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Come on and Take a JoyRide!
Woolpert President and CEO Scott Cattran has done a lot of volunteer work for the community, mostly focusing on young people. Since the age of 15, he has worked with kids at YMCA camps, taught English as a second language to children from around the world in Switzerland, sponsored youth baseball and coached flag and tackle football teams in the Dayton area.
But he gets most excited when he talks about his involvement with JoyRide, a car club that enables youngsters with special needs to escape their daily problems while enjoying rides in high-end or one-of-a-kind autos.
“JoyRide is just cool,” Cattran said. “It brings many of my passions together—kids, helping those in need, and cars!”
He’s been involved with JoyRide since 2016, after he arrived in Dayton. Cattran’s friend and JoyRide founder, Blair Cornell, organizes the events. Cattran gives his time, donates money, is an ambassador for the organization at car shows and participates in parades to raise awareness for JoyRide.
“But mostly, I take kids that need some joy for rides in fast cars!” Cattran said.
He’s even involved his whole family. “My wife and both my kids help out on event days,” Cattran said. “They get to work with children with special needs, and through this, my kids are beginning to understand what it means to give back and help out in the community.”
Over the past few years, Cattran has helped JoyRide give over 100 kids a true racing experience that they will never forget. Joyride, in conjunction with Dayton Cars and Coffee and Austin Landing, turns the streets and parking lots of Austin Landing, a retail development south of Dayton, into a make-shift racetrack. The focus is on making the kids feel like VIPs as the cars weave (safely) around the track, through special effects created by smoke machines, and cheered on by a crowd of supporting fans!
Cattran has seen first-hand JoyRide’s impact on youngsters. “I remember one little boy with a rare spinal cord disease who looked sad and defeated at first,” Cattran said. “But his whole disposition changed when he got into the car and was part of the race. He didn’t say anything, but the look on his face gave away what he was thinking: ‘I may not be able to move fast, but today, no one is faster!’”
Cattran said the boy’s smile and joy from a simple car ride have stuck with him. “It reminds me how fortunate we all are, and how our troubles are so small compared to what these kids face.”
Cattran highly recommends volunteering with JoyRide. “JoyRide is now expanding into Cincinnati, and they need more volunteers. Helping special needs kids and their families through JoyRide is a small, but truly rewarding way to give back to the community, and I’d be happy to introduce anyone interested to this special organization.”
To find out more or to become involved, visit JoyRide.
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