Car show lightens medical burden of local families

Published 9:36 am Wednesday, September 24, 2014

Everybody felt like a winner at Saturday’s Open Road Cruisers antique car show benefit at Cassidy Park.

All proceeds from the event went to the families of two locals who need medical procedures. Angela Blackwell needs a kidney transplant, while Mike Doty needs a double lung transplant.

There were 68 registered cars on display. Money from registration, food, raffle tickets for prizes and event sponsors all went to the families.

Angie’s Betty and Danny Knight’s 1955 Chevrolet was named Best in Show. Franklinton’s Donna Stier won the Mayor’s Award for her turquoise 1955 two-door Chevrolet Belair. Best Interior Award went to Madisonville’s Lyle Kuhlmann for his 1934 Ford five-window Coupe. And James Rachel captured the President’s Pick for his 1951 Chevrolet truck 3100.

Raffle winners were Scott Rogers, a Jean Lafitte Swamp Tour; Jerry Devries, a handcrafted Shemming knife; Hughey Guht, a cruise on the Steamboat Natchez; Mike Garett, five admission passes to the Louisiana Children’s Museum; Tonya Burke, a Global Wildlife Safari Tour, and George Nobles, a free pass to the Audubon Nature Institute in New Orleans.

Other raffle winners included Troy Carney, 10 reserved seats to New Orleans Zephyrs baseball games and an Oak Alley Plantation Tour; Sherry Martin, a custom duel exhaust from Carney Exhaust, and Sandra Creel, a two-day pass to the Bogalusa Blues & Heritage Festival and a poster created by acclaimed local artist Richard C. Thomas.