Ceremony honors youth who made a good decision
<p>Matthew Buchanan, center, receives an award for his dedication to safe driving practices.</p>
SUPERIOR – All shapes, sizes, colors, models and types of vehicles were on hand last weekend in Superior as the town hosted the annual School House Rock Car Show.
The event was held on the grounds of the old schoolhouse and featured over 100 hundred hot rods, trucks, muscle cars, modified vans and a wide array of other types of vehicles. The event drew entries from all over the region and also included several booths and refreshments.
Organizers said while they were hoping for 120 entries, they were still very satisfied with the 107 vehicles and owners who did show up for an event that has become a staple of summertime in Superior. Mike Curtin said, while he was hoping for 120 entries, he was very satisfied with the success of the event.
“I’ve got a lot of good people helping,” Curtin said. “A lot of people stepped up. It’s been fantastic. It’s a great show. Everybody has been really enjoying themselves and having a great time and that’s what this is all about. And we raised some money for the scholarships.”
The scholarships Curtin was referring to are four awards given out to students from all three Mineral County schools through the Mineral County Community Foundation.
“From what I understand these days, kids are having to pay a hundred dollars for one book,” Curtin said. “We want to help get these kids educated. The money doesn’t go real far but it helps so they can go out and get a good job.”
The event also featured a ceremony to award a young man who recently demonstrated, in unfortunate circumstances, why seatbelts save lives. Matthew Buchanan was in a serious car accident earlier in the year and he said, if he wasn’t wearing his seatbelt, he wouldn’t have walked away from the incident.
“I was driving home from school and a deer jumped in the road and I swerved and I crashed,” Buchanan said. “I am really thankful that that seatbelt saved my life. I would recommend everyone wear your seatbelt every time you are in a car.
Montana Highway Patrol Officer Ryan James, who responded to Buchanan’s accident, said in his professional opinion, the young man would’ve suffered serious if not life-threatening injuries had he not been wearing his seatbelt.
“Matthew swerved to avoid hitting a deer,” Buchanan said. ‘When he did, the nose of his car hit the ditch and spun him around, put him through a fence and then backwards into a tree. He also broke out the driver’s side window and he not been restrained, he could’ve gone out the window. There’s no doubt the seatbelt saved his life.”