WESTFIELD — While most vintage automobiles stand out among their modern peers, Francisco farmer Joe Glen George’s 1966 Ford Bronco Roadster was iconic even when it was new.
It has no doors, no roof, was one of only 5,000 produced with that body style (U13), and it sat in view on the Pilot Mountain Ford Motor Co. lot for two years before George bought it.
So plenty of locals were happy to see the familiar Bronco back in Francisco on June 15 for the inaugural Cruise-In and Art Extravaganza presented by Our Communities of NW Stokes.
“It’s kind of neat because all these folks here remember it or remember the people that owned it,” said new owner Cindy Wilson, of Mount Airy, who purchased the vehicle from George’s son last year. “She’s in the neighborhood where she grew up, her old stomping grounds.”
Wilson said she picked up lots of the Bronco’s history from the George family when she bought it and had been hearing lots of new stories throughout the day from cruise-in visitors.
As a kid, Roger Stevens, one of the event organizers, used to play ball with George’s sons Don and Jimmy on the field where the cruise-in was held next to the Francisco Elementary School.
“Their dads would sit in the Bronco, under the big oak trees that were up there at one time and watch them play ball in this field,” Wilson said. “Other people would walk up and say, ‘ohn this was Joe Glen’s, I’ve been looking at this thing for 40 years!’”
Another Francisco resident told Wilson he would leave high school and go sit in the Bronco at the dealership.
“He loved it so much, and he just turned 16 and he really wanted one,” Wilson said.
David Parker, of Francisco, recalled riding to school in Raleigh in the Bronco with Jimmy George.
Wilson named the vehicle “Pearl” (because she’s rare and pearl colored), and made a few fixes to get her running and safe, but otherwise plans to leave the Bronco in original condition — including the Pilot Mountain Ford sticker on the back bumper.
“All these stories are so awesome,” Wilson said. “I’ve really enjoyed it.”
Event success
The Bronco’s return to Francisco helped make the day extra special.
“We’ve been very pleased with the whole outcome,” said Texie Jessup, event coordinator.
About 100 cars participated and visitors were plentiful.
“It’s been amazing,” she said. “We’ve had people that are close; we’ve had people that have come from Nevada,” who ended up at the cruise-in. “We’ve had a really good crowd.”
“This is an idea that’s been going on for at least three years,” Jessup said. “Last year we decided it’s do it or die, so we decided to go ahead and go with it this year.”
The event had been rained out in May, but June 15 brought sunshine and summer heat.
“This was our first one, so it’s been a learning experience,” Jessup noted.
Stevens, a Francisco resident and automotive painter who frequents car shows, had for several years been sitting on the idea of making an owl out of a Harley-Davidson gas tank and the “WHOOTY” acronym: WHO is number One This Year.
“I waited for the perfect opportunity,” Stevens said. About five or six years ago, while Stevens battled cancer, the Francisco community held a benefit for him. It meant a lot. A community cruise-in with a WHOOTY prize was that perfect opportunity to use the idea and give back.
He built the owl-shaped WHOOTY as a best in show prize that would stay on display in the Francisco Community Building throughout the year with a photograph of the winner.
“It just kind of snowballed from that,” and Stevens and fellow artist Jamie Smith crafted smaller WHOOTY’s for winners of different categories to keep.
Art extravaganza
Across the street from the cruise-in at the school, in the relatively cool shade of the Francisco Community Building, home cooked food was available for purchase and folks filled the tables surrounded by works by local artists.
Stevens, who uses old satellite dishes and automotive paint to create vintage style signs, displayed his art for the first time.
He paints what he likes, Smith helps out with the fine detail work and, much to the disappointment of many of those who viewed the exhibit, the pieces aren’t really for sale.
“I like old antique stuff,” he said, recalling that he saw an old 7 Up sign at an antique store one time that he liked but the price tag was too high. So he decided to make his own, and he kept at it.
“I’ll look up stuff on the internet and if I see something with an oval shape that will compare with a satellite dish then I’ll make me a sign for it,” he said.
Though Stevens had been taking his 1969 Chevrolet Camaro (which he also painted) to car shows for years, the art extravaganza was the first time his sign art had been on exhibit to the public.
“It’s pretty neat,” he said of the experience.
Those who went home with a “Whooty” by Stevens or Smith (who also doesn’t sell his art) truly won something priceless.
Tina Moore, of Danville, Virginia, also had never done an art exhibit before.
She creates vases using a pour paint technique makes jewelry and other trinkets using by-products of the process called “drippings.”
Stevens had run across Moore’s work and was excited about it, Moore said.
“I love to see people get as excited about my stuff as I get excited,” Moore said, so when Stevens asked her to be a part of the art exhibit, her response was: “Well, why the heck not.”
It worked out well for Moore.
“The last show, where I saw [Stevens] was a three day show, and I’ve almost sold more here than I did at a three-day event,” Moore said. “I’m definitely not complaining.”
The art exhibit also provided an opportunity for 12-year-old Delana Kitzmiller to display her work for the first time.
“It feels nice,” said Delana, of Sandy Ridge.
Delana was not an official exhibitor but had asked her dad Ted Kitzmiller if she could set up her drawings to display, having driven by and seeing a sign advertising the event.
She was inspired, “just coming and knowing that I’m able to do this,” she said.
Delana set up her sketchbooks on a table for folks to view.
“So far, everybody who see’s it likes it,” Ted Kitzmiller said. “Just wanted to give her a chance to be up here and let people see her work.”
Who gets the WHOOTY?
The event culminated with an award ceremony where silent auction and raffle winners were announced.
WHOOTY winners, who were chosen by ballot and staff picks, were also announced.
Rodney Burcham, of King, won the best in show WHOOTY for his custom 2008 Softail Deluxe Vicla.
Two special awards were tacked on to the list: Stevens presented one of his signs emblazoned with “Ford” to Wilson as a “heritage” award, and Stevens was presented with his own WHOOTY, a zig-zag sewn bowl made by exhibitor Rita Pack.
For a full list of winners, please see Sylvia Burton’s “Francisco News” column in today’s paper or online, and save the date for the community’s next big event, FarmFest, which will be held Sept. 21.
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