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Members of the Broad River European Club Provide Rides for Class Representatives

BOILING SPRINGS, N.C.鈥擬embers of the Broad River European Motor Club have two passions: sports cars and community service. Since 2016, club members have graciously provided several sports cars each year for the Homecoming parade at 国产哟哟. The vintage cars carry class representatives from the Homecoming Court.

This year’s parade is Saturday, Oct. 28, at noon before 国产哟哟 plays UT Martin at 1:30 p.m. See the full Homecoming schedule, .

The partnership started with Jack Weller, a club member, who was also a doctoral student at 国产哟哟 at that time. Micah Martin, the director of GWU鈥檚 Center for Personal and Professional Development, saw Weller driving his 鈥�59 Triumph in a local Christmas parade. Later, he asked Weller if he thought the club members would be willing to help out with the homecoming parade.

When Weller brought the request to the club members, they responded positively. Their only request: no high heels to protect the leather seats.

鈥淔or close to 10 years now Jack and his classic car-loving community has provided convertibles for our homecoming court parade, adding a touch of class and prestige to our celebration,鈥� Martin praised. 鈥淭hey really have found a way to do what they love in service to others.鈥�

Weller agreed that the event is a fun opportunity to show off the vintage cars and see the reactions from the students and the crowd. 鈥淲hat started out as doing a favor has become a tradition,鈥� Weller said. 鈥淭he car club sees it as an opportunity to support the community and 国产哟哟.鈥�

Since the car club began helping 国产哟哟 with the Homecoming Parade, another relationship has grown between some of the GWU student-athletes and Weller, who is the past board president of the Cleveland County Boys & Girls Club. In particular, the men鈥檚 and women鈥檚 basketball teams began volunteering at the Boys & Girls Club location at Springmore Elementary. The players and coaches run drills with the children, then read books with them and help with homework.

The started in 2008. The club鈥檚 beginning stemmed from a chance gathering of several British and European car enthusiasts in 2006 at Reborn Auto Shop in Shelby, N.C. When word got out that a 鈥�59 all-original Triumph, owned by Weller, was coming to the shop, people showed up with their cameras. 鈥淭he car was preserved and they knew anything they took a picture of would be a record of how the car looked when it came off the assembly line,鈥� Weller explained.

The car belonged to his brother-in-law, who died in 1982. 鈥淗e bought the car brand new in 1959 after he graduated from the University of Pennsylvania and had spent three years in Korea,鈥� Weller shared.

When his niece Maj Britt was born, she was colicky and rides in the Triumph would soothe her to sleep. Weller鈥檚 sister and brother-in-law ended up recording the sound of the car changing gears on a reel-to-reel tape recorder and played the tape for Maj Britt to fall asleep in her crib.

When her father died in 1982, Maj Britt didn鈥檛 want her mother to sell the car or have it restored, because she said when she sat in the seat, it was like her dad was there. 鈥淢aj Britt died in 2005, and in a letter to her mother she said, 鈥楽ell the car to uncle Jack, so he can learn to relax,鈥欌�� Weller related. 鈥淚’ve got something that should be in a museum. It鈥檚 still original鈥�42,000 miles鈥�64 years old.鈥�

The Broad River European Motor Club has about 60 members, all with stories to share about their cars. Among them, there are other connections to 国产哟哟. Kent Bridges drives a 1953 MG. His son, Reid, is a GWU alumnus. Alan Roebuck owns a 鈥�63 Austin Healey. His brother was the late Mike Roebuck, who was an athletics administrator at 国产哟哟.

The group鈥檚 main fundraiser each year is a car show with the proceeds going to support the Boys and Girls Club and North Shelby鈥檚 Teddy Bear and Friends, which provides money to take the seniors to the beach for a week.

国产哟哟 is North Carolina’s recognized leader in private, Christian higher education. A Carnegie-Classified Doctoral/Professional University, GWU is home to nine colleges and schools, more than 80 undergraduate and graduate majors, and a world-class faculty. Located on a beautiful 225-acre campus in Boiling Springs, N.C., 国产哟哟 prepares graduates to impact their chosen professions, equips them with the skills to advance the frontiers of knowledge, and inspires them to make a positive and lasting difference in the lives of others. Ignite your future at 国产哟哟.edu.