Submitted photo / Jack Dixey Three nonprofits are represented at the MAPS Air Museum in North Canton. From left are Diane Less of Angels for Animals, Scott Denniss of the MAPS Museum and Jack Dixey of Canfield, who puts on the annual Big Collectibles Show each year. They are pictured with a jet pedal car that Dixey won in one of Less’ fundraisers, and was donated to the MAPS Museum. The jet pedal car was painted for Angels for Animals and was named “Top Cat.”

CANFIELD — Last week, Jack Dixey of Canfield, along with Diane Less from Angels for Animals, made a trip to the MAPS Air Museum in North Canton to make a special delivery.

Dixey donated a custom-made fighter jet pedal car to the museum. The unusual pedal car was custom-built by Ralph Bertanzetti of New Washington and was made out of wood. Bertanzetti is a frequent donor to Angels for Animals and detailed it to reflect the nonprofit. It was offered to Angels for Animals as a raffle item. The little jet was valued at $4,500 according to Dixey.

“Long story short, Angels for Animals raffled the custom-made, one-of-a-kind jet pedal car as a fundraiser,” Dixey said. “I was excited to hear I won the raffle. Once I picked it up, I realized both the size and my limited utility of such a belonging. I surmised that it would be better suited to the Military Air Museum in North Canton for young visitors to enjoy. The museum was delighted to accept my gift.”

It gave the MAPS museum, Angels for Animals and Dixey’s Big Collectibles Show a chance to get recognition during the donation event. The museum even had a poster child arranged to be photographed in the jet pedal car. The child’s real name is Jet Martin from Franklin, Pa.

“The 6-year-old gentleman is the first person to ever sit in the cockpit and actually (operate) the pedals and steering,” Dixey said. “He was delighted to be a participant in the inaugural ‘flight.'”

Kim David Kovesci, executive director of the MAPS Air Museum, was extremely happy to receive the donation.

“The donation of the jet pedal car to MAPS is amazing,” Kovesci said.” One person commented on the amount of time it must have taken to build it. They really did a great job. Another person said that we will put it in front of the picture banner that we have so the little ones can get their picture taken in it. One of our guys said, that is one of one, meaning that it is the only one that he has ever seen. I think it represents the importance that MAPS has come to represent to the community. The fact that a personal treasure like that was given to us to take care of shows the trust that we have earned.”

The jet pedal car will be at the museum for young kids to enjoy this weekend when Dixey hosts his annual Big Collectibles Show at MAPS.

The show will run 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Friday and 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday. It will feature a wide variety of collectible items, including political paraphernalia.

On display at the event will be a collection of Jimmy Carter’s campaign memorabilia, celebrating his 100th birthday. The Carter collection is owned by Lexi Martin of Franklin, Pa.

Dixey added among the entertainment will be appearances by Abraham Lincoln as portrayed by John Cooper and Teddy Roosevelt portrayed by Larry Marple.

“Come and get your picture taken with two presidents and the jet pedal car,” Dixey said.

The $10 admission fee for the event includes access to the museum and the show, which consists of 200 tables of antique advertising, political memorabilia, military collectibles, vintage photography and ephemera, comic books, jewelry, general line, antiques and more.

“The collectible show has been very important because the people involved are passionate about history,” Kovesci said. “That is right down our alley. We have found a niche where we tell the greater story through the eyes of people from northeast Ohio. We tell their story and the rest just comes out as background. When we first started hosting these events, people didn’t know us at all. They thought we had something to do with reading maps. These shows provided a wonderful event to show that we are storytellers for our neighbors, families and friends. They also provide the financial support that is needed to carry on. They have been an important contributor to our success and I hope they will continue long into the future.”

The MAPS museum is in a decommissioned Ohio National Guard airplane hangar at the south end of the Akron-Canton airport.