Last Updated:
Dec. 16, 2024
The Club With A Heart
Welcome to Connecticut Classic Chevy
It was the summer of 1994, when a group of 6 Classic Chevy lovers decided it was time for Connecticut to have a Classic Chevy club once again. The club would be committed to encouraging the restoration and preservation of the 1955 through 1957 Chevrolet vehicles. Several years prior, another group formed a similar club however, it was dissolved after a short time.
It was unanimously agreed that the club would become a local chapter of Classic Chevy International (CCI), located in Orlando Florida. At that time CCI was an organization exclusively dedicated to the ’55 – ’57 Chevrolets.
Those 6 individuals, Ron Steiner, brother's George and Bob Civitelli, Ron DePoto, Lee Ritchie and Ted Arotsky would eventually become the founding members of The Connecticut Classic Chevy Car Club.
It was unanimously agreed that the club would become a local chapter of Classic Chevy International (CCI), located in Orlando Florida. At that time CCI was an organization exclusively dedicated to the ’55 – ’57 Chevrolets.
A meeting was set up with Joe Whitaker, Vice President of CCI. The meeting took place at the 1994 CCI Eastern National Convention in Long Island, NY. After discussing guidelines for setting up a local chapter, and with help from CCI, Connecticut Classic Chevy (CCC) was officially founded on September 5, 1994.
In 1989 CCI merged with the Late Great Chevy Association which was dedicated to 1958 through 1964 Chevys. Shortly after, CCI changed their model year designation to accept all Chevrolets up to and including 1972. This change prompted Connecticut Classic Chevy to follow suit.
Since its inception the Connecticut Classic Chevy Club has experienced many accomplishments in its 25 plus wonderful years of existence. Such as our Annual Memorial Day Weekend Classic Car Show, which we have been proudly hosting in conjunction with the Hamden Police Department since the clubs inception.
This very successful show is held on the picturesque campus of Quinnipiac University in Hamden Connecticut, overlooking Sleeping Giant State Park. The event is one of the largest car shows in the state. This event draws an average of 600 to 700 cars and upwards to 2000 spectators annually. Quinnipiac University and the Hamden Police Department have continually supported the show since the very beginning.
Because of the continued generosity of so many sponsors large and small alike, Quinnipiac University, The Hamden Police Department, our club members and volunteers and of course the support of all the participants, this show is the clubs largest fund raiser. Proceeds from this event have enabled us to donate over $700,000.00 to several national and local charities throughout the years.
The show also has enabled us to sponsor several scholarships at Quinnipiac University, Southern Connecticut State University and Gateway Community College. That is why we are known as “The Club with a Heart”.
During our early years we have had the pleasure of hosting three Classic Chevy International Conventions. The first was a Regional event that took place in Waterbury, Connecticut in 1997.The second was The 28th CCI International Convention in Cromwell, Connecticut in 2002, and last but not least, The 34th CCI International Convention in Rocky Hill Connecticut in 2008.
Connecticut Classic Chevy has a wonderful group of club members many of whom have been with the club since our beginning. We would not have been able to accomplish all that we have without their loyal dedication.
Below is a list of benefactors we have supported from proceeds raised through our shows and conventions.
ACES Access Program
ALS Association Walk
Alzheimer’s Association
American Cancer Society
American Diabetes Foundation
American Liver Foundation
Amy O’Neill Fund
Angelman Syndrome Foundation
Animal Haven
Apraxia Walk
Arthur C. Luff Burns Foundation
Autism Speaks – Connecticut Chapter
Beacon Self Directed Learning
Branford Rotary Club
Broadbrook Congregational Church
Cat Tales
Children’s Medical Research Foundation
Children’s Organ Transplant Association
Christian Community Action
Clelian Adult Care Center
Cruising For a Cause
Columbus House
Connecticut Burns Care Foundation
Connecticut Chapter – March of Dimes
Connecticut Children’s Burn Camp
Connecticut Children’s Hospital
Connecticut Children’s Medical Center
Connecticut Food Share
Connecticut Hospice, Inc.
Connecticut Special Olympics
Cystic Fibrosis Foundation
Downs Syndrome Car Show
East Haven Police Union – Local 1662
Eddie Corcoran Fundraiser
Faith Foundation
Father McGivney Center
Food 2 Kids
Frank Cesare Memorial Fund
Fred Peters Foundation
Frederick Cohen Comp Cancer Center
Friends of Fisher House
Friends of Joel Katz Fundraiser
Fumiatti Children’s Fund
Gateway Community College Foundation –
The Lee W. Ritchie Memorial Scholarship Fund
Gaylord Hospital Pulmonary Program
Greater New Haven Cat Project
Griffin Hospital Cancer Walk
Hamden Children’s Center
Hamden Food Bank
Hamden Police Benevolent Association
Hamden Police Department
Hamden Senior Wish Society
Hands of Grace
Holy Joe’s Café
Hometown Foundation
Hospital of St. Raphael – Looking Forward
Hunter Pageau Trust Fund
Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation
Knights of Columbus Hurricane Relief and Family Relief
Keefe Toys for Kids Gift Fund
Kids In Motion
Kiwanis of Fairfield
Keefe Toys for Kids Gift Fund
Kids In Motion
Kiwanis of Fairfield
Klingberg Family Center
Leukemia and Lymphoma Society
Lupus Foundation of America
MADD – Mothers Against Drunk Driving
Madi Ponte Foundation
Margaret L. Keefe Community Center
Masters Manna Food Bank
Meriden-Wallingford Chrysallis
Meriden-Wallingford Domestic Violence Association
Michael J. Fox Foundation
Morgan Benefit Fund
National Association of Naval Veterans – Port 5
National Lung Association
National Multiple Slerosis Society
National Ovarian Cancer Coalition
New Haven Register Fresh Air Fund
Nolan Thomas Green Benefit
North Haven Police Benevolent Association
Our Lady of Fatima Fundraiser
Pancreatic Cancer Foundation
Quinnipiac University-
The John Peryer and Carlton Redman Memorial Scholarship Fund
Quinnipiac University-
The Timothy Kennelly III Memorial Endowed Scholarship Fund
Quinnipiac University-
The Jack "John" Kennelly Memorial Endowed Scholarship Fund
for Criminal Justice
Regional Hospice of Western Connecticut
Relay for Life
Ronald McDonald House
Roses for Autism Cruise
Sandy Hook Elementary School Support Fund
Servicemen’s Care Package Fund
Shane Evans Foundation
Southern Connecticut State University –
The Candace Lynn Keim Memorial Endowed Scholarship Fund
Southern Connecticut State University –
The Denise Marone Memorial Endowed Scholarship Fund
St. Baldrick’s Foundation
St. Joseph’s High School Fundraiser
St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital
Sterling House Community Center
Stuff-A- Bus
Susan B. Koman Breast Cancer Foundation
Team West Haven - Special Olympics
The Compassionate Friends
The Robert Perrelli Memorial Scholarship Fund
The Zackary French Memorial Scholarship Fund
Total Access
Toys for Tots
Trees of Hope
Tunnels to Towers Foundation
United Way of Naugatuck
WHVVD Veterans Remembrance
Wheels - 4 -Tyler
Wings of Hope
World Game Special Olympics
Wounded Warrior Project
Yale Children’s Hospital – Toy Drive
Yale School of Medicine
Zane’s Cycles
Benefactor List
About Ct. Classic Chevy