Antique cars ready to roll for Dixie

BY KRISTEN KELLAMS
Your Community Coordinator | Sunday, June 13, 2004

What started out as a compassionate visit resulted in an antique car enthusiast's vision. About five years ago, Phil Serviss paid a visit to Helen Egdorf to express his condolences on the recent death of her husband. Serviss and Egdorf had lived in the same Homewood neighborhood when Serviss was a little boy. Through the years and Egdorf's move to the other side of the village, the pair had kept in touch by their involvement in Homewood civic groups and societies.

"Her husband had died of cancer and I went over just to say 'Hi' and to see how things we going," explained Serviss. "She said she had been keeping busy with presenting programs on the history of Dixie Highway. She expressed that she wanted to go farther with it. She loves Homewood and it's on Dixie, and she said there was so much history there that no one knows about."

Her love of history and his involvement as president of the A's R Us Club (a group of about 30 Chicago-area families who collect Model A Fords built between 1928 to 1931) created an idea - to do a moving car show or something similar.

That's how the popular Drivin' the Dixie Vintage Car Tour was born. Since its inception in 2002, the tour has grown larger by the year and gone through some changes -- including its name. The first Dixie Dash invited cars dating from 1910 to 1972 to participate and drew about 60 competitors. This rally was intended to test the car's performance and condition while also testing the driver's ability to maintain a constant speed.

Last year, the Chicago Southland Dixie Dash 2003 invited all drivers to head out on the highway. The event, which boasted 75 participants, also included turtle races, a car show, train station exhibit, log cabin historic house tours and a free concert.

This year on June 19, the event is going back to the original idea -- a moving car show, with organizers anticipating more than 150 vehicles.

"This is going back to the original thought, making it simple," explained Serviss. "We want cars to move down Dixie Highway but stop along the way so participants can get out and walk the streets of the towns they visit. The passport stamps makes that happen."

Each participating town will stamp a Drivin' the Dixie Passport at a designated spot. Participants receive one free raffle ticket in Momence for each stamp.

Drivers need to meet between 8:30 and 9:30 a.m. to register at 2433 York St. in Blue Island, across from the library. Also featured is a optional poker run. Free coffee and rolls will be available. Cars will roll out at 10:15.

The event is sponsored by 11 Dixie Highway towns: Blue Island, Posen, Hazel Crest, Homewood, Flossmoor, Chicago Heights, Steger, Crete, Beecher, Grant Park and Momence, as well as historical organizations and chambers of commerce and supported by the A's R Us Antique Ford Car Club of America, Chicago Southland Chapter. There is no registration and no fee. Along the way, each community has planned events families can enjoy.

"We really want these guys to get their old cars out of the garage - that's what people love to see," Serviss said.

For more information, call Egdorf at (708) 798-9535 or Bob Steinmetz at 596-6302.