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Ferndale’s state championship winning head coach Clint McClurg will be one of the guest honorees at this year’s College of the Redwoods annual sports dinner and auction.

The 22nd annual fundraiser will take place on Aug. 13 and will also honor Pittsburg Steelers assistant coach Shawn Howe.

Both McClurg and Howe are former CR football players.

The annual event, which is sponsored by Blue Lake Casino Hotel, will take place in the CR gymnasium from 5 to 9 p.m. and tickets are now available.

The fundraiser benefits the college’s 16 sports programs and more than 325 student-athletes.

According to a CR press release, McClurg wil be honored “for his accomplishments as a student-athlete, soldier, educator, and championship football coach.” 

McClurg played defensive back for the local community college and helped lead the Corsairs to conference championships in 1995 and 1996 while earning Junior College All-American honors and establishing a school interception record that still stands. 

McClurg is a physical education teacher at Ferndale High School and the Wildcats head football coach, where he has led the Cats to two North Coast Section championships.

In the fall of 2023, McClurg guided Ferndale to a first-ever state championship.

Howe, meanwhile, was a standout defensive end and linebacker for CR from 2000 to 2001.

He coached at USC, Tennessee, Memphis, Coastal Carolina and Humboldt State before serving as defensive coordinator at Montana State University, where he helped lead the Bobcats to the 2025 FCS national championship.

This year, he joined the Pittsburgh Steelers coaching staff as a defensive assistant.

“Not only does our community eagerly anticipate the annual CR Dinner and Auction, but so do our staff and student-athletes,” CR Athletic Director Ryan Bisio said. “It’s a night to thank our donors, sponsors and the hundreds of attendees who support our programs throughout the year. 

“The generosity of local businesses and community members demonstrates the importance of Redwoods athletics across our region.”

Shawn Howe

This year’s fundraiser will also celebrate one of the most significant student engineering achievements in the college’s history with the return of the Corsair Speed Car to campus. 

Students in the Diesel Heavy Equipment Club, under the direction of instructor Bob Havemann, designed and built the 26-foot diesel-powered streamliner that captured national attention at the Bonneville Salt Flats in 1971.

Powered by a heavily modified Detroit Diesel engine, the nearly three-ton vehicle recorded an average speed of 190.394 mph, surpassing the existing diesel land speed record by more than 20 mph.

“We are profoundly grateful for the unwavering support from our community, alumni and donors,” CR President Dr. Keith Flamer said. “Their commitment to CR athletics reflects our shared dedication to academic and athletic excellence, and every contribution makes a lasting difference for our students and our college.”

Guests can participate in silent and live auctions featuring more than 150 packages, including an eight-day stay at a five-diamond Mexican resort, vacation getaways throughout California and Oregon, local services, gift baskets, home and garden items, art and jewelry, and certified sports memorabilia.

The Corsair Speed Car

“This auction features items and packages that cannot be found at any of the other community events,” said Marty Coelho, executive director of Community Advancement and the CR Foundation. “Our donors are incredibly generous and deeply committed to supporting College of the Redwoods student-athletes.”

Individual tickets for the fundraiser cost $100, couples tickets cost $190, tables of eight cost $750, and tables of 10 cost $900.

Tickets can be purchased online here or by mailing a check to the CR Foundation, 527 D St., Eureka, CA 95501.

For more information, to purchase tickets or to donate auction items contact Marty Coelho at marty-coelho@redwoods.edu or 707-476-4325.