Phil Dauphinee and his grandsons sit down regularly to work on models.
Granddad is a car guy, a member of the Scale Plastic Automotive Modeller club.
So it shouldn’t come as a surprise that Harry, 10, and little brother Matthew, 7, are both submitting flashy Italian performance cars into the Island Classic Model Contest and Exhibition on Saturday at the Salvation Army Citadel Auditorium, 4030 Douglas St.
“It’s quite common for the junior age modellers to get a little help from a parent or grandparent,” says Dauphinee, who helped the boys during a summer camping trip. “Harry has built a Ferrari Enzo model, and Matthew a Lamborghini Diablo.”
SPAM started the Island Classic as an automotive modelling contest four years ago but added six more categories last year, each with various sub-classes, as well as one miscellaneous category.
Adults tend to produce creative and complicated models, but the focus is on the kids, too, says Dauphinee.
“What’s great for the younger juniors (14-and-under) are the snap kits, no glue necessary, though for the younger kids the snaps can also be difficult.”
Anyone 18-and-under who enters a model is automatically qualified to win the Harry Page Memorial award as youth modeller of the year.
Page was a local modeller who passed away at 65. The top modeller’s name will be engraved on the Harry Page Memorial Trophy. The winning modeller gets a $50 gift certificate to BC Shaver & Hobbies on Fort Street, where their model will be displayed. They also get a building workbench designed and built by Harry Page.
The contest is open to viewing with a suggested $2 donation and starts at 9 a.m. with a noon deadline entry for judging.
reporter@saanichnews.com