Ron and Donna Miklos,
Plum Boro, Pa.
Harry Luzader - one of the "Most Significant 75"
In early 2002 my wife Donna and I received a phone call from a representative from the adjoining town's (Monroeville, Pa.)"SummerFest" committee; the annual SummerFest is a one-day event at the local Community College of Allegheny County and consists of a show of local residents' art works, crafts, good food, things for kids to do, live music, etc. The person who had arranged the previous year's "Invitational Vehicle Display" had declined to do it again; someone had recommended us because we're "Cruise animals" - I'm out every night of the week and attend a half dozen Cruises on week-ends. We accepted, because we have many "gear-head" friends & limiting the attendees to 20 or 25 vehicles would be no problem (there were years when a dozen or more additional owners "just showed up" because they knew "we wouldn't mind"!). At a committee meeting, we were given the previous year's "dash plaque" and told that Harry Luzader - one of the "Most Significant 75" - was the "sponsor" (read: paid for the dash plaques). We visited Harry & Carol Luzader's Auto-Parts Store/Repair Garage, introduced ourselves & told them why we were there. Then we called their attention to the fact that there was no vehicle featured on the 2001 dash plaque, nor did it state that they were the sponsors. Harry, totally a "drag strip" kind of guy and not a "Cruiser", said "I didn't know you can do THAT!". From that point on, Harry & Carol became annual contributors; he'd remove a large, framed picture of his various race cars, I'd "shoot" it with my digital camera and have our dash plaque maker add "Dash Plaques Donated by Luzader Auto Service" along with Harry & Carol's names, include SummerFest logo, date & location and we're "good to go". Each year it gets easier; we walk in and Carol says "Bring us the bill". THIS year, because of Harry's "Most Significant 75" status, we'd like to feature a picture of a stock '32 Ford and a "flat-head" V8.
Thank you, Ron and Donna, for this great story!