His Place car show continues raising funds

(9/12) Days of hurricane-generated rainfall of deluge proportions adversely impact numerous area activities, including the Second Annual Emmitsburg Maryland Charity Car Show held September 10 at the Mother Seton School in Emmitsburg.

The show is organized and held annually by Bill Kuhn, of His Place, Inc., a "full service automotive facility" located at 20 Creamery Way, Emmitsburg. The company also offers car restoration services.

Kuhn said this year’s show had actually been scheduled for May. "This (September 10) was the rain date" that was implemented when the May show was cancelled due to weather conditions.

At last year’s event, more than 120 antique, vintage and custom vehicles were displayed at the show. That number was reduced to several dozen participants this year, which Kuhn said is what happens when "Mother Nature fails to cooperate."

In spite of inclement weather still threatening the area during the event, several hundred individuals still attended to see the array of classic vehicles which had registered to participate.

One hundred percent of the show’s proceeds go toward providing funds to help support the Emmitsburg Osteopathic Primary Care Center (EOPCC), 121 West Main Street, and the Mother Seton School, 100 Creamery Road, Kuhn stated.

Kuhn said he had been thinking about having a car show in the area for "a couple of years" before actually creating one. "I had to figure out where and how to hold it. It would have been too much to do it up at our site (His Place.)"

The auto show concept took off, he said, after meeting with EOPCC founder/owner Bonita J Portier.

More than 20 sponsors began to kick-in to help make the show a reality, including individually sponsoring trophies bearing the donor’s name. "Everything we have is donated," Kuhn stated. Any uncovered expense is paid for out-of-pocket by Kuhn, including the event insurance.

Last year’s car show raised between $3,000 and $4,000 for the EOPCC and Mother Seton School. This year, he said, "We didn’t touch those numbers (due to weather)."

The show, he said, "benefits everyone involved" by providing commercial enterprises with a means to advertise their participation, and providing funds to the health clinic and school.

One of the major backers of the event is Rocko Meats, 12623 Catoctin Furnace Road, which Kuhn referred to as "a very big sponsor."

Rocko Meats was founded in the early 1900s by Frank William Fraley. Current co-owners, Vicky and James "Nick" Fraley acquired the business in 1985 from James "Nick" Fraley, Sr.

Vicky Fraley said her and her husband’s company "got involved from the annual event from its initial beginning after discussing Kuhn’s fundraising effort with Portier.

"We supply meat and food for the event," Fraley said. She and her husband also have an interest in vintage vehicles.

The Fraleys plan on attending a car show in Ocean City, Maryland, this month to promote the Emmitsburg show by handing out flowers to vintage car owners attending that event.

"I hope a lot more people come next year," she said. The 2012 show is scheduled to take place in May.