Youths pick winners as Boys & Girls Club benefits from Sweet Home charity car event

By Jennifer Moody

Albany Democrat-Herald

SWEET HOME - The vehicles are in place at the Sweet Home Sweet Ride Charity Car Show, and the judges are ready.

They are a hard-bitten lot; tough to impress. They stroll past sparkling roadsters and spit-shined pickups without a second glance.

But Tyler Funk sees the one he wants: a 1965 Mustang, top down, bad-guy black and twice as slick. The 10-year-old awards it his trophy for Kids' Pick.

"I like Mustangs," the Sweet Home boy says with a shrug. "They make a lot of noise, and they're really fast."

Eleven vehicles in all received Kids' Pick trophies at the first Sweet Ride car show, held Saturday on the grounds just south of Sweet Home High School's football field.

Organizer Larry Angland has been going to car shows with his 1965 fuel-injected Corvette for at least 15 years, and as far as he knows, the children's trophies are a first. But it makes sense, he said, to award them at a car show organized entirely for their benefit.

"Since the show's for the kids, we wanted them to have a part in it," Angland said, handing out judging sheets to his pint-sized patrons.

David Lewelling, 13, awarded his trophy to a gleaming orange 1970 Dodge Challenger, while Jake Long, 12, went with a flame-detailed 1930 Model A Ford. "I picked it because it's awesome," he explained.

Luke Flierl, 9, went first with a 1968 Camaro - "My favorite color is green and I have a snake with the same kind of stripes," he said - but came down with judge's remorse upon seeing a dusty blue 1957 Thunderbird.

About 150 classic cars filled the lot for Saturday's show, which was sponsored primarily by the Sweet Home Kiwanis Club. Proceeds will go toward Boys and Girls Club of Sweet Home scholarships, the "Shop with a Cop" Christmas program and a Kiwanis program for children's shoes.

Larry and his wife, Susan, joined the Kiwanis Club after moving from California to Sweet Home in 2007. They wanted to make new friends, become a part of the community and promote services for children. They plan to make the car show an annual event.

"For me, this is all about embracing the community that we love and about bringing people together," Susan Angland said. "I have so many friends now! I just love the people here. They're all about giving."