Press Release

For Immediate Release
Media Contact: Rob LaMaster, Executive
Director
Phone: 520-207-2878
July 23, 2012

Date Set for the 6th Annual Cops and Rodders Car Show
Saturday, November 3, 2012 9:00 am – 4:00 pm
Hi Corbett Field

Tucson, AZ: The 6th Annual Cops and Rodders Car Show will again be presented by the Tucson Police Foundation (TPF). Sponsored by the Jim Click Automotive Group and the Pima County Attorney’s Office, the goal is to create a fun event for all ages and to give our community a chance to meet and greet TPD officers. The event will be held on Saturday, November 3, 2012 at Hi Corbett Field.

The Cops & Rodders Car Show will again include a variety of classic and custom cars, trucks, and motorcycles; privately owned classic police and fire vehicles; and current public safety vehicles… over 625 vehicles in total. Children’s activities will include a Pinewood style race, pedal and die-cast model car races, and a Patriotic costume contest. There will be major raffle prizes, food, music and a great time for all with free admission for the public.

Registration for the car show participants is $25.00 and is available online at www.copsandrodderstucson.org or by calling the TPF office at (520) 207-2878. The Foundation is currently recruiting sponsors, vendors and volunteers and information may again found on the website or by calling the office.

The proceeds will go toward helping the Tucson Police Department meet its needs associated with training, education and equipment, and other programs that will help the officers provide better protection to our children and our community.

The Tucson Police Foundation founded in 2003, is an independent, non-profit, charitable organization dedicated to fostering public safety through community partnerships to support the Tucson Police Department. The Foundation has provided for life saving equipment, training, and community based safety programs for the benefit of Tucson.

The mission of the Tucson Police Foundation is to: promote greater public safety in the Tucson Community; support crime intervention, prevention and reduction strategies; raise and allocate funds for equipment and projects outside the normal City of Tucson budgeting process; and increase awareness and interaction with the Tucson Police Department.

A Vision for a Safer Tucson
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Volunteer for the Cops and Rodders Car Show 2012 today! Click here to learn more

What happens when a girl driving a red Plymouth Duster meets a boy driving a blue Plymouth Duster? They fall in love, get married and live happily ever after! For Rhonda and Jim Hatzelis this is exactly what happened when they first met at the Southern Arizona Mopar Club in 1994 and were married two years later in 1996. Rhonda and Jim were originally going to go to Las Vegas to get hitched but instead were married at a local MOPAR club show here at the McDonald’s at Catalina Highway and Tanque Verde roads. Ronald McDonald was invited to be “best clown” and the event was held as a fundraiser for the Ronald McDonald House here in Tucson.

Of course this has been a marriage that has had MUSCLE from the starting line and as time went on, the Dusters have been replaced with other MOPAR vehicles.

Rhonda Hatzelis grew up in a MOPAR family, her dad Robert owned a 1967 Red Dodge Charger, 383, 4 barrel, which she drove to Santa Rita High and to car shows on weekends with her father. Her brother Jimmy owned a 1970 green Plymouth Roadrunner, 440, “6 Pack.” Her dad and brother have passed on, but she still has their cars and with her husband Jim, have taken great care and show them regularly at car shows.

Chrysler produced the Plymouth Roadrunner starting in 1968 as a “Muscle Car” that could reach the low 14′s in the quarter mile and sell for less than $4,000 – 5,000 per car. With a 440 engine and a “six pack,” the car could giddy up and go reaching 60 mph in about 5.5 seconds.

Rhonda modified the Roadrunner giving it a “Mod Top” to add her touch to the car that creates excitement at car shows and has been covered in publications such as the 2011 MOPAR Collector’s Guide under Matt’s Hardcore Cruiser Award. She does her share of the work as well, replacing the interior, gages, seats, carpet and chrome on her 1967 Charger.

