By Alice Prival
Altavista Journal News Correspondent
Despite the heat wave over 200 visitors showed up for the Dep. Jason Saunders Memorial Car Show at Yellow Branch on Saturday. Spectators beat the heat with cold drinks and great food, one of which was Chief Tommy Merricks of the Altavista Police Department who was making everyone feel at home with a good old fashioned barbeque.
Multiple vendors were present to feed the varying pallets, and multiple law enforcement agencies participated in the memorial of one of their own.
Sergeant Gary Penn affirms, “Sheriff Whit Clark is a big supporter of this event and always makes sure we have great involvement with it every year. Sheriff Clark has trust in us to set good examples for the community. There is a lot of involvement here from members of the Sheriff’s Office. On behalf of the Sheriff’s Department we really enjoy working with Pastor Bill Coleman and Crossroads Baptist Church. We all have the same common goal. We’ve established a great relationship.”
Pastor Coleman asserts, “This event is for everyone in the community, Campbell County and surrounding areas.” There were plenty of door prizes, and in Sergeant
Penn’s words, ‘We are looking forward to next year, even bigger and better!’”
The heart of this program is honoring Dale and Peggy’s son, Jason Saunders.”
Pastor Coleman was happy to announce that this is Crossroads Baptist Church’s 3rd year in supporting the Jason Saunders Memorial. Also this year Crossroads is supporting Helping Hands. Pastor Coleman adds, “We support an event each summer and fall. It started during Covid, 2021, just after George Floyd. We conferred with the Sheriff about what could we do to bring people together?”
This event has brought the community together, and as we see different denominations reaching out to each other the line of unity expands. This is what healing is about, unity, forgiveness, strengthening each other, rescuing those in crisis, those that are unable to help themselves, becoming a mighty fortress that the adversary cannot penetrate. Where there is love there can be no hate and if there is no hate there can be no crime.
Jim Martin won first place in the AutoCycle division with his modified Polaris Slingshot which Martin took to Bullet Speed and Design in Florida where it was converted from a three wheeler to a four wheeler. The modification took six weeks to build and two days to install.
Jim Martin’s brother Eddy won first place in the Auto Division with his 1969 Camaro. Eddy took five years rebuilding his car himself where he shares a Youtube video from beginning to finish. Asked what his plans for the Camaro are, Eddy smiles, “I built this car to enjoy!” Both Martin’s confirm, “Dad, Charles Martin, got us started in cars as teenagers. He passed away 11 years ago at age 95, but mom, 97, always supports us.”
It can be deduced from Dale and Peggy Saunders, as well as the trophy winning Martin brothers, that those fortunate enough to have parents that support their efforts, their accomplishments, and continue to do so in life and in death set an example of unconditional, unwavering love that supersedes mortal life itself and stands as a beacon of hope for us all.