Scores of costumed children and their parents stood in a line that snaked through two shopping center parking lots for a Trunk or Treat event Saturday hosted by the Hinesville Horsepower Car Club.
The car club holds a cars and coffee gathering in front of Dunkin Donuts at 541 West Oglethorpe Highway in Hinesville the last Saturday of each month.
On Halloween, the gathering goes into overdrive when car enthusiasts transform themselves and their vehicles into fantastical and spooky tableaus, and hand out candy to little princesses, super heroes, ghosts, goblins and beasties.
“Every year we do something different,” said David Manfredi. Manfredi and his wife, Lisa, travel from their home in Warner Robins to participate in the Trunk or Treat each year. The couple dressed their 2016 Camaro as a grisly operating room scene. Manfredi was a ghoulish surgeon, holding a bloodied knife with his own internal organs on display. “We used to do zombie runs,” he said. Manfredi credits his son, who is an RN, with this year’s scary costume choice.
Ivelisse Soto and her partner, Javier Vazquez, decked out their 96 Lexus SC 300 as a “Nightmare before Christmas” scene. Their black and white cocker spaniel, Ginger, also was in costume. Vazquez is a member of Klassified Car Club.
Donney Greathouse, dressed as a transformer, handed out candy from his 2014 Ford Raptor. He is a member of Stang Syndicate Car Club.
Clubs Crown Rydaz and Boosted Clique participated in the event, along with K-9 Battle Buddies and Yates Astro. Other participating groups and individuals also brought old and new school cars, several semi-trucks and motorcycles.
Dunkin Donuts manager Shannon Polston listed trophies that would go to participants: Soldier’s Choice, Best New School, Best Old School, Best Decorated Bike and the top 25 best decorated vehicles.
The 3rd ID’s top NCO, Command Sgt. Maj. Rebecca Myers, was asked to be a special guest judge, Polston said.
“This is our fourth year doing this event,” she said.
Trunk or Treat sponsors included Dunkin Donuts, J.C. Lewis Ford, Rock Chicks, Lowe’s, Wal Mart and Mach 1 Body Shop, according to Polston.
Polston added that the Hinesville Horsepower Car Club holds fundraisers to sponsor local youth baseball and softball teams, dubbed “Team Nitro.”