With the exception of an occasional, often drool-inducing sighting in a parking lot or a rare fleeting glimpse on the highway, most Staples students have never gotten the chance to view the engineering wonder of a Ferrari sports car up close.
However, the Staples Car Club has been able to provide that enriching experience to its members on more than one occasion. Last year, through the help of Southport’s Classic Car Gallery, the club was able to provide a showing of a 1987 model Ferrari.
While further attempts to have a Classic Car return have been spoiled by the weather, the club is still as active as ever. In November, a Consumer Reports automotive tester made presentation about what his job entails and also partook in a question & answer session.
Unlike mainstays such as the Key Club or Staples Players, the Car Club is relatively young, now entering it’s fourth year of existence.
“It all started when some seniors created a car club when I was a freshman. I was their first member,” said Jack Ewert ’12, one of the club’s three presidents. “After they graduated, I kept it going.”
Because he used to work as a motorcycle mechanic and formerly repaired his cars himself, math teach Bill Wilkes was a natural choice for adviser. Wilkes enthusiastically added that the fact that the Classic Car Gallery allows him to take the cars they bring out for a spin has been a huge bonus.
According to him, the club provides it’s members with important skills that they will be able to utilize for the rest of their lives.
“I feel strongly that every driver should know how to change a flat tire and jump start a car with a dead battery – you never know where or when you will get ‘stuck’,” Wilkes said. “I hope to see the club do another ‘Fix-a-flat Day’ and ‘Jump Start Day’ in order to educate other drivers here at Staples.”
When no special occasions are scheduled, the club’s members try and learn as much as they can about their shared passion from each other.
“Students often put together a power point presentation on a specific car and discuss its history, if it has racing heritage, and what it’s unique qualities are,” Wilkes said.
Still, at the end of the day, the club’s main objective remains being a fun place for car aficionados to hang out and just talk cars.
“We try and make things as chill as possible so as to not scare off anyone who’s interested in the club but dosnt have the time or energy for a big commitment,” tri-President Ross Dener ’13 said.
