NORTH ROBINSON — David Arko added to his Corvette collection Thursday morning, winning the Colonel Crawford Athletic Boosters’ annual Corvette Raffle.
“I actually have two of them, an ’11 and a ’76,” Arko said. “I love the body style of this car and the color, Arctic Blue.”
Arko says he enjoys the cars and drives them for pleasure.
“The ’76 I’m almost done with that one, restoring it. I’ll touch this one up, do some little things to do it,” he said.
Corvette Raffle Chairman Mark Teynor said the raffle is in its 21st year.
“This one is a 1956 Corvette, power glide, three-speed automatic,” he said. “I brought the idea to the school and was involved in starting this. I’ve seen it work other places and I’m a Corvette enthusiast myself.”
Other than the carburetor, the car is in its original condition.
Teynor said the raffle raised about $140,000 clear.
“We had 800 tickets unsold, but it was very successful,” he said. Tickets cost $25 each and are sold nationwide.
Money raised through this raffle has gone toward upgrades at the softball complex field fencing, bleachers, field house, scoreboard, and concession areas.
“Our project right now is redoing the press box on the home side. Totally refurbished, new siding, new roof, windows and the inside. We’re supposed to start this summer and it will be ready for football season,” Teynor said.
The complex, to date, has received a little over $1 million from the athletic boosters.
“I believe in helping the youth. I think they need every bit of help that adults can give them in this day and age,” Teynor said.
Athletic Director David Sheldon appreciates what the boosters organization has done.
“What it does for our community is sort of like permanent improvement money for our athletic facilities,” he said.
“The upgrades they’ve done here is second to none. It’s not taxpayers’ dollars, it’s the boosters.”
Sheldon said other fundraisers include the Fall Festival and Reverse Raffle.
“This is the one that makes the most. Just the tradition and there’s so much hard work that goes into it the entire year. It basically benefits all of our student-athletes,” he said.
Sheldon said it started years ago.
“I remember when this was a cinder track and they put in an all-purpose track. The work we’ve done in all the stadiums and all the facilities, outside and inside with our basketball gym, the swimming pool area. This is all a big credit to our athletic boosters,” he said.
David and his wife Marjory made the trip to the school to pick up the vehicle.
“I was shocked when they called. Saturday we were at a fundraiser for Mentor High School’s football team. I walked past our refrigerator and that’s where I had the tickets for this oen hanging,” the Kirtland resident said.
“We’re just going to enjoy it.”
