By Elizabeth Lowe
Staff Writer
Goodrich — The First Annual Fall Car Cruise last Tuesday at the Goodrich Plaza drew a baker’s dozen of classic cars.
“Hey, for our first one we’re extremely pleased,” said event organizer Rick Cassabon, owner of the Goodrich Marketplace IGA. “In consideration of the weather and not a lot of publicity we had a fantastic turnout.”
“Most everybody’s got their car put away by now,” said Beth Shattuck, an IGA customer who turned out for the show.
Tom Mayne won the trophy for his Oldsmobile Cutlass 442, while oldies music blasted from the speakers. Car buffs huddled together, trying to seek shelter from the cold autumn winds that nearly led to the car show’s cancellation.
William Hamilton, 11, of Holly was the youngest auto enthusiast at the event. The future owner of a 1949 Chevrolet truck, he gets around to various shows with his grandfather, he said.
Cassabon hopes to make the show an annual Goodrich tradition.
“A lot of people are excited about it, and hopefully we’ll do it again next year,” he said. “We’re talking about doing it every Thursday night.”
The event was organized in recognition of customers and employees who are classic car owners, and to generate enthusiasm for local events, said Cassabon.
“Community involvement is needed for local business,” he said. “Without the support of the community we’ll be like all the other towns that close up and it’ll go to the big companies—like that Alan Jackson song, ‘Little Man”.