DeLand, Fla. – For DeLand resident Del Clark, cars have always been something he’s interested in.
“I’ve been into cars my whole life,” said Clark. “I fixed them up, I do some restoration. I’ve got a collection myself. I mean, it’s kind of a passion, I’ve always done it, I don’t know anything else.”
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So when it came time to figure out a charity event for his Masonic Lodge, St. John’s Lodge No.37 F & AM, Senior Deacon Clark figured, why not hold a car show? That’s how he came up with the Hiram Fest Charity Car & Cycle Show.
“I used to help out with a local car club putting on muscular dystrophy car shows every year, for three, four or five years in a row, we did that. I used to put on shows Hot Rod shows at the Iron Horse Saloon,” said Clark.
Next, he just had to figure out which charity they wanted to benefit,. Once again, for Clark, a no-brainer.
“All proceeds go to The House Next Door, which is a local charity that I’ve done a lot of work for for about 20 years,” said Clark. “They help distressed families and children, they provide family counseling, family help, they’re a great local charity and whenever we were asked what we were going to do with the money, they’re the first I thought of. I’ve seen how they help families. One of our members in the lodge actually, The House Next Door helped him and his family when he was a kid. As I get older, you just kind of find more joy in helping other people.”
The Hiram Fest is free to attend. It’s a family-friendly event, they’ll have a bounce house for kids and they’ll be selling barbecue, burgers and hotdogs, even smoked pork butts. There will be live music by the Oak Hill Drifters, as well.
And if you’ve got a cool car you want to show off, it’s just a $10 fee to enter your car or cycle.
“I wanted to make it affordable,” said Clark. “Right around the holidays, I don’t know what you can afford, can’t afford but I figured 10 bucks, you can come up with 10 bucks.”
Clark’s hoping to have a turnout of at least 100 vehicles, and all are welcome.
“Basically anything. Anybody that wants to come and bring a donation, anything that’s a collectible style car, it can be Jeeps, can be newer Corvettes, Challengers, Mustangs, everything. ‘60s muscle cars, hot rods, really just about anything under the sun. Anything to raise money for The House Next Door.,” said Clark. “As far as motorcycles, same thing. Whatever people want to bring, if it’s their baby, their collector car, whatever. New or old, it doesn’t matter. We welcome it all here.”
The ultimate goal?
“I’m hoping we can do $2,000 to $3,000,” said Clark. “I would love to be able to give that to them if we can. I want to be the light in another person’s darkness.”
The event will be held at St. John’s Lodge No.37 F & AM, 2557 North Spring Garden Ave., DeLand from 9am to 2pm, Saturday, December 2nd.