Signs of summer are finally starting to peak through here in Sudbury, and that's great news for one of the city's newest not-for-profit organizations.
Northeastern Ontario Corvettes was founded in March of this year, and its members can finally take the tarps of their vehicles and get them out on the road.
The Northeastern Ontario Corvettes area primarily encompasses Espanola, Greater Sudbury, St. Charles, Noelville and the North Bay Nipissing area including Mattawa.
Guy Tessier is the founding member of the car club and the membership has grown to 30, with 15 Corvettes. The club has partnered with Southside Chevrolet and True North Chevrolet and they will be working together to put on car shows and fundraisers to raise money for local charities.
Northern Ontario may not seem like the ideal home for a sports car that retails for more than $80,000, especially with the weather and road conditions here in Sudbury, but Southside Chevrolet owner Dennis Lauzon says that Corvettes are a passion for owners of one of the most well-known sports cars in the world.
"There's a following when it comes to Corvettes and their owners," said Lauzon. "There's guys that had their first Corvette when they were 18 and now they're in their 50s and have had five or six Corvettes in their lifetime. It's just a passion that they just have to have one."
Tessier admits that he was bitten by Corvette bug and now owns his first and only Vette.
"It was in 2003 that I really first took a liking to them," said Tessier. "That was the year they released the 50th anniversary Corvette and I remember seeing it for the first time and seeing all the details, the colours, the stitching even, and just thinking, some day I'm going to get one".
Tessier explained that being that this is the club's first year, their goal is to establish themselves in the community as a social group of Corvette owners.
Northeastern Ontario Corvettes (NOC) will plan rides, plan Corvette dealership events, and do day or weekend outings to other club events.
Southside Chevrolet will be playing host to a classic car show fundraiser on June 22 in partnership with Northeastern Ontario Corvettes. Events like the one planned for June 22 are how the club will give back to the community, and their chosen charity for this year, the Sudbury Food Bank.
"There's so many great organizations here in Sudbury that we want to be able to help out," said Tessier. "We chose the food bank this year because I was very familiar with them during my time at Vale through the Edgar Burton Food Drive."
The NOC will also support the North Bay Food Bank. Together with Southside Chevrolet and True North Chevrolet, the group will bring together classic car owners including NOC members' Corvettes to the dealerships and raise funds for the food banks.
"These beautiful Corvettes are North America's sports car and we would like others to see up close what they look, feel and sound like," said Tessier.
For more on the NOC, visit northeasternontariocorvettes.com, check them out on Facebook, or email Guy Tessier at [email protected].
