By Mary Anne McCarthy
A ground-swell of support for the incorporation of San Martin
(that’s pronounced San Marteen!) erupted into a weekend festival of
cars, food, and music on Saturday, Aug. 21.
”
Our Happy Days Car Show
”
was sponsored by the San Martin Neighborhood Alliance to raise
funds for upcoming studies to incorporate the small burg of San
Martin.
By Mary Anne McCarthy
A ground-swell of support for the incorporation of San Martin (that’s pronounced San Marteen!) erupted into a weekend festival of cars, food, and music on Saturday, Aug. 21.
“Our Happy Days Car Show” was sponsored by the San Martin Neighborhood Alliance to raise funds for upcoming studies to incorporate the small burg of San Martin.
Steve and Connie Ludewig, San Martin residents, consummate hosts, and co-owners of the San Martin Pumpkin Patch opened their facilities to the show. More than 1,000 people attended the “party with a purpose” and ogled 104 street cars, hot rods and classic/vintage wheels. South Valley Street Rods, a Gilroy-based car club and Outcasts Car Club from San Jose lent their beauties to the show with Dick Smith of Higginbottom Flooring arranging the display. Smith, a Morgan Hill resident, joined the alliance to help control zoning issues.
Among the “serious, but fun equipment” at the show were several pricey carriages. Valued at more than $120,000 was a 1939 Ford hard top and of equal value was a 1944 Sedan with a 550 horsepower engine (insert Tim Allen grunt).
Even the British 1965 Cobra caught many car afficionados drooling over what could be …
The shade of the large trees on the Ludewig property provided a respite and perfect seating for listening to the blues/rock Hollister band J.J. Hawg.
Open space and shade, something the alliance is promoting to keep in the South County (and no fishy smell from the processing plant that almost planted itself on California Avenue).
Consummate volunteers for the event and the community showed up in force including Sylvia Hamilton, president of SMNA, from Boy Scout Troop 730 Lynn Liebschutz, Pete Keesling, and Alex Kannett.
The alliance plans to keep hosting these neighborhood get togethers to raise funds from San Martin residents in order to support the studies needed to form their township (about a two- to three-year process involving $125,00-$225,00).
There is no required membership in the alliance, nor is residency in San Martin required to attend these events or to join the alliance. Members live as far away as Los Angeles. (They plan to retire in San Martin – who’d have thought, San Martin as the next Palm Springs?!)
“Wine & Music Gladden the Heart” is the theme for a Sept. 19 SMNA fundraiser at the Clos LaChance Winery in Gilroy from 4-8pm.
Tickets are $75 per person with a Live and Silent Auction. Prospective party-goers can contact Connie Ludewig (408) 857-3923 or Sylvia Hamilton (408) 683-2667 for more information. Now on to more serious news …
I’m certainly glad some of you are using my e-mail to whisper tidbits and tips on events in the ear of your local society columnist. I thought I’d share with my readers the following e-mail I received last week … Tuesday, Aug. 24, 2:24pm.
“My wife and I have a roundup once a month. We herd all the cats we own into our backyard.
“I think this would make a very interesting article. Although I must admit they don’t taste very good.”
Sincerely,
CVC
OK, then … hmm. Maybe we will grow a lot in two to three years. Good Luck SMNA.
Ciao for now.
Have an event coming up or a hot tip for Mary Anne? E-mail it to hi*********@************ch.com
