Published: February 25, 2006 11:54 pm         

Corvette club tries to ‘make these kids smile’

Corvettes of Enid recently visited the Youth & Family Services youth shelter to provide an opportunity for the kids in the shelter to learn more about cars.

Corvettes of Enid became involved with YFS after hearing about the agency’s capital campaign efforts.

“When our club heard about the children served by the youth shelter, we knew we wanted to be involved,” said Dennis Morehart, club member. “In talking with the shelter director, I learned that there are currently a large number of teenagers in the shelter that have an interest in cars. I felt that letting the kids see and experience the Corvette was one small way we could make these kids smile.”

Morehart also said his club made a donation to the capital campaign.

“People may think that our club just meets to talk cars, but we are also concerned citizens that care about making a difference in the community,” he said.

According to Morehart, Corvettes of Enid will be hosting a Corvette expo on April 1 with more than 100 show Corvettes from Oklahoma and surrounding states, and proceeds from admission to the expo will be donated to Youth and Family Services.

Delbert Boehm, YFS youth shelter director, said he is always looking for interesting activities for the kids.

“We want the children to have fun while they are in the shelter, because most of them have not seen a lot of happiness in their short lives,” Boehm said.

Boehm said it is great if the activity helps the children learn something new in the process of having a good time, and welcomes other organizations in the community to contact him at 233-7220 if they have an activity they would like to share with the kids.

Youth and Family Services of North Central Oklahoma, founded in 1974 by Thelma Gungoll, is a nonprofit agency that provides therapeutic foster care placement, counseling and other family-centered services to children, youth and families. The agency primarily serves Garfield, Grant and Major counties, and currently operates the only emergency youth shelter in northwest Oklahoma.

More information about Corvettes of Enid is available at www.corvettesofenid.com.