Corvettes for Vets returns to McNair Field Saturday

The Third Annual Corvettes for Vets will be this Saturday beginning at 10 a.m.

The event grew out of the Rutherford County Corvettes Club, said President Barry Bumgardner. The club's members - who are from across Western North Carolina and upstate South Carolina - decided they wanted to use their cars in a positive way to bring people into the community and to raise money for a charity.

"We have a lot of veterans in our club from all different branches of the service," Bumgardner said, "and naturally, the Corvette is the All-American sports car - so military and Corvettes go together. We did our research and found Operation Homefront."

The club partnered with Operation Homefront, a national nonprofit that leads more than 2,500 volunteers nationwide who provide emergency and other financial assistance to the families of service members and wounded warriors. Formed in 2002, 92 percent of Operation Homefront's expenditures go directly to programs that provide support to military families.

"They are great to work with," Bumgardner said of Operation Homefront. "I believe this event can help to open people's eyes to how they can help give back to vets."

Operation Homefront will have a presence at the event, as will the North Carolina National Guard.

The event will again be held at McNair Field, he continued, and more food vendors have been added for this year.

"Any fair atmosphere food you can think of, we'll have it - hot dogs, barbecue, hamburgers, funnel cake, boiled peanuts," Bumgardner said.

Live performances by Rocky Yelton and the Hired Guns, Wiregrass, The Black Coffee Trio and Cheyenne Blevins are also scheduled.

There are more than 70 vendors, said Marsha Daves, who helps organize the event. Those include direct sales companies, homemade crafts and more. A blood drive to benefit Skyla Rippy is scheduled; to sign up to donate, call (704) 840-4314.

Last year 125 Corvettes pulled in for the show, coming from as far away as Arkansas and Canada.

First men on moon drove corvettes in the 60s.

Special guest at this year's event is Wil Cooksey. Cooksey served as plant manager for Corvette's Bowling Green Assembly Plant.

"He is a Corvette icon," Bumgardner explained. "And, he's a veteran himself. He's just one of those bigger than life people. It's really significant to have him at our event."

The National Corvette Museum's traveling vendor will be in place with Corvette memorabilia and items for sale, too, which is also huge for the local event, Bumgardner added.

Sponsors for this year's Corvettes for Vets are Redline Audio & Performance, RC Plumbing LLC, Woodmen of the World and Rick Hendrick City Chevrolet. For more information, visit corvettesforvets.com.