By Jordan Studer
news@wbcowqel.com
The beautiful summer weather Saturday brought a large crowd to the annual car show in Bucyrus. For 25 years, a downtown June car show has been hosted by the 4 C’s Car Club, but they decided it was time to pass the torch onto some other community members. So, the Bucyrus Fraternal Order of Police Lodge #68 stepped up and hosted the show this year, naming the event ‘Cruisin’ with the Cops.’
Bucyrus Police Officer Jo Stahl, one of the individuals heading up the event, explained that when the 4 C’s Car Club decided they would no longer be organizing the show, the FOP jumped at the chance.
“We didn’t want to see Bucyrus lose this event, so we took it over just this first year. We’ll see how it goes, but we are already ready for next year. So it’s not going to end here…We picked up where they left off… you’re going to see much of the same thing as in years past, we did not re-invent the wheel, we did not have anything to fix,” Stahl said.
All proceeds for the show went to Bucyrus Little League, Bucyrus Area Youth Soccer, and Operation Hope for Christmas. Stahl was proud to say that every penny made from the car show went directly back out into the community.
The weather couldn’t have been more beautiful for car owners to come out and show off their treasured cars. Around 500-700 cars entered the show, and many additional attendees came out to see what cars were out and about.
Ed Howard of Willard brought out his 1963 Anniversary Gold Edition Chevy Impala Super Sport to have a little fun. Though he just got the car in the fall of last year, it represents some sentimental value from his younger days.
“Back in the day when I met my wife… the first car that I had when I met her was a ’63… it’s not that I drive the car every day, it’s a fun car to get out and drive when I do drive it,” Howard explained.
Sitting under some shady trees enjoying the day were car owners, and brothers-in-law, Art Owens and Roy Crose. Both men have many years of car showing under their belts and said they have loved every minute of it.
Owens brought out his car he dubbed his “Rat Rod,” a vehicle that had Chevy running gears on a Toyota frame and a Ford cab.
“I’ve been doing the car show about 25 years. But I’ve had 22 cars since then,” Owens laughingly explained.
Crose decided to show off his newest ride, a 1965 Ford Falcon he purchased about a month ago. Crose has been car-showing since about 1988.When asking the two brothers what keeps them coming back to car shows, Owens was quick to respond.
“I’ve met so many people… and seen so many cars. People I’ve never known before, I’ve met them at the car show. I’ve made a lot of friends in this business.” Owens reminisced.
By the looks of the attendance and the smiling faces of each attendee, the community showed their appreciation for the continuation of the car show. Many expressed just how thankful they were that the FOP decided to pick up hosting the beloved event.
One attendee, and car owner Junior Morgan, explained his thoughts when he heard the car show may not have been taking place this year.
“I was sad! I thought, ‘We gotta have that car show,’” Morgan said.
Morgan explained his relief and excitement when he heard the show would be continuing.
According to Stahl, the FOP is excited and already has details for next year’s car show in the works. Overall, the 2017 Cruisin’ with the Cops Custom & Classic Car Show was a community hit.
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