By Chris Simon
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Mercury four-door sports sedan owner Lawrence Gillmen, right, discusses his 1951 model vehicle with Cliff Tripney, during the Thornton Lions and Innisfil Rotary Club's Show Your Pride — Show Your Compassion pre-1980s classic car show Saturday. |
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It's Lawrence Gillmen's lovable clunker.
Or at least that's how he describes the 1951 Mercury four-door sports sedan currently under his ownership. The car requires a lot of maintenance — with mandatory daily oil and fluid checks, and monthly lube jobs — but the effort is worth it. The automobile is nostalgic, taking Gillmen back to his youth.
"It's my time machine," he said, looking under the hood of the car. "It's fun; it gets you out. I like the colour and style of it. It's all steel."
Gillmen's automobile was among about 50 vehicles on display during the first annual Show Your Pride — Show Your Compassion pre-1980s classic car show, which took place at the Cookstown Outlet Mall Saturday. Donations collected throughout the event — which was organized by the Thornton Lions and the Innisfil Rotary Club — benefitted Habitat for Humanity and the Salvation Army's food drive.
"They need it," said organizer Harry Jones. "We, as a group, feel great when you come away from something like this. It's all going into the community."
The event also helps promote the local Lions and Rotary organizations. Both groups are dedicated to providing service to communities throughout the area, so the partnership makes sense, he said.
"We're always looking for a project," said Jones, noting Rotary members will be laying wood chips and doing other maintenance at Innisfil Beach Park over the next few weeks. "It's one thing to raise money and send it to people, it's another when you can get involved. You've got to draw attention when people are doing things in the community. There are a lot of people who drop through the cracks when you do it that way. It's great when people realize there's community work to be done, and pitch-in."
Gillmen was glad to be involved with the show.
"I like to bring out my car and show it off; you got to see what everyone else says," he said smiling. "It's always nice when someone else tells you it looks good."