Photos and story by Tom Loughlin Jr.
Whitesboro, NY Sept 13 2022 — A check for $20,000 from the proceeds of the 3rd annual Veterans Parkway Car Show was presented to officials of Chapter 490 of the Military Order of Purple Heart Veterans in a ceremony at the Whitesboro American Legion today.
This year’s event, held August 13 at the Parkway Recreation Center grounds in Utica, doubled in entry count since its inaugural. Charity proceeds have jumped as well, rocketing from $8,000 from the inaugural event to $13,000 in 2021 and $20,000 this year.
According to Dennis Jacobs, more than 200 entries participated under crystal skies at the 2022 show attributing the explosive entry growth growing awareness of the event’s success in supporting veterans causes and to promotional efforts at the giant “Syracuse Nationals” mega-show earlier in the year.
Dennis Jacobs predicts continued growth for next summer’s 2023 event slated for Saturday August 12, 2023.
Beneficiaries of the Purple Heart Veterans event will be:
Utica Veterans Outreach Center, Feed Our Vets, NY Mills, Clear Path for Veterans, Tunnels to Towers, Syracuse Honor Flight, Purple Heart Honor Mission, Gold Star Mothers Utica Chapter 56, Wounded Warriors in Action, Utica Hometown Heroes Banners, Deputy Kurt Wyman Memorial Park, Guardians of Freedom Memorial, Fisher House, Albany NY, NYS Oxford Veterans Home Connors Way Memorial Fund, and 50 Forward Community Center Veterans’ Programs.
