Bethel Park car cruise raises $9,000 for St. Jude hospital

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Gary and Debbie Martin admire the classic MG on display at the #Garystrong Memorial Car Cruise.

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Volunteers manning the T-shirt and basket raffle booth included from left: (front) Sandy Jansante, Joyce Winkler, and Jo Mashoney; (back) Sharon Cardiges, Mary Jo Cassano, and Kathy Fertig.

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Edda Sheatsley places a ticket into one of the gift bags in hopes of winning one of the baskets raffled off during the car cruise.

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David Laurence jumps up and down in the bounce house.

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Lorenzo Romano takes an upside-down approach to slide down the inflatable attraction at the car cruise.

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John Carberry and Jim Gastgeb check under the hood of a classic Dodge Charger during the #Garystrong Memorial Car Cruise.

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Jim Gastgeb is ready to roll in his classic Dodge Charger.

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Lenny DeMartino from It’za Cone mixes up ingredients he will use to create a pizza cone for patrons at the car cruise.

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A couple of the classic cars on display at the Sept. 27 car cruise in Bethel Park

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Gary and Debbie Martin look under the hood of a vintage Firebird during the #Garystrong Memorial Car Cruise.

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A young lad takes a ride down an inflatable slide at the car cruise held recently in Bethel Park.

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Car enthusiasts from around the region took advantage of a summer-like autumn afternoon to view classic and vintage automobiles as well as raise money for a good cause when they attended the #Garystrong Memorial Car Cruise.

Held Sept. 27 in the upper parking lot of the Highpoint Fitness facility on Higbee Road in Bethel Park, the event raised $9,000 for the St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. The charity was favored by Gary Carmen, who at 61 passed away in 2023, a victim of Sarcoma cancer.

Edda Sheatsley attended the event with her husband, Mark, who attended Bethel Park High School with Carmen.

“I love this event. It’s so sweet that everybody comes here to look at the cars and remember Carmen,” she said. “It makes us feel like he is still here with us.”

The annual event has expanded in its third year. Not only did it include a plethora of motor vehicles, including trucks, it featured a bounce house as well as a swim party for children inside the adjacent fitness facility. Additionally, there were food vendors as well as raffle prizes and a Chinese auction.

John Carberry coordinated the event with Jim Gastjeb, who runs the Rev ‘Em Up For Kids car cruise held annually over the Labor Day weekend in South Park.

“It has something for everyone. We’ve had a strong turnout and a lot of support from the community and that’s what counts,” Carberry said

Gastjeb added, “It really has developed into so much more, but the cars still are the focus.”

Debbie and Gary Martin from Bethel Park agreed.

“We do enjoy car cruises,” they said as they looked over an antique MG and Firebird.

“It makes me reminisce about old cars that I used to work on when I was a kid,” Gary Martin said. “I actually have an old car sitting in the garage waiting to be fixed,” he said, referring to his 2010 Audi A4.

While Mrs. Romano watched her children, Dalio and Lorenzo play in the bounce house, she said the family “makes the rounds” attending cruises throughout the year. She noted that Washington has a “really nice one” around Father’s Day and she often attends the one held in Moon Township.

“We just love car cruises,” she enthused.