ASHLAND — The man who started a fundraiser to support one of the oldest programs at the Ashland County-West Holmes Career Center will be honored at this year’s event. The 14th annual Auto Body program car show on Saturday, May 6 in the school parking lot is dedicated to long-time former instructor Dave Mumaw, who died last year after a battle with cancer.
“We did it for two reasons. One because he started the car show and two, because he was here so long, he had so many students and people in the community knew him,” said current instructor Nick Houmard. “I had a lot of people asking me about it but the students pretty much took it and said we should do this car show in memory of him.”
To many people, Mumaw was Auto Body and always will be part of the Career Center because of his knowledge that ranged from building custom cars to race cars and doing body and paint work to fixing production vehicles. He continued to support the Skills USA student competitions and was on the program advisory committee after he retired.
Houmard said Mumaw also had great people skills and was well liked in the community. “He was one of those guys who always was happy and friendly and, whether you liked what he was saying or not, at the end of the conversation he was shaking your hand and you were friends,” he said. “He was not about himself. It was all about others and even near the end, when he was very sick, he would call me and ask about the students. It was always about these kids and the future.”
Mumaw will be memorialized in this year’s dash plaques and judging awards that were produced by students in the Engineering Technology program using a laser cutter and engraver that is part of the school’s new Robotics and Advanced Manufacturing Technology Education Collaborative (RAMTEC) facility. The dash plaques that will be given to the first 100 entries have a line drawing of Mumaw’s super modified car that he raced at area tracks, while the judging awards feature a line drawing of the restored Ford Falcon that he frequently drove.
The drawings were done by junior Auto Body student Daisy Rausch of Ashland. One of the drawings also will be featured on t-shirts produced by the Career Center Graphic Communications program that will be worn by student volunteers and will be for sale to the public at the car show.
“Because it’s in memory of Dave, there are a lot of people who have already said they will buy one,” Houmard said. “Hopefully, we’ll also have a couple of his cars show up.”
As in the past, students were responsible for much of the pre-show preparation including securing donations from area auto parts stores and restaurants for participant goodie bags and door prizes, setting up radio advertising and designing and mailing 400 fliers that were printed by Graphic Communications. Auto Body students also will judge entries for first and second place awards for Best Interior, Best Motorcycle, Best Paint and Best in Show. Students in the Criminal Justice program will provide traffic control.
This year’s Career Center Car Show will again feature oldies music by DJ “Rockin” Bob Day, a 50-50 drawing and food by Auntie Anne’s Pretzels and Charcoal Mafia Barbeque. The show will run from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the school parking lot. The Ashland County-West Holmes Career Center is located on Ohio 60 just north of the U.S. 30 exit.
