Approximately 150 vehicles were on display for Saturday’s car and truck show.
Shawn Nowlin shawn.nowlin@ourvalley.org
Photos by Shawn Nowlin
Vehicle lovers tend to take advantage of a car show whenever an opportunity presents itself. Such a situation arose last Saturday in the parking lot of the Salem Civic Center as part of the Family Service of Roanoke Valley’s annual spring fundraiser.
Planning for the car show began in the fall of 2020. To be on the safe side, organizers decided that the event needed an outdoor venue. Because of its space, price and accommodations, the Salem Civic Center parking lot made the most sense.
Said Linda Hentschel, President and CEO of Family Service of Roanoke Valley, “when COVID-19 forced us to postpone our Family Service VIP 2020 spring event until fall, we knew we had to turn that event into a virtual one. Because of this, we decided to start planning an outdoor spring event knowing we would continue to hold the dinner event in the fall. As a result of the success of previous car shows, we discussed adding this as an ongoing annual event for Family Service.”
Roughly 150 vehicles registered as part of the car show which attracted more than 1,000 attendees. People were encouraged to tour the parking lot and take pictures of the vehicles. Among the notable cars on display were a 1977 Nissan Skyline 1800 Sporty Glextra and a 1969 Volkswagen Beetle.
Roanoke County resident John Wingfield took Saturday as an opportunity to teach his teenage son about antique cars.
“In addition to sports, one thing that we regularly bond over is an appreciation of antique cars. He asked me several questions and I was happy to expound on my answers. While his first car was a blue 2014 Toyota Camry, mine was a red 1970 Dodge Challenger. I saw other parents bonding with their children too,” Wingfield said.
What a difference a year makes! Last year, the pandemic canceled nearly all public gatherings. With the easing of COVID restrictions, things are starting to return back to normal.
Vendors for Saturday’s car show included Sports Haven, Anderson Music Therapy Services, City Girl Kreations, Roger Redd with Liberty Mutual and A Tailgate Vendor. The sponsors were: Roanoke Valley Orthodontics, Business Solutions, Inc., Mount Regis Center, Old Virginia Outpost, Richfield Living, Blue Eagle Credit Union, Hollywood Hair & Nails, The Roanoke Valley Jeep Club, Roanoke Valley Harley-Davidson and WDBJ/WZBJ.
“I was impressed by the care each car owner gave to their vehicle. The pride each owner has in their vehicle was easy to see,” Hentschel said. “In addition to the funds raised at the event, we also were able to educate people on the resources provided by Family Service of Roanoke Valley, including mental health and community services to both individuals and families. We encourage everyone to visit our website www.fsrv.org for more information.”