13 Year Old Volunteer is Making a Difference at the Auburn Cord Duesenberg Museum

Skylar VanZile walks in the footsteps of his great-grandpa, who was employed by Auburn Automobile Company in the 1920s and 1930s.

The next time you visit the Auburn Cord Duesenberg Museum in Auburn, Indiana you might want to pay close attention to the volunteers at the museum, because you might mistake one for a kid! Skylar VanZile, of Auburn, is a 13-year-old volunteer gallery host at the museum and has been donating his time to the museum since March of this year. This "Boy Wonder" has taken his passion for Auburn's automotive heritage and history to the next level by sharing its history with others.

Like most kids his age, Skylar likes to read, collect models, and wants to be a fireman when he grows up, but every Monday and Wednesday at 4 p.m. you will find him at the Auburn Cord Duesenberg Museum, talking to guests and pulling more information from other museum volunteers about the museum and its 120 cars on display. "I have always been interested in Auburn's history and the Auburn Cord Duesenberg Museum is a big part of it. I came here with my parents on a Wednesday afternoon and have been hooked ever since," said VanZile.

"This kid is like a sponge," said Bob Brotherton, Skylar's mentor and fellow museum volunteer. "He soaks up everything I give him. So often, I'll take him around the museum and tell him the history about certain cars on display and when I ask him about it the next day, or even the next week, he is able to repeat it back to me almost verbatim. It's so refreshing to have a young man like Skylar interested in these great cars on display," said Brotherton.

Skylar has received many hours of one-on-one training from Bob Brotherton and is in the process of becoming a museum docent. Museum docents give tours to groups that visit the museum. "I hope to give tours to groups of adults and to kids my age. You're never too young to learn about cars and automotive history," said Skylar.

Besides the obvious age difference, Skylar has something else that sets him apart from most volunteers. Skylar has a unique connection to the museum's history and Auburn Automobile Company that very few volunteers can claim, "My great-grandpa is Ora Shambaugh, and he worked on the assembly line in the Final Assembly Department at Auburn Automobile Company in the 1920s and 1930s. By volunteering at the museum, I get to carry on the story that my great-grandpa was a part of over 75 years ago, and it is my way of giving back to the community," said VanZile.

Giving back to the community runs in Skylar's family. Skylar's father is the Fire Chief of Auburn's Fire Department, Mike VanZile. Mike has been giving back to the community for nearly 25 years; 15 years in Auburn, and 10 years as a volunteer firefighter in Butler. "I am proud of my kids and I hope I have instilled in them how important giving back to the community is, and how it makes our city a better place," said Mike. Skylar's 10 year old brother, Landon, wants to follow in Skylar's shoes someday and be a volunteer at the museum when he gets a little older. "He has to be a little older, like 12 or 13 years old," said Skylar. Spoken like a true big brother.

The Auburn Cord Duesenberg Museum - where the world's finest cars of yesterday live today! Over 120 classic, antique, vintage and special interest cars are display with other automotive related exhibits on three floors. The museum is located in the National Historic Landmark, original 1930s national headquarters of the legendary Auburn Automobile Company. Admission is charged, with group and family rates available. The museum is open daily from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. year round. In 2007, plan a visit and bring your family to the Auburn Cord Duesenberg Museum, a place where automotive history comes to life! acdmuseum.org