Shift Masters Car Show Raises Funds to Support Ronald McDonald House

For people who love cars, there’s nothing better than spending a summer weekend afternoon with fellow enthusiasts checking out all kinds of cool and classic vehicles.

It’s even better when the proceeds of the show benefit a great cause.

On Sunday, Shift Masters of Westchester, a Mount Vernon car club, held a show in the parking lot of the Thornwood McDonald’s featuring a combination of classic cars and later model editions. All of the proceeds generated by the show, through the $20-per-car entry fee, will go to the Ronald McDonald House of the Greater Hudson Valley in Valhalla.

Shift Masters member Jim Livecchi, who organized the event, said whenever the club holds a show, it makes sure to donate the money raised to charity, whether it’s for hospitals, veterans causes or to help the hungry.

“It’s just what we do,” Livecchi said. “We feel we have to give back. You have to.”

Club President Frank Russo said Shift Masters was originally formed around 1956 but petered out in the 1960s. As someone who loves cars, he and several other members, relaunched the club in 2012 and have been holding shows and participating in other clubs’ events ever since.

Christina Riley, executive director of the Ronald McDonald House of the Hudson Valley, said there are so many organizations like Shift Masters that look to help the Ronald McDonald House any way possible.

“There are so many out there that do stuff like this,” Riley said. “It just helps raise money and awareness. Now, more people know about the house.”

Ronald McDonald House offers free accommodations for families who have a child in Maria Fareri Children’s Hospital. It is located across the parking lot from the children’s hospital near Westchester Medical Center.

Several dozen car owners who made the trip from around the county brought a personal favorite of theirs, such as Pleasantville resident Cameron Kelly. Kelly brought her 1986 red Pontiac Fiero. Although not a collector, she decided to be part of the show when she saw a recent notice posted in McDonald’s.

Kelly said the car was her father’s before he got older and he no longer feels confident driving it any longer because of diminishing reflexes.

She uses it as her primary vehicle and it catches the eye of a lot of other motorists on the road.

“It’s a fantastic car,” Kelly said. “It’s got pickup. It was great. It’s so much fun to drive and everybody likes it. People stop me at the corner and they’ll jump out and they’ll go ‘I want your car.’”

Livecchi said of some of the cars on hand wouldn’t be considered classics. Generally, cars need to have been from before 1980 to be considered vintage, he said. However, the way Shift Masters runs its shows, if someone loves a car that they have and are willing to pay the entry fee, they’ll be part of the show.

“We look at it differently,” Livecchi said. “If you have a late model Corvette sitting there, that’s a person’s, that’s their baby, why not let them in the show.”

Joe Ricci, of Pelham Manor, came to Sunday’s show with one of his six classic cars, a black 1965 Chevy Corvair. He called it a car that “drives like a big car.”

He said the best part of participating in car shows is the camaraderie and looking at what everyone else brings.

“Everyone has a story,” Ricci said. “I remember my first car; I drove it to high school; I remember riding in the back.”

Martin Wilbur

Martin has more than 30 years experience covering local news in Westchester and Putnam counties, including a frequent focus on zoning and planning issues. He has been editor-in-chief of The Examiner since its inception in 2007. Read more from Martin’s editor-author bio here. Read Martin’s archived work here: https://www.theexaminernews.com/author/martin-wilbur2007/