Jim Hatzelis who hails from Brooklyn New York, got tired of the cold and migrated to Tucson and a warmer climate. The Tucson weather was just right for Jim and allowed him to spend more time outside under the shade of a tree working on his MOPAR cars. Jim is the quintessential “Shade Tree” mechanic and does over 70% of the work in restoring the muscle to these MOPAR cars, outsourcing the paint jobs. Jim does all the work at his home either in the garage, in their shop or under a silk tent in the back yard. He said, “Part of the fun of this hobby is maintaining the cars and since I’m a ‘Gearhead’ I love it!”

One day, Jim spied a 1969 Dodge Coronet sitting parked in a yard and just had to have that vehicle. The 1969 Dodge Coronet, “Super Bee” was Dodge’s answer to Pontiac’s “GTO.” The Coronet had a sleek looking coke bottle style to the exterior, and with a 440 engine, and 4 barrel carburetor hit 60 mph in 6 seconds or less. After looking at those “Keystone wheels,” Jim started negotiating and agreed on a purchase price. His high finance selling off some of his rare and valuable Matchbox and Hot Wheels collector cars but he raised the money. There had been some paperwork indicating the vehicle was unsafe to drive. Jim got to work fully restoring the vehicle and now proudly shows it off at shows here in Tucson and across the country.

Rhonda and Jim have been attending the Cops and Rodders car shows since the beginning and have won awards nearly every year, winning for best in class in 2009 and 2nd in the same category in 2010 with Rhonda’s Plymouth Roadrunner. They love coming to the show. “I love the Halloween theme,” said Rhonda. “The shows are so much fun to go to and it’s for a great cause.” Jim agreed: “The Tucson Police Foundation has really grown a great show and we love attending. The real winners are the participants and the spectators because of the family atmosphere.”

Here are some of the awards won by Jim and Rhonda:

• 1966 Dodge Charger; Little Anthony’s, Special Entry, December 2010
• 1967 Blue Dodge Charger; Kyle Franks Foundation, Honorary Choice Award, October 2009
• 1967 Red Dodge Charger; Cars in the Park, Best Stock Engine, October 2006
• 1969 Dodge Coronet; HEMI Show, 1st Place B-Body Modified, March 2005
• 1970 Plymouth Road Runner; Mopars at the Strip, Cannery Choice, April 2008

The Olive Garden restaurants of Tucson are stepping up again this year to help the Tucson Police Foundation raise funds for Kevlar bullet resistant vests for our police officers. The Olive Garden brings their tastes of Italy to the show as part of their monthly contribution to area foundations. Manager Samuel Alegria, who is a Tucsonan and graduate of Pueblo High School said, “Our goal is provide a great dining experience for our customers and to give back to our community. In addition to the Cops and Rodders, Samuel listed Camp Wildcat, the Boys and Girls Clubs of Tucson as well as putting up Christmas Trees around the holidays to help disadvantaged children. Samuel has been a manager for Tucson area Olive Garden Restaurants for the past seven years and led the West Irvington location to the highest rated Olive Garden in the United States. Samuel has been coordinating Olive Garden’s efforts with Ron Canterman our VIP Coordinator.

Samuel said, “While we are a national corporate entity, we are involved in our respective communities, through providing excellent dining services, hiring employees and giving back.” He continued, “We are connected to Tucson, because all of us here are Tucsonans.” Samuel, who graduated from Pueblo High in 1992, recognizes the importance of supporting the police department, “We want to keep the great officers we have safe and help programs such as the Safe Teen Accident Reduction Training.” Olive Garden of course promotes healthy meals and Samuel sets a good example as an active participant in running events. Currently he is training for a marathon in Chicago. As far as car shows, Samuel enjoys attending and supporting the Cops and Rodders show, “I love the 1966 Mustang, but I also really like the 2012 Dodge Challenger.”

When you get the opportunity, go by the Olive Garden at Broadway and Craycroft and thank Samuel and his staff for their continued support of the Cops and Rodders Car Show.