There were more than 430 cars at the show on Saturday. Logan Washburn | Collegian

Stillwell Ford hosted its seventh annual car show Sept. 10 to raise money for Hillsdale County’s Child Abuse Prevention and Awareness group.

The event raised more than $2,300 for CAPA, said Eric Hoffman, president and owner of Stillwell Ford. He said more than 430 cars were in the show. 

“It was a great turn out and one of the largest shows we have had,” Hoffman said. 

Nicolas Thompson, senior master technician at Stillwell Ford, said there were no prize winners at the car show because it was a charity event.

“We just try to raise money for a good cause,”  Thompson said.  

CAPA of Hillsdale County, according to its website, strives to eliminate child abuse and neglect through advocacy and education in the county. 

Admission was free and there was no registration fee for people to show their cars. Stillwell Ford raised money for CAPA by selling 50/50 raffle tickets and accepting donations, Thompson said. 

The winner of the 50/50 raffle ticket donated $1,000 to CAPA, in addition to the $2,304 the dealership raised for them, according to Hoffman. 

Butch and Barbara Weeks have participated in the car show for the past five years. The Weeks brought their 50-year-old Monte Carlo to the event. 

Butch Weeks said it was the car he and his wife drove away in after their wedding 49 years ago. They bought the car one year before they married.

“I picked out the kind of car and my wife chose the color,” he said. 

Weeks also said he drove their daughter home from the hospital in the same car after she was born. 

“We wanted her to take it when she got married but she wanted to have a limousine,” Weeks said. “Now she wishes she took the car.”

Weeks said his favorite thing about car shows are the “nice cars and nice people.”

“The only thing bad about car shows is that you look around and most of the people are old,” he said. “If younger people don’t get interested, it’ll be a dying thing.” 

Lifelong Hillsdale resident Dallas Hawkins was at the car show with his son, Dalton. He brought his 1966 and 2006 Ford Mustang GTs. 

“These two cars are 40 years apart and my son and I are 40 years apart,” Hawkins said. “It’s a Ford show, so I figured I would bring in the evolution of the automobile.”

Hawkins said he owns “a lot” of cars. 

“We’re car crazy,” he said. “We love old cars and have a barn full of them.” 

Hawkins said he enjoys the cars, friends, and food that car shows bring. 

“I just love the whole atmosphere,” he said. “When you’re at a car show and they’re playing the old music – I love it.” 

Last year, the Stillwell Ford car show raised money for Greater Hillsdale Humane Society, Thompson said. Next year, the business will choose a new charity to support. 

Hoffman said he hopes more college students will attend for an even greater turn out next year.

Stillwell Ford plans to host its next car show on Sept. 14, 2024