MADISON – Two completely different sets of people were placed in a venue that showed their one interest in common – a love of cars.

Boy Scouts in Pack 83 recently competed in an annual Scouting project – the Pinewood Derby with custom-designed race cars. Members of the Valley Vettes Corvette Club helped the Scouts.

“After all . . . they are both cars: Corvettes and Pinewood Derby cars,” Valley Vettes member Vic van Leeuwen said.

To prepare for the Pinewood Derby, the Scouts – and usually their fathers, mothers or both assisting in the process – take a plain block of wood and add a set of ‘working’ wheels and axels. Paint jobs, decals and give the wood block a life of its own with custom colors or a theme car, maybe for a superhero.

“If you’ve never been to a pinewood derby, it’s amazing,” van Leeuwen said. “The cars compete in fours, and each car’s performance is measured by Scout leaders using up-to-date computer timing on an inclined track. And it’s displayed on a large screen for all to see.”

Members of the Valley Vettes Corvette Club volunteered to help the derby by serving as judges. The Corvette owners judged the cars for finish, originality, creativity and judges’ choice.

During this event, several Corvettes were lined up in the parking lot of Asbury United Methodist Church, where Pack 83 meets. “As Valley Vettes members noted, ‘Steer the kids in the right direction,’” van Leeuwen said.

“In the spirit of ‘doing two things at the same time,’ Ann van Leeuwen took the opportunity to present a check to the leaders of Pack 83 on behalf of the Madison Optimist Club,” Vic van Leeuwen said.

Vic and Ann van Leeuwen both are members of Valley Vettes Corvette Club and Madison Optimist Club. In addition, Ann serves as president of Madison Optimist Club, which sponsors Boy Scout Pack 83.

Any individuals interested in joining for finding more information about Madison Optimist Club can call 256-461-8787.

In other activities, Valley Vettes Corvette Club supports several community efforts. Last year, for example, Valley Vettes donated many gifts for the Marine’s Toys for Tots campaign. The club meets monthly on first Tuesdays at 6:15 p.m. at Terranova’s Huntsville, 1420 Paramount Drive, Suite 1.