T-L Photo/ROBERT A. DEFRANK
Belmont County Juvenile and Probate Judge Al Davies, from left, with Classy Chassis Car Club members Jeff Cilles, left, and Bill Rittenhouse, invite the public to the seventh annual Staying Clean Car, Bike and Truck Show to raise funds to encourage young people to stay off drugs.
ST. CLAIRSVILLE — The seventh annual Staying Clean Car, Bike and Truck Show is revving up to raise money to encourage the county’s youth to stay off drugs. The community event is set for Sept. 9 at the Ohio Valley Mall in the Sears parking lot.
The event is transitioning in leadership after the retirement of John McFarland as police chief of Martins Ferry and club advisor, and of Frank and Cynthia Fregiato, who spearheaded the initiative and played large organizational roles before Frank Fregiato retired as a common pleas judge. Cynthia Fregiato will also be retiring as the county clerk of courts.
Juvenile and Probate Court Judge Al Davies said dedicated volunteers and officials are part of the effort to continue the community event.
“Those were very valuable individuals,” he said. “The organization of this event has not skipped a beat, because we have dedicated individuals from the court that are working on what needs to be done. There’s a lot that needs to be done to put this on.”
Davies said their partnership with the Classy Chassis Car Club has proven invaluable.
“The groundwork was already there. We’ve had the benefit of knowing how to put this together for the past few years,” Davies said.
Davies said donations have increased by 10 percent from last year. So far, the show has received about $35,000 in donations.
“That’s encouraging,” he said. “It takes about $75,000 to run the School Staying Clean program, so you can see how important this car show is for that program.”
The funds raised are used for drug testing of club members, as well as activities and incentives for clean drug tests. The school districts and private schools have the club open for 7-12th graders and Martins Ferry City Schools District starts the club at sixth grade. There are other outreach programs for younger grades. About 1,700 students in grades 7-12 were part of the club last school year, and the club is taking applications and having open houses this year.
“We seem to be incrementally increasing,” Davies said.
So far, Bellaire Middle School had a 90-percent participation rate in the seventh and eighth grade. In other examples, there were about 300-400 in Martins Ferry City School District, 200 at Union Local, and 200 at St. Clairsville-Richland City Schools.
Court officials commend the work of the club coordinators in the school districts who promote and manage the clubs.
“For the last four years, we’ve been able to have a nationally recognized school speaker, somebody who has had a problem with drugs or alcohol to the point where they pretty much ruined their life,” he said. “Having speakers of that caliber come to Belmont County represents a significant cost.”
This school year, the schools will hear from Derek Clark, “the Rapping Dad,” who focuses on overcoming mental health and trauma and presents in the form of rap.
“He went through a lot as a kid. A lot of what unfortunately some of our kids have went through or are going through,” Davies said, adding the COVID-19 pandemic and the attendant lockdowns have caused or exacerbated mental health issues.
Since its inception, the club has raised more than $250,000 for the club. Davies credits the work of the court and the Classy Chassis club members.
This year, the top 20 cars and best of show will be judged, rather than being divided by classes. Student members of the Staying Clean club will continue to volunteer and work with the club, and students at the Belmont Career Center craft trophies out of automotive parts. Some school districts will also bus students to the event, and they will have the opportunity to join the club.
About 200-300 cars normally show up for each show, and 500 attendees. The Ohio State Highway Patrol will have educational material. The Flushing American Legion Riders will also participate. The Belmont County Sheriff’s Department will also be there with the armored car.
Davies said his court has seen a small uptick in drug use, particularly marijuana cases.
“Because there’s so much misinformation about marijuana as far as ‘health benefits,’” Davies said. “But we do not have nearly the drug problem amongst our kids that other areas in the state have. It doesn’t come close to the drug problem that we have with the adult population. I think a lot of that has to do with the programs that we have here. Belmont County Schools Staying Clean is a major, major program that helps us keep the numbers down, helps us to keep the kids clean and sober, helps us to give them that information that they need.”
Bill Rittenhouse, member of Classy Chassis, said they were happy to help.
“It sounded like a good thing for us to do for the community,” Rittenhouse said. “It’s been getting better and better every year, it seem to me.”
Additional information can be found at belmontcountyssc.org.
