Apr. 5—ROCKINGHAM — Richmond County Hospice's campus was full of toys, rare classics, works of craftsmanship and family projects on Saturday for the return of their Cool Cars for a Cause event.
Saturday was the first time Hospice has held since the pandemic after its inaugural run in 2019 which saw about 50 contestants enter, and this time they increased the turnout by 20 contestants. The event is a car, truck and motorcycle show open to all makes and models. Local vendors were also invited to set up on the Hospice campus.
The car show raised a little over $5,000 for Hospice this weekend, according to Julie Woody, director of Public Relations for Hospice. All proceeds from the car show go to support Hospice's services provided to individuals without insurance, as well as to help offset the cost of our extended services such as grief support groups, wishing well projects, and children's grief camp, Woody added.
Many of the competitors had their own personal connections to Hospice. The big winner of the day, Harry Chavis, who took home the Best in Show trophy for his '67 Ford Galaxy 500, thought he had also won a $284 raffle earlier in the day, and intended to give the winnings right back to Hospice.
Chavis said he chose to enter Hospice's car show rather than one being held at the Annual Cheraw Spring Festival the same day because this one "meant more to me." Hospice cared for his mother for about three months total before she passed away just over 12 years ago, and Chavis said that since then he's wanted to be involved in anything that supports the facility because "I feel like I owe them."
"Hospice took care of my mother before she passed, I have to do stuff for them. I was hoping I won that money so I could give it back to them!" Chavis said through tearful laughter. "I've got a big respect for Hospice."
Chavis is by no means a professional when it comes to fixing up cars, he just put in the time. He said he's worked on his Galaxy for about eight years, and it's the only car he's ever worked on. He redid the motor, got all new tires, had the chrome and upholstery redone, and he customized the trunk and radio system himself.
Asked how he learned how to do this with no prior training, Chavis said, "Do it."
"You got to learn, if you don't know how to do it you've got to try," he said. "If you mess up, then you messed up and you try it again."
What likely put him into the winner's circle was his showmanship. Chavis's Galaxy gleamed in the sun with a classic parking meter next to it, complete with a meal tray and a portable radio mounted on the windows just like they used in the old days of drive-in movies. He also parked his car on a mat made to look like a road.
Jessica Mims, the MC of the event and director of Family Services for Hospice, said that Hospice prides itself on providing quality care to the people they serve.
"Our employees truly have a heart for hospice. We do care for those that we serve and I think it shows through to the families and so it just really creates a permanent bond," Mims said. "In the most trying time, we hope to provide some comfort for those that we serve."
The 2020 event was scheduled about two weeks after the COVID-19 shutdown and so was one of the first big events to be a casualty of the pandemic. The vehicles on display Saturday included a Model T, rat rods, classic military jeeps, dune buggies, jacked-up trucks, and sports cars.
Ryan Green, 21, of Pinehurst, ended the day as the only contestant with two awards for his candy brandywine '65 Ford Mustang. Green said the car was a team effort between he and his dad, who he grew up watching restore a blue '64 Ford Mustang and other cars but had never worked on one with him — Green was playing video games instead.
"He's kind of showing me the ropes, kind of putting it in the family tradition," Green said.
Green made the project a priority after having an injury.
"I just had knee surgery and while I was recovering I couldn't really do much so for me I've noticed it's the memories you make in life instead of what you don't do," Green said. "I think memories over everything is what makes life life ... [the knee surgery] kind of opened me up I guess."
Steve Allen, 83, of Rockingham had the brightest vehicle on the property Saturday. His bruising yellow '56 Ford truck is the result of work by three generations of Allen men: the elder bought it new when Allen was in high school and then he got a hold of it when his father passed and restored it. Then Allen's eldest son finished up the restoration over the last five years, who Allen plans to give it to when he passes away.
They completely changed the entire front end, put in a 460 engine, automatic transmission, disc brakes all the way around, and added new rims.
Allen said he has many memories of driving the truck when he was in high school — "A whole lot I ain't tellin'." Nowadays he takes the truck to local cruise-ins to socialize with other car enthusiasts.
"There's some fine vehicles out here today," Allen said. "I'm not worried about winning I'm just happy to go out and see people and talk to 'em. The winning part don't make a whole lot of difference to me."
Jerry Jordan's original Vietnam-era, '63 Willis Jeep M151 had a special significance for him on Saturday. He was showing his vehicle in memory of his brother, Ricky Lee Jordan, who passed away on March 28 at the age of 53.
"He loved old cars and stuff like me so he'd probably have been out here at the show," Jordan said.
Jordan's dad always collected classic vehicles and he said, "I've got his disease."
The winners were as follows:
—Best GM 1910 — 1993 — Christian Smith, '78 Chevy K10
—Best GM 1994 — 2022 — Troy Garrabrant, '94 Chevy Corvette
—Best Ford 1910 — 1993 — Ryan Green, '65 Ford Mustang
—Best Ford 1994 — 2022 — Johnny Wood, 2015 Ford Mustang
—Best Mopar 1910 — 1993 — Barbara Robinson, '69 Plymouth Roadrunner
—Best Mopar 1994 — 2022 — Johnny Perhealth, 2021 Dodge Challenger Super Stock
—Best Truck 1910 — 1993 — Stan Patrick, '52 Dodge
—Best Truck 1994 — 2022 — Cindy Lisk, 2018 Ford F150
—Best Import 1910 — 1993 — Billy Dunn, '75 Volkwagen
—Best Import 1994 — 2022 — Ryan Argusa, 2005 Nissan
—Best Non-Production 1910-1993 — Brian Terry, '50 Studebaker
—Best Cruiser Bike — Chris Sachs, 2012 Harley
—Best Street Bike — George O'Brien, 2001 Harley Softtail
—Best Mini Truck — James White, '98 Nissan
—Best Project Car — Marvin Taylor, '25 Ford Model T
—Best Rat Rod — Austin Pope, '51 Ford F1
—Best Modern Muscle — Eddie Vuncannon, 2008 Mustang
—Best Old School Muscle — Richard and Cynthia Robinson, '56 Chevrolet
—Best RestoRod — Barry Strickland, '55 Chevrolet
—Best Street Rod — Cole Herndon, '23 Ford T-Bucket
—Best Interior — Ryan Green, '65 Ford Mustang
—Director's Choice — Steve Allen, '56 Ford truck (yellow)
—Best in Show — Harry Chavis, '67 Ford Galaxy 500
