Old Home Week commitment crosses the generations
By KAREN BITNER Echo Pilot

Related members of the Greencastle-Antrim Old Home Week Antique Car Committee, from left, Tom Fox, Andy Everetts and Russ Everetts.

A passion for all things automotive unites three generations of a Greencastle family and underlies their 40-year commitment to organizing the Antique Car Display during Old Home Week. For borough residents Tom Fox, his son-in-law Russ Everetts, and grandson Andy Everetts, their work with the Antique Car Committee, which coordinates the event during Old Home Week, is a way to share their love for vintage cars with the community.

Fox's interest in cars began when he owned and operated a Gulf gas station on South Washington street in the 1940s. "It was across from where the Old School used to be," he explained. In 1949, he became owner of Fox Buick, which was sold to Hicks Chevrolet in 1989.

Decades of involvement

Fox first became involved with the committee in the late 1960s. Explaining that his first involvement with Old Home Week was assisting with the parade, Fox said that once he started working with the group, it was natural to keep on helping out. "You were almost insulted if you didn't get asked to help with things," Fox laughed, adding that the association met every month, just as it does now. From that first involvement, Fox went on to serve as president of the Old Home Week Association, and has remained active in planning and promoting the event ever since.

Fox said he believes the first Antique Auto Display was held in 1950 on the square, and was started by Robert Reymer, Sr. and his son, Andrew, who was 11 years old at the time. Reymer's son, Robert Reymer, Jr., continues to serve on the Antique Car committee.

Russ Everetts, who married Fox's daughter Janie in 1965, soon joined what was to become a family effort. "I was a Mercersburg lad, " Everetts explained, adding that he taught school at James Buchanan for a few years before coming to work with his father-in-law at the car dealership in 1971. He soon began serving with the antique car committee as well.

Down the line

For Andy Everetts, the efforts of his father and grandfather in planning Old Home Week became the raw material of his earliest memories. "I remember the parades," he said. "Grandpa lived on South Washington St. and the parade went right by his house." It wasn't long before he, too, was serving on the Antique Car Display Committee. "I was 17," he said, smiling. Everetts even married into Old Home Week involvement-his father-inlaw, Ben Thomas, is secretary for the Old Home Week Association.

Everetts now maintains a workshop where he restores cars and collects memorabilia about the businesses his father and grandfather ran. A bench from Fox Buick stands against one wall, and other walls are lined with Gulf gas signs and posters. At one end of the workroom, a case holds dozens of toy Gulf train cars; there's even a life-size Gulf gas station attendant figure and an old price sign displaying the cost of gas-26 cents. Everetts said he hopes to have an open house at the workshop during Old Home Week so the public can enjoy seeing the collection.

As they and the committee plan the Old Home Week car show, the three men are concentrating their combined efforts on coordinating a quality display of antique cars with an enjoyable, non-competitive atmosphere. During the last Old Home Week, in 2004, 183 cars were on display. "The cars are primarily from this area," Russ Everetts explained, adding that models must be made previous to 1975 to qualify. All three family members agreed that the purpose of the show is not competition. "Judging is a touchy subject," Everetts admitted. His son agreed. "It's never really been a competition," Andy Everetts emphasized. "It's more of a show."

This year's show

This year's car display will carry on both a community and a family tradition. Held from noon to 4 p.m. on Sunday Aug. 5-- "It's always the first Sunday," Fox noted in the bank parking lots north of the square, and owners may register their vehicles at First National Bank. There is no fee. "We make it a fun, casual event," Andy Everetts explained. "Everyone enjoys the camaraderie."

He added that there will be car-related door prizes donated by local businesses, which are given out every half-hour or sooner. The grand prize, given out at 4 p.m., will be a die-cast antique car from the Danbury Mint. All three men emphasized that they and other committee members Harold Henry, Ron Nicarry, Steve Burns, Bob Reymer, Duane and Buzzy Cunningham and Dwain Mowen really want participants and observers to come out and have a good time during the Old Home Week community reunion. "It's just basically 'Come show your car and have a chance to win a prize,'" Andy Everetts said.