An international car show will be part of this year’s Small World Festival on March 7 at Bryant Commons.
According to George Holtzman, Veterans Memorial Walk subcommittee chairman for the Hinesville Military Affairs Committee, all car categories are open. He said there are no restrictions; cars can be foreign or domestic, classic or modern.
“The car show was prompted by my owning a Miata MX5 and joining the Coastal Empire Miata Club,” he said. “They agreed to help sponsor the show as a fundraiser for the Veterans Memorial Walk (at Bryant Commons). Hinesville Ford is underwriting the cost of the event. All registration fees will go to the Veterans Memorial. Our goal is to have 100 entries. We have lots of gifts and door prizes.”
He said HMAC originally planned to hold the car show as part of last November’s Veterans Salute. However, that would have competed with other car shows already scheduled in the area. Hinesville Downtown Development Authority Executive Director Michelle Ricketson offered to let their car show be part of this year’s Small World Festival.
Holtzman said the show will not have preregistration. The $25 registration fee can be paid on the day of the show, running from 9 a.m.-noon. Judging begins at 1 p.m. with awards presented at 3 p.m. Awards include Best in Show, Top 30, General’s Award, Mayor’s Award and Sponsor’s Award. There also will be a 50/50 raffle.
Holtzman said checks for the registration fee should be made out to the HMAC Veterans Memorial.
He noted the car show and Small World Festival will coincide with the grand opening of Bryant Commons as a city park. In addition to cars, entertainment and food with an international flavor, the day also will include a 5K run and the opening of a dog park.
On Monday, Jan. 26, HMAC members agreed to donate $6,000 to the Veterans Memorial Walk, even though last year’s Veterans Salute did not raise that much. Bad weather affected attendance at last year’s event. Nonetheless, Holtzman said their $6,000 donation will bring funds to just over one-tenth the way toward the $1 million memorial.
The memorial, which will be about the size of a baseball field, will include monuments intended to honor the service of veterans of all branches of service, past and present.
“I am pleased to announce that when HMAC makes their $6,000 donation (today) this will put us over $100,000,” he said. “The exact amount is $101,960.”
For more information, go to www.veteransmemorialhinesville.com. Donors also can call Holtzman at 577-4300 or email him at George@holtzmancompanies.com.