The Stillwater Car Club has been around since the 1980s and its members have been having fun showing off their cars since that time, first for fun – and in recent years, for a good cause.
Those include cars such as a 1933 Ford 5 Window Coupe, a 1948 Plymouth, a 1956 Thunderbird and a 1964 Corvette Stingray.
Members go to car shows in Payne County and feature a “Car of the Month,” which is displayed at the Stillwater Community Center or other places in town.
But for the past five years, SCC decided it wanted to do more.
The nonprofit has been donating its annual car show proceeds to fund scholarships for students at Meridian Technology Center, and they presented their most recent scholarships to six students in a ceremony on May 4.
“We are thinking … who’s going to work on our cars in the future?” said Laura Warde, president of SCC. “We need to support those people who are going to do that, and I want educated, smart young men and women out there working on my car.”
MTC students Sydny Dahl, Gabriel Guerrero, Colby Lofton, Jacob May, Rahmel Thomas and Colby Wilder each received $250 scholarships from SCC.
“I think the technology students are an underrepresented segment of young people,” Warde said. “…We wanted to specifically focus on trades people.”
The scholarships support majors at MTC, such as Automotive Technology and Collision Repair Technology. Students in other programs – such as welding – who help design and produce trophies for the SCC show each year, are also awarded funds.
The previous club president, retired Oklahoma State University Aerospace Engineering Professor Steve Marks, helped develop the scholarship, along with Rebecca Eastham from Meridian.
“He decided, ‘We have these proceeds, why don’t we help the community with them?’” Ward said. “…Who would it make sense for a car club to support?”
SCC chose Meridian, where students can study Automotive Technology and Collision Repair Technology Automotive programs. Students are chosen with a preference of academic merit.
In 2023, SCC established an endowed scholarship.
“We finally raised enough money to have an endowed scholarship, guaranteeing that future students at Meridian Technology will have the opportunity to purchase tools, pay their tuition, buy gas – whatever they need to further their education,” Warde said.
During the ceremony at Meridian, SCC received a plaque of recognition of its endowed scholarship, and with the help of MTC Instructor Rick Carlisle, presented the scholarships.
The six students also shared their future plans for the funding with the members of SCC, and SCC members also toured MTC’s facilities.
SCC’s purpose is to “educate, nurture and cultivate public interest in cars.” The club has about 75 active members.
The next SCC show will be held Oct. 12 at the West End Zone lot of OSU’s T. Boone Pickens Stadium.
The event is free and open to the public.