where club members from across Ohio meet and greet. Then they tour through Wooster to the Boys' Village Campus on Rt. 585 just south of Smithville. The event on TVN-Boys' Village Campus is closed to the public.

The Buckeye Corvette Club, Canton, Ohio, has been a regular at the TVN outing over eight years. The 150-member club is the largest club in Eastern Ohio.

"We really promote this event to our membership because we strongly support the work done here for the kids," said Roger Flading, vice president, membership. "We love the cause and everyone has a good time and a great meal."

Flading recalled an incident at last year's event that left a valuable impression on him. He was busy visiting with several Corvette owners and got to the lunch line late. In front of him were six TVN youth. When they saw Flading in line, they all stepped back and despite his protests, they insisted he go first.

Classic Glass Corvette Club out of New Philadelphia brought nearly half of their members to the event. The club organized in 1980 and has participated in the TVN-Boys' Village Campus Corvette Show for several years.

"It's a good cause and we have a fun time," said Dave Spurlock, president, Classic Glass Corvette Club. "We are proud to be part of the group that built the remote control car track and we continue to support the kids. I'm sponsoring a car in today's race."