Oct 1, 2023 3 min read

The South Hills’ sweetest rides are invited to cruise for a cause Saturday, Oct. 7, when Highpoint Fitness Center in Bethel Park hosts the #GaryStrong Car Cruise to raise funds for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.

Classic and exotic cars and super cars and trucks should arrive to 1000 Higbee Drive between 1:30 and 2 p.m. with a $5 donation. The car show officially kicks off at 2, and admission is free to spectators.

“We’re going to do first come, first serve,” said John Carberry, one of three owners of Highpoint Fitness and an event organizer. “Car-wise, we’re hoping for about 250 vehicles, and I think we’ll get that, if not more.”

Earlier this year, Carberry was approached by Jim Gastgeb about hosting a car cruise at Highpoint Fitness.

“I said, ‘Let’s talk about it in the fall.’ He sent me a text message about a week after I found out about Gary. It was truly one of those moments,” Carberry said.

The car cruise, which will include a silent auction and T-shirt sales featuring the #GaryStrong logo, is Highpoint’s first. All proceeds benefit St. Jude, but the cruise doubles as a show of support for Gary Carmen, a 1980 Bethel Park High School graduate and classic car enthusiast who was recently diagnosed with Sarcoma cancer.

“I’m close with his family,” said Carberry, noting he and Carmen don’t go way back, but he does know him. “Gary is just a stand-up guy. He’s funny. He’s someone who will always be there for you. When they (his family) told me about his diagnosis, I know he’s a car guy – a lightbulb just kind of went off and I said, yeah, let’s do it for Gary.”

Sarcoma is a rare bone and soft tissue cancer that accounts for about 1% of adult cancer diagnoses in the United States, according to the Sarcoma Foundation of America. Each year, between 15 and 20% of children diagnosed with cancer are diagnosed with Sarcoma.

Carmen requested funds raised at the cruise be donated to St. Jude, whose research has helped increase the childhood cancer survival rate from 20% to more than 80% since the hospital opened more than 50 years ago.

Highpoint Fitness aims to raise $3,000 for St. Jude during the car cruise, but “my goal is over 5,” Carberry said. “I’m hoping we’ll surpass that between sponsorships, cars, auction and everything.”

The car cruise fundraiser is still seeking sponsors, and donations can be made online at https://fundraising.stjude.org/site/TR?px=8106320&fr_id=146930&pg=personal.

Highpoint Fitness will also host an open house Oct. 7, and folks are welcome to come for the cruise and stay for a tour or open swim. For more information on Highpoint Fitness or the car cruise, visit https://highpointfitness.com/ or email info@highpointfitness.com.