JA Car show returns to Columbia City

Car registration opens the day, with gate entrance at North Line and Jackson streets. Cars from different decades are welcome as all with gather around the Whitley County Courthouse square to talk shop. The first 100 to register will receive a dash plaque. Registration will close at 10 a.m. followed by judging. Trophies will be given to the top three vehicles separated into categories by decade – 1949 and older, 1950s, 1960s, 1970s, 1980s, 1990s and 200 and newer.

Each year the car show is held in conjunction with the Whitley County Farmer’s Market, which also takes place around the courthouse square from 8 a.m. to noon.

“The car show is always held during the same time as the Farmer’s Market, so the committee wanted to ensure the community was openly invited to both the market and the car show. The two events will run as scheduled to support a community-wide event,” said Kennedy St. George, JA Whitley board member and car show chair.

Junior Achievement, as explained on its website, was founded in 1919 by Theodore Vail, who as president of the American Telephone & Telegraph; Horace Moses, who was president of the Strathmore Paper Co.; and Massachusets Senator Murray Crane. It started as an after school program for high school students with a focus on business education. By 1975 the program had expanded to include middle school grades while in the classroom.

Its program focuses on financial literacy, offering lessons that teach the fundamentals of business, the workforce, financial independence and more. Today the nonprofit can be found in communities across the country.

In Whitley County, JA was started in 1981. The program has since reached more than 2,900 students in Columbia City, Churubusco and South Whitley.

“Inspiring tomorrow is what Junior Achievement is all about, which is why the car show will have more focus as a family event to wrap up the summer,” reads a recent press release.

Part of this effort is supported with new events to the car show focused on celebrating the back-to-school season.

The car show will have several giveaways, 50/50 raffles, bounce houses, rock wall climbing, face paintings, t-shirt printing, food trucks and more. These activities are being brought to the event courtesy of the title sponsor Mercury Broadband.

“We chose this event because we have recently upgraded and expanded our broadband network in the area and wanted to give back,” remarked Tyler Osmon, General Manager for the Indiana market for Mercury Broadband. “We really value being an invested partner with the local community and want to support programs such as this that assist children in their career ambitions and planning their futures.”

Mercury Broadband will help start the day with a ribbon cutting ceremony and check presentation on the courthouse square at 8:15 a.m.

Additional sponsors for this year’s show included Buchanan Auto, City Auto Mall, Old Settler’s Association, Pro Fed Credit Union, Rhoades Automotive, Running Around Screen Printing and Embroidery, Sterigenics, Smith Brothers Towing and the Whitley County Chamber of Commerce & Visitors Center.

Registration for the car show is $15 at the door, and the event is scheduled to take place rain or shine. For more information, visit www.juniorachievement.org or stay up to date on the JA Car Show Facebook page.