Dave Smith owns a fire engine red ’61 Chevy Impala two-door hardtop, complete with an aftermarket 327 small-block engine and Turbo 350 transmission. Smith, the heating manager at Bowker Pinnacle Mechanical in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, enjoys showing off his classic Chevy at different car shows.
Since the 1990s, Smith has been a regular at the Cruisin’ for Camp Courageous benefit car show. Camp Courageous — affectionately known as “Camp C” — is a year-round recreational and respite care facility serving individuals of all ages with disabilities. Over the years, the car show has generated a lot of support for the camp.
It was at this event that a professional relationship began between Smith and Camp Courageous — one that remains strong to this day, some 30 years later. In fact, their relationship predates the merger between Bowker Mechanical, a 95-year-old company, and Pinnacle Mechanical, founded just four years ago…