Classic cars with plenty of muscle, a DeLorean stainless steel sports car and even Riverhead Fire Department’s Iron Men Drill Team race cars were among the 120 cars on display at Riverhead High School’s first-ever car show fundraiser Sunday.
The fundraiser for the school’s Unified Sports Program raised more than $2,500, Riverhead High School teacher Jill Tapper said today.
The event was the brainchild of high school senior Daniel Carty, who organized the show, which was staged in the rear parking lot of the high school.
“Unified Sports is a Special Olympics program that brings together athletes with intellectual disabilities being supported by their neurotypical peers on the same sports teams, promoting inclusion, acceptance and friendship,” Tapper said in an email she sent yesterday to Riverhead High School faculty. She provided a copy of the email to RiverheadLOCAL.
“As a teacher with 26 years of service within the Riverhead Central School District, I’ve had the privilege of witnessing many events that have brought our community together,” Tapper said in the email. “Today, I had the honor of helping RHS Senior, Daniel Carty, bring yet another phenomenal idea to life.”
Carty said today the event was “amazing.” It exceeded his expectations, he said, especially because of the last-minute postponement from Saturday to Sunday on account of inclement weather forecast for Saturday.
Carty, 17, of Flanders, said in an interview last month he grew up attending car shows, but had never organized one. “I’ve barely set up a birthday party, let alone a car show,” he quipped.
“It was getting close to the end of the year, and with testing and everything going on, I wanted to do something for the school,” he explained.
“Daniel was a Unified partner last year for our spring basketball season and we appreciate him including us in his event,” Tapper said today. “We had our athletes, parents, Football Booster [club] all volunteer their time,” she said.
Carty was presented with a proclamation by County Legislator Catherine Stark yesterday in recognition of his efforts.
“It was truly an event that brought out all from the entire community,” Tapper said. “We are going to continue it” next year, she said.
It’s great to know that volunteerism is alive and well, she said.
Carty will be attending Charleston Southern University in South Carolina this fall. He said he plans to study business, and is “leaning toward accounting.”
RiverheadLOCAL photos by Emil Breitenbach Jr.
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