They say a good life is a collection of happy memories.
That may have been the guiding sentiment behind the “Making Memories” theme for this year’s Monroe car show. For almost two decades, Monroe, Ga, has given local car enthusiasts happy car show memories.
Their 2023 event kept that streak alive.
Even with starting temperatures in the mid-30s, the downtown city streets of Monroe were overflowing with automotive eye candy. It seemed everywhere you turned, something unique demanded your attention.
Vibrant local shows like this bring out a wide variety of seldom-seen automotive iron, adding to the excitement. And make no mistake. This was an exciting show.
Free Hot Dogs!
Some say there is no such thing as a free meal. Clearly, they’ve never stopped by the Southern Elite Contractors parking lot during Monroe’s car show.
The Monroe headquartered business was on hand grilling up hot dogs, handing out bags of chips, and passing out beverages. Manning the grill was none other than Devin Smith, the CEO of Southern Elite Contractors.
Rod Worley – Editor – Devin, your free hot dogs, chips, and a drink combo is putting a smile on a lot of faces today. How many years has your organization been offering free meals at the show?
Devin Smith – CEO of Southern Elite Contractors – We’ve been doing this for a few years here in Monroe. The community does a lot for us, and we enjoy giving back whenever possible.
Over the years, our business has been truly blessed, and we enjoy passing our blessings along to others. So besides the food, we also have stickers and all sorts of things for the kids.
Rod Worley – Editor – How would you best describe your business?
Devin Smith – CEO of Southern Elite Contractors – We’re a general home remodeling company. In addition, a large portion of our business comes from flooding, fire, and lightning insurance claims.
We’ve got offices in Athens, Marietta, Monroe, and Columbus, Georgia. Soon we’ll have an office in Douglas and Savannah.
The company has grown to almost 400 team members, but we’ve kept the same focus of giving back.
Deputies Beyond The Badge
One thing we don’t normally see is a vintage black & white Sheriff’s patrol car with an LS engine swap. So, if you see this car in your rearview mirror with the red gumball flashing, you should think twice about trying to outrun it.
And yes, it is more than a novelty. This car has actually answered calls since installing the new engine.
Something else we hadn’t seen before is Deputies Beyond The Badge. This organization is committed to investing in the well-being of the Walton County Sheriff’s Office employees and the community they serve.
Part of their mission is to provide education and financial assistance resources while cultivating community partnerships. They also provide emergency funds to bridge the gap after a traumatic event or through gifts of appreciation and gratitude delivered for special occasions,
Deputies Beyond the Badge organization strives to be there for those who routinely make sacrifices for us.
Voted Best Community Event
The people have spoken. The Monroe car show has been voted Best Community Event for nine straight years.
We’re sure this year’s event will notch the 10th straight honor for this talented team of volunteers. Besides organizing the parking for everyone, they also find time to do a little car show judging.
By a little, I mean judging hundreds of cars and trucks spread out over several city streets. In the end, they hand out awards to the top 75 and bestow a Best In Show trophy.
For this annual event, Acopia Home Loans was the top sponsor, followed by Streetside Classics, Rustic Roots, Silverleaf Management, and Summit Racing.
As is the case with all good things, the downtown Monroe car show came to an end. Fortunately, they gave us happy memories that will hold us over till next year.
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