WOODBURY- With the calendar set to turn to November, the excitement of October on campus will be hard to match. One of last month’s highlights was the Nonnewaug FFA alumni “Kickin Country¨ Car Show that began the fall season, where the event raised money for scholarships and sent some attendees home with prizes. “Kickin’ Country” had more than 600 vehicles on campus. Students, alumni, and community members were invited to show their modern and classic cars, trucks, and tractors for a chance to win awards.
¨The car show is the largest fundraising event for alumni, and no other fundraiser makes as much money,” stated Lee Whalen, Woodbury FFA Ag director. “We collected around $17,000 solely from the car show. Every dollar raised is given back to the students for scholarships, SAE projects, National FFA Convention, or travel programs in April.”
On the morning of the event, cars showed up ahead of schedule to ensure they could park at the show. Numerous vendors were present, including ice cream and food trucks, local shops, and complimentary face painting offered by Nonnewaug’s National Art Honors Society.
¨It was nice that we were there getting to paint kids’ faces and other members of the school. It’s a great opportunity to engage with the community and showcase our organization and its activities,” stated Sophia Starr, president of the National Art Honors Society. “I believe the car show should keep expanding, and despite the fact that we didn’t make much money for our society, everyone had a great time looking at the vendors and prizes.”
One aspect that sets this car show apart from others is the handmade trophies. “Students hand make awards using old car parts and weld them together,” stated Whalen. “These creations come from both former graduates and current students in the Ag program, who prepare for months ahead to design these trophies.”
The Woodbury FFA Alumni also play a significant role.
“We begin meeting regularly in the summer, and the alumni distribute flyers to local car shows as well as to those showcasing their cars. They even attend car shows in New York,” Whalen explained. “Additionally, we require 30-40 adult volunteers to assist; it’s a big task to ensure that we have enough volunteers for directing traffic, coordinating cars, and arranging vendors.”
The Kickin’ Country Car Show is a chance for the community to unite while supporting the Woodbury FFA Friends, Family and Alumni Association, along with the agriscience program at Nonnewaug High School.
