Janice Crowe, organizer for the automotive portion of Baldwin Memorial United Methodist Church’s Car and Truck Show and Flea Market on June 2, said she was nervous about how many cars would turn up considering forecasts of heavy rain.
“I breathed a sigh of relief when I heard the roar of Bill Hoffman’s 1955 Chevrolet Gasser as it came down General’s Highway and made the turn onto Millersville Road,” she said.
Rolling down a lane lined with flea market vendors selling everything from tea sets to table saws, Hoffman’s two-toned blue and white Chevy claimed pride of place in the front row of vintage trucks and automobiles in a field behind the church’s education building.
Despite the threatening weather, parishioners from nearby John Wesley Waterbury United Methodist Church entered seven of two dozen cars, nicely rounding out the vintage display. Entries ranged from a 1939 Chevrolet Master Deluxe sedan owned by Harry Cabe of Annapolis and a 1940’s Chevy Pickup owned by Wayne Gerst of Severna Park to a 2012 Mark Williams Dragster. A group of 1960’s and ‘70’s muscle cars and sports cars added to the show.
In its second year as a fundraiser, the show and indoor/outdoor flea market benefited Serving People Across Neighborhoods (SPAN) as well as the church’s United Methodist Women and United Methodist Youth Fellowship. SPAN is Severna Park nonprofit that houses a food pantry and operates an emergency assistance network.
Parking opposite Baldwin Memorial’s historic Stone Chapel, patrons strolled past the outdoor flea market on their way to view the cars and trucks.
Just beyond a Speed Limit 5 MPH sign; Crownsville resident Murray Reid’s booth was eye-catching with vintage dresses, baseballs and other curiosities. Reid entered a car in the show too – his wife’s 1995 Toyota Celica – and eagerly awaited the awards announcements.
Once past the vendors’ tents, attendees moved between the rows of cars stopping to chat with owners about their vehicles’ histories and restorations.
Bill Hoffman revealed the rebuild of his blue and white 1955 Chevrolet was 36 years in the making. Designed as a “Gasser” for drag racing with a straight axle, raised in the front and lower in the back, the car was owned and raced by his young uncle who was killed by a drunk driver in 1979. Hoffman inherited the untouched and partially rusted car when his grandparents passed away.
“It’s eerie. When I pulled the car out of the trailer, my uncle seemed to appear behind the window on the passenger side of the car which I caught in a photo,” Hoffman said.
An image resembling his uncle can be seen in the photograph.
Citing a sprinkle of rain, Crowe announced the awards an hour early with Pastor Phil Tocknell handing out trophies. Pasadena resident Bobby Jerman captured Best of Show with his 1961 Ford Galaxy Starliner and Wayne Gerst took Best Truck in Show with his fuel injected 1940 Chevy Pickup.
$55,000 raised for for Footworks founder
Footworks Percussive Dance Company founder Eileen Carson’s life changed abruptly in March when she was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. Carson and husband Mark Shatz, who is Footworks musical director and a Grammy-winning acoustic musician, were forced to step back from their careers.to deal with the traumatic illness.
Aware the loss of a sustainable income and mounting expenses could mean financial devastation for the couple, friends rallied to help them by starting a GoFundMe page that raised $55,000 in 20 days.
Having raised money for many charitable causes since founding Footworks in 1979, Carson has been overwhelmed by the generosity of the fans and community members who responded to the GoFundMe campaign with donations and incredibly kind, uplifting messages.
She admits that having cancer has changed her… and in some ways been a blessing.
“It’s made me more open to other people, allowing them to open up to me,” she said. “And religion’s taken on deeper meaning for me.”
Carson’s very appreciative of the care she’s received from husband Mark, who’s been “heroic”, and from the Anne Arundel Medical Center nurses “who’ve been fantastic”. Having completed her fourth round of chemo at AAMC, she’ll undergo additional treatment at John Hopkins Hospital, a leading pancreatic cancer care and research center.
Positive in outlook, Carson looks forward to Footwork’s 40th Anniversary celebration at Maryland Hall for the Creative Arts next spring.
Now nationally recognized, the company practices a traditional dance form called “flatfooting” – a style predating but related to “clogging” – that involves tapping out percussive rhythms with one’s feet while echoing those rhythms by clapping or slapping the body. Most versions – especially Southern Appalachian flatfooting – originated in kitchens and on porches of rural communities in the U.S. and abroad.
With living expenses, mortgage payments, and additional medical costs yet to come, any contributions would be appreciated. Those wishing to make a donation may visit https://www.gofundme.com/sendEileenlove .
