MUNITH, Mich., June 22, 2004 (PRIMEZONE) -- Chris Salow, president and head Shop Rat of Salow Machine Company, located near Jackson, thinks it is time for the Shop Rats of America to join together and receive the honor and respect they deserve.
Salow, a self proclaimed Shop Rat, supplies automobile parts and custom machines to companies across the country.
Now Salow is launching The Shop Rat Foundation, a non-profit organization that will organize Shop Rat Competitions for High Schools and Career Centers. The main focus of the competitions will be creative problem-solving, teamwork and time management. This is the first step towards enhancing industrial arts and education.
In addition to the Foundation, Shop Rat Associates will unveil their new Shop Rat Motorcycle, which is being built by Orange County Choppers, the group behind the highly successful "American Chopper" program on the Discovery Channel.
"Everyone I have spoke with thinks this is a great idea," Salow said. "There are millions of Shop Rats in the United States alone, working in factories, working in their garage at home, on cars, machines, motorcycles, you name it. Shop Rats are the backbone of an industrial area like the Midwest and it is time to honor and give them something to be proud of."
Shop Rat Associates has an ambitious agenda for this year, including:
-- Competitions for High Schools and Career Centers to help
promote Shop Rat careers for students.
-- The Shop Rat Foundation that will help raise scholarship
money for students studying Shop Rat trades.
-- An interactive website that will provide forums and chat
rooms for Shop Rats to discuss projects and exchange
information.
-- A line of clothing, tools and equipment produced by fellow
Shop Rats.
-- O.C.C. Shop Rat Chopper scheduled to appear at festivals
and parades.
-- Organizing a Shop Rat NASCAR Team.
-- The construction of many innovative projects.
For more information on Shop Rat Associates, go to www.shoprat.org.