PUTNAM COUNTY
Brilliant hues, not only of fall leaves, dotted the streets surrounding Eatonton’s historic Putnam County Courthouse on Nov. 5, as colorful, customized and restored vehicles of all makes and models lined up for the inaugural Putnam County Christian Learning Center (CLC) Car Show.
The show attracted many knowledgeable car enthusiasts, as well as curious local residents interested in both custom cars and learning about the CLC.
Lenwood Pickens, one of the event organizers alongside Jay Rusk, Tommie Davis, Paul Gardner and Brandon McCraine, explained the car show’s purpose was not only to showcase the region’s many and varied automotive treasures but to promote CLC and raise funds for its expansion.
'Our goal is to be funded through the churches and use fundraisers for additional things for the kids like field trips or mission trips or camps,' Pickens said. “CLC does not receive any government subsidies.”
According to Pickens, Christian Learning Center was established in 2017 to teach Biblical principles to kids. It is a release program that works very much like specials at a public school. Students must have written consent from their parents to participate and then CLC staff members pick up enrolled kids from their schools and drive them to classes at Crossroads Baptist Church each week.
“Right now, Crossroads Baptist is kind enough to make some of their space available, but we hope to raise enough in donations to build our own facility within the next few years,” Pickens said. 'A lot of churches partner with us to spread the word of Jesus. We want to be a non-denominational community organization.”
CLC currently works with children in sixth through eighth grades, Pickens said, in addition to a pair of high-school-aged classes. The center has two full-time teachers, a part-time director, and two school buses. It also welcomes children from other schools and those that are homeschooled, but their parents may have to cover their own transportation.
Approximately 85 cars were officially entered in the Eatonton car show with many owners from nearby Lake Country communities, while others traveled from Marietta, Duluth, Cumming, Austell, and even South Carolina to attend.
'I knew a few car show enthusiasts, (so) when we came up with an idea to try this, I asked them to partner with us. They are a network. They spread the word, and people started responding,” Pickens said. “We are blessed to have them with us today. They could be in a lot of different places, but they chose to come here. I am grateful for that.'
The CLC car show involved official judging, nominating, and rewarding the best vehicles. Tye King and his ’67 Camaro droptop captured the $1,000 Best in Show grand prize, while the People’s Choice award and $500 went to Joe Johnson and his 1967 Olds Cutlass convertible.
Trophies also were awarded for Best GM (Ronnie Long, ’64 Chevy II), Best Ford (Jimmy Dyes, ’32 Ford), Best Mopar (Charles Dancy, ’68 GTX), Best Engine (Marvin and Betty Garner, ’34 Ford), Best Paint (Quentin Walton, ’70 Chev), Best Chrome (Rick Bell, ’13 Corvette) and Best Interior (Marty Carter, ’55 Bel Air), as determined by qualified show judges.
To learn more about Putnam County Christian Learning Center, visit online at putnamcountyclc.org.