by Garrett Fodor
From being able to enjoy the sight of glistening chrome on classic and modern cars, to taking in the covers of classic rock hits played live, and shopping for home decor, there was something for everyone at Ken Knapp Ford’s “Party at the Park” event last Saturday.
Partnering with the Town of Essex, Ken Knapp Ford hosted the “Party at the Park” event, which offered a car show featuring 150 vehicles, 20 local vendor tables, and live entertainment from three bands, as a fundraiser for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF) at the Essex Heritage Gardens.
“It feels awesome. There’s obviously some pent-up demand to get out of the house and do something safely, but still see people, listen to music, celebrate our hobbies – like cars and crafts, while raising money for a good cause,” James Knapp, General Manager for Ken Knapp Ford, described. “The turnout and support have been great and we love seeing people enjoying themselves once again, and with such a great historic backdrop at the Essex Heritage Gardens.”
The festivities also served as a stop on Bryan Hollister’s journey as he ran 100 kilometres to commemorate 100 years of insulin. Knapp said he is thrilled to continue to work and raise awareness and funds for JDRF. He noted that locally, they have a long relationship with the organization. In addition, JDRF has worked with Ford for a number of years, dating back to Edsel Ford.
Knapp hopes to continue to work with the Town of Essex to organize other festivities down the road. While he is unsure if “Party at the Park” will become an annual festivity, he noted he was happy to support JDRF and have people gather in what he describes as “beautiful downtown Essex.”
On Saturday, during the festivities, Knapp presented a cheque to JDRF for $7,000.
“I want to thank all the people that came in with their beautiful cars, they drew a ton of people to help raise money, I want to thank the bands and there’s a ton of organizers and volunteers who helped make it possible,” Knapp said.
Comments