Car show supports Terry’s House

Photos courtesy of Ronald Webb

Automobile collectors, admirers and aficionados took to the links for a drive down memory lane June 7 as The Belmont Concours d’Eleganza car show returned to Fresno for the first time since 2004.

The Belmont Country Club provided a fairway home to the event, which in part benefited Community Regional Medical Center’s Terry’s House — a convenient and affordable lodging facility for families to stay in while their loved ones receive critical care.

Event co-chairman Ron Von Tersch said he has already received dozens of e-mails praising the event. As a result, plans are in place to bring the show back in 2010.

“This first annual event was a huge success with great support from car enthusiasts and the general community. Proceeds were raised to benefit Terry’s House and help us begin construction,” Katie Zenovich said. “We are grateful to the organizers, donor investors and our campaign co-chairs, Jim Christian and Jeff Kroeker, for their hard work on this amazing extravaganza.”

Terry’s House will be a 17,000-square-foot, two-story home within walking distance of Community Regional, on the corner of Fresno and R streets. It will feature 20 guest rooms with private baths, in-house refrigerators, an activity lounge, sitting areas, family resource center, children’s activity room, exercise room and a healing garden.

The Concours event showed-off immaculately restored automobiles from America and Europe, spanning at least a half-dozen decades from the 1900s. More than 130 collector cars entered the competition, including some that have rarely, if ever, been displayed.

Included in that contingent was the 1914 Princess Petite Speciale, the event’s Best in Show winner and the only known car of its kind to exist. A special award was also created in honor of Terry’s House as guest judges Jim Christian and Jeff Kroeker selected Howard and Mary Ann Clarke’s F 06 1947 Jaguar Mark IV as winner of the inaugural award. 

In all, The Belmont Concours d’Eleganza awarded 22 first-place honors to “Class” division winners and seven overall winners. Included in the overall winners catergory are:

• The Heritage Award
  R 84 1966 FAC 5Racing Daytona Coup
  Heather Smith — Clovis
• The Tour Award
  Exotics 119 2008 Viper ACR
  Richard Shehadey — Fresno
• The Terry’s House Award
  F 06 1947 Jaguar Mark IV
  Howard and Mary Ann Clarke — Springville
• The Stable Award
  2002 911 Porsche
  Wayne Begg
• The People’s Choice Award
  O 34 1949 Packard Convertible
  Bill and Carol — Norton Canyon
• The Honorary Judges Award
  O1 47 1951 Kaiser Traveler
  Herber and Patricia Helzer — Fresno
• Best in Show
  J 30 1914 Petite Speciale Coup
  George and Elizabeth Knapp — Pinedale

The construction of Terry’s House is reliant upon private gifts and contributions. Community Medical Foundation’s goal is to raise $4.5 million to build the house, with additional funds to be raised to cover internal furnishings, operations and lodging to those in need.

The project’s financing began with gifts from Tom Richards, Bank of America and Lennar Homes. Richards’ brother, Terry, is the namesake behind Terry’s House. Terry was seriously injured in a car accident when he was 5 years old, and Terry’s mother drove 80 miles a day for five months to be with her son.

This story was reported by Darrell Copeland. He can be reached at MedWatchToday@communitymedical.org.

Monday, June 08, 2009