Hundreds attend 3rd annual Armed Forces Day Car and Motorcycle Show

  • Published
  • By Airman Jamie Coggan
  • 355th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
DAVIS-MONTHAN AIR FORCE BASE, Ariz. --  The third annual Armed Forces Day Car and Motorcycle Show, sponsored by the base Arts and Crafts/Auto Center, Outdoor Recreation office, Wing Safety office and Culture of Responsible Choices Committee, drew more than 700 people to Heritage Park here May 19.

The day-long event, which kicked off with a 6 a.m. motorcycle rally, featured 110 cars and motorcycles on display, some owned by servicemembers and others owned by local civilians.

The vehicles were judged by people who attended the show and filled out ballots, simply based on their own opinions. The cars with the most votes in their class were presented with a trophy. The car that received the most total votes also won the "People's Choice" trophy, and four judges voted on who earned the trophy for "Best in Show."

"The purpose of this event was to have a special occasion for the Davis-Monthan community and guests," said Chris Sweeney, the public affairs specialist for the 355th Services Squadron here. "It was a great opportunity to have an activity for our Airmen and families to participate in, and for agencies like Wing Safety and the Culture of Responsible Choices committee to get involved and promote their programs along with our sponsors and other agencies," said Chris Sweeney,.

Several off-base businesses also sponsored the event, some of which donated cash and gave out vouchers and prizes. "All of the sponsors are vital to the success of these events," said Mr. Sweeney.

"It's great to see people come out here to have a good time and honor our troops," said retired Army Col. Jonathan White, who attended the event with his son and two grandchildren. "Just showing them that people support them - they deserve that."

The car show had 21 entries in 2004 and 48 entries in 2005.