Chrome zone
Green Park Show and Shine raises money for Island hospitals
Lots of shiny chrome was on display Sunday at the Green Park Show and Shine, a fundraiser for the Prince County and Queen Elizabeth Hospitals.
Norman Smith first became interested in antique cars when he bought a model of a 1957 Chevy Bel Air at Starlight Diner. “I didn’t know one day I would own that very same car.” Smith owns a rare Coronado yellow ’57 original restored Bel Air. “It has the matching number and everything has to be the same as when it came off the assembly line,” he explained.
His wife, Joanne, said they bought the car after it had been stored in a garage in Ottawa for years. “We also have a 1954 Chevy 3100 series in bright yellow. If you see that truck around, it’s us!” said Joanne. The Bel Air has played an important in the couple’s lives; they had their first date in that car. “He came up to me and asked me what I thought and I guess I was thinking, ‘Well, a drive never hurt anybody’,” Joanne said.
The Bel Air also had a role in the wedding, with the newlyweds’ photos taken with the car. On Sunday, the husband and wife duo attended the Green Park Show and Shine, a fundraiser for the Prince County and Queen Elizabeth hospitals. Sheila Wilson, who was attending the event with her grandchildren, was happy to give back to the Prince County Hospital after her granddaughter Jazmyn spent the first six weeks of her life there.
“It’s so special. Anything I can give back to the hospital I will. The doctors there saved Jazmyn’s life.” Brian MacArthur, and his wife Brenda, have organized the event for the past six years and have raised over $20,000.
“It’s an incredible way to give back,” said MacArthur.
“The first four years we donated the proceeds to the Canadian Cancer Society and then the last two years the money has gone to the PCH and QEH.” MacArthur has been attending car shows for more than 25 years, travelling as far as California and Georgia. “There is a tremendous amount of old vehicles on P.E.I. and the amount of shows seems to dwindle, so when there is a show it draws quite a crowd.”
“People like to come to these events because they know they can walk up to anybody and start talking about cars. They know they’re going to run into another car nut.” The Green Park Show and Shine usually draws about 80 to 100 entries with cars ranging from the 1920s to present day. MacArthur has owned around 10 antique vehicles, his newest, a 1971 truck from Georgia.
“I’ve modified it so it’s a bit different, but it has the factory air conditioning, that still works, something that you don’t see often in cars of its age.”