Back for their “Trucking for A Cause” car show, Veteran Carriers welcomes community partner, Veterans Council of Chatham County at their fourth annual shindig that has everything from the Bearded Pig BBQ, live music from Josh Winston, face painting, auction items and dozens of awards for car winners.

It’s a perfect day for a car show! Bright, sorta chilly, and with a field filling up with exotic, custom and classic cars, trucks and motorcycles, this year’s fundraiser has a crowd arriving at even 8:00 a.m.

Parking my red Jeep Gladiator at the entrance, I march past vendors setting up tables and follow my nose over to the corner booth that has smoke billowing out of a monster grill. Meet the Bearded Pig BBQ’s Mitchell Borowiec, a big-bearded dude with a love for cooking and his fiancé Haley Pierce.

After snapping a pic of the couple with their friend Hunter Lee, I follow Mitchell up his trailer ramp and to look at his 84 Lang kitchen grill. Using meats for Ellis Meat Market in Statesboro, Mitchell tells me he is preparing pulled pork nachos, mac-n-cheese, and sandwiches.

Promising to do a taste test later, I mosey over to familiar faces from American Legion Post 322 West Chatham, get them do a mini video session, then chat with Marine Corp retired Bobby Thompson about his snazzy burnt-red mini-Jeep.  After explaining that I am looking at an “old time Willy” replica, the 81 year-old tells me, “I am a Bloomingdale native, was a long time baseball player, and used to build hotels.”

At the booth next to them is Yancey Bros.’ (CAT) Jeff Cornwell. Unloading some squeezable little yellow bulldozers as giveaways, Jeff laughs when I ask where Kym Hogan is. He replies, “Stop. Listen. Do you hear her? She is getting closer!” 

So true, my 5’11” corporate recruiter is a force of nature! Always scouting for diesel mechanics, Kym is a recruit queen, a bonafide animal lover, and one of my closest friends. Introducing Kym to Bobby and seeing the two of them squeeze into the mini Jeep and drive off may be the highlight of the day! 

By now, Veteran Carriers’ Tabitha Guy has paused in her event planning, direction pointing, and auction labeling duties to tell me “Cliff is coming with his ‘Bel Aire, Chevelle, Charger, El Camino and Bronco and Rob should be bringing his Corvette, Ford Cobra, Ferrari 488 and McLarin.”

Tabitha is talking about VC’s Cliff White and Rob Cooch, the former TACPs (Tactical Air Control Party) built this thriving trucking company with 150 trucks in six short years and set the roads on fire with their patriotic themed trucks.

While on the lookout for those buff dudes, I see the most muscular dude of all setting up a ZEROOS display. Say hey to Wes Barber! Covered in muscles and tattoos, the Southeast Georgia sales representative gets amped telling me about their new vodka ready-to-drink cocktail. 

“With zero sugar and zero carbs, this gluten free cocktail has only 90 calories, no carbonation and the best part is, it tastes amazing! You can kiss your hangovers goodbye,” shares the 6’4” dude! 

Lucky for me, I have found a chauffeur who drove from his house two streets away and cruised up in his golf cart. William “Billy” Taylor is super gracious when I ask him to drive over to the long line of gleaming cars like the two ‘56 VW Beetles owned by Cordele native Jeffery Boatwright and Puerto Rico native Kenny Burgos.

Loving how passionate the two friends are about their rides, I learn that Jeffery retired from the U.S. Army in ‘06 and Kenny retired in ‘09 but is still active with 43 years in federal service.

Parked behind the duo is a wicked-cool car that keeps catching the eye of everyone walking by it, like West Chatham Elementary teacher Tammy Parker and fellow Melanie Brainard lover Libby Mills. Car-struck by the black ‘79 Pontiac Trans-Am, the ladies ask for a pic with the classic while I chat with Bob Cooch about his car. “I had one in high school and bought this one two years ago,” shares the Pennsylvania native and father of Rob Cooch.

Making a lap back up the vendors, I pause Veteran Carriers Vice President Lukas Wargin for a photo with his son Liam, check out American Legion Post 184’s Lance Farago and John Harris makeshift mobile bar then chat with Veteran Council Secretary Michelle Holton about her involvement with veterans. “Both of my grandfather served in the Vietnam War, my dad was with the 182nd Airborne, and being secretary is my way of giving back.”

Next up is Veterans Council Chairman Joe Higgins. In his fourth year serving 30 veteran organizations in Chatham County Joe has added seven groups during his tenure, was recently appointed to the Georgia Veteran Service Foundation Board, and the newly elected chairman is knee-deep in Veterans Day Week plans.

“We have our annual gala on Friday, November 10, the parade kicks off at 9:30am at the corner of Abercorn and Gwinnett on Saturday, and we already have 140 entries lined up. The money raised today will help pay for out-of-town bands to fly in, food for the gala, and the jhcost of magazine production,” shares Joe.

It’s auction time! Sporting his “Trucking for a Cause” Hawaiian shirt, Russ O’quinn takes the mic to start the bid on everything from a CAT Cooler, a $3,000 diamond necklace from Harkleroad Jewelers, a hand-crafted wood flag, and dozens of donated items. With Tabitha and Joe performing some “Vanna White duties,” they move on to the Top 20 car awards, then announce the ‘70 Oldsmobile Cutlass 442 as “Best of Show.”

Wrapping up another successful car show, I have to give a salute to Veteran Carriers for including their fellow veterans. From their annual golf tournament that raises funds for the TACP Foundation, to today’s car show, this patriotic trucking company continues to serve the community they live in!

This article appears in Connect Savannah | September, 2023.