Cruise-in scheduled for February has been?

Classic American Muscle and Streetrods Car Club, Inc (CAMS) of Sherwood, Arkansas, was founded in August of 2000 by a group of automobile enthusiasts interested in good family fellowship, car shows, cruising and helping non-profit organizations in their fund-raising efforts. And that's exactly how we've operated since day one.



Meeting Location:  CAMS regular meetings are held on the fourth Thursday of each month at 7 p.m. at the Wildwood Centre, 2402 Wildwood Avenue, Sherwood, Ark.

Annual Membership Dues: Family $30.00; Single $24.00

For more information, please contact Tim Irby, CAMS President, at (501) 225-4817 or irbykerr@comcast.net.

Arkansas Rodders Honor Veterans at VA Hospital 
Story and photos by Tim Irby

 

It was an incredibly beautiful fall day in Arkansas and 90 hot rods showed up for the annual Dad’s Ole Car Ain’t What It Use Be at the Veteran’s hospital in North Little Rock, Arkansas. It was the 10^th anniversary of this event, which was moved from Father’s Day to November to be closer to Veterans Day and because of the extreme Arkansas heat in June. It appeared to be a good decision as everyone seemed to enjoy the day.

 

This event is not a car show in its purest sense however. Sure there are a couple of plaques given out by the host, CAMS Car Club of Sherwood, but it’s all about the veterans, their families and the health care workers who provide care to these sick and injured warriors. 

 

The North Little Rock VA hospital primarily serves those requiring long-term physical therapy. Some are there for a few months. Some never leave and their bed becomes a permanent home filled with books, pictures and other memorabilia.

 

On this fall day the parking lot was full of patients (many in wheel chairs and others dragging along oxygen) looking at the cars, laughing and talking about how their dad had a car like this or their uncle had a truck on his farm just like that. Of course, most of the vehicles on display this day were much more than daddy ever drove. This group of veterans certainly enjoyed seeing the cars and reliving their past. And the perfect weather kept many looking the entire two hours.
 
Everything was free, which included chili and cookies provided by Golden Corral Restaurant, Kroger donated drinks and Polar Ice provided ice.  The daybegan and ended with patriotic music by DJ Mike Llewellen.  Mike played music all day and the speakers were arranged so everyone could hear the music and announcements from anywhere on the parking lot.
 
A Spectator Choice plaque went to Bud and Tibbie Burnett of North Little Rock who’s perfect 1955 Chevy was stunning. And the Participants Choice award wasgiven to Troy and Sandi Wilkens of Maumelle who brought a fresh ’54 Mercury tricked out like an old police car.

CAMS Car Club Honored at Annual Treatment Homes Banquet

In recognition of the money that has been raised for foster care, provided through Treatment Homes, Inc., CAMS was honored at the Treatment Homes annual banquet with a Community Service Award for the 2010-2011 fiscal year.  As in the past, the banquet was held at the Governor’s Mansion. 

Each year for the past several years CAMS has donated thousands of dollars to Treatment Homes through donations collected at the annual NSRA Appreciation Day event, as well as funds collected through raffle tickets for a very nice shop sized tool box that any street-rodder (or otherwise) would be proud of.  This past year the toolbox was donated for this purpose by Home Depot.  Treatment Homes has also been heavily involved in the sale of tickets for this event.   Partnering with CAMS in the effort in 2011 was the Chili Appreciation Society through a chili cook-off competition. 

Treatment Homes, founded in the early ‘80’s, has taken on providing care for foster children that have been emotionally, mentally, or physically abused.   The goal is to stabilize the children, who are placed in therapeutic foster families, and work with the biological parents when possible to try to reunite them.  When this is unsuccessful, Treatment Homes helps to facilitate appropriate adoptions.   Faced with funding cuts, the money raised this past year was particularly beneficial.

CAMS member Garnet  Quimby (left) received the Best
Paint Award from Charlie Hutton (right) at the 2011 Auto Extravaganza in Little Rock.