Hometown Rankin - October & November 2017

The Mississippi Corvette Club car show is held annually at the
Jackson Convention Complex. Participating vehicles can be entered in
the Sponsor’s Choice Awards as ‘stock’ or ‘modified’ meaning they are
like new from the factory, or they have had after-market modifications.
Some interesting alterations have been made to the cars over the years
including a Corvette that was airbrushed and decorated to commemorate
all things Tweety Bird, and another called “The Time Machine” which
had custom paint everywhere, including inside the hood, on the engine,
and in the trunk. There is even a Batmobile! Plaques and trophies are
awarded to those selected as 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place in their car
generation category.
The club has partnered with the Diabetes Foundation of Mississippi for
the past three years to raise money for diabetes research. They’ve had a
lot of help from major sponsors like Central Mississippi Chevy Dealers
and Rogers-Dabbs Chevrolet. Funds are also raised through entry fees
for contestants, rented booth space for vendors, and the sale of donated
items in a silent auction. Their contributions have grown exponentially
throughout the partnership starting with a $25,000 donation the first
year, $27,000 the next, and this year’s donation came in at a whopping
$33,000. All proceeds from their car shows (less the cost of expenses)
are donated directly to the Foundation.
Choosing a charity to support was an easy decision for the group.
“We’re real sold on this organization,” said Tom. “We wanted someone
who would partner with us in hosting the event and not just show up
when the money was counted to get a check.” Freddie added that the
club wanted to find a partner where all the money that was raised
48 • October 2017