Area Car Show Drives Support for Patients with Cancer
Nearly 1,400 people gathered at the Boar’s Head Resort in Charlottesville on Labor Day weekend for a unique automotive experience.
The second annual Virginia Festival of the Wheel—a classic car show benefitting the UVA Cancer Center—brought together enthusiasts from across the Commonwealth to celebrate the role that the automobile has played in Virginia’s progress.
“We’re blessed to have the UVA Cancer Center in our community,” says Michael Baldauf, the event’s organizer. “The impact they have on the lives of people from across the state who are dealing with this disease is amazing.”
And Baldauf speaks from experience. Only three weeks after being diagnosed with cancer, his wife received what he describes as care and treatment that “was exceptional at every level.”
“From all of the support staff to our surgeon, Dr. Susan Modesitt, who we now think of as family, and all the way up to the director, Dr. Tom Loughran, we’re grateful for the quality of the care and for the compassion they showed us,” says Baldauf.
In total, the festival—which featured 90 cars—raised approximately $30,000 to support UVA Cancer Center patients.
“The Charlottesville community really showed their support for this year’s event, which exceeded all expectations,” says Baldauf. “Our goal is to assist patients and their families during treatment so they can live normal lives after treatment—we are gratified by the community’s support.”
The weekend included the Jefferson Trail Tour, which saw many of the classic cars cruising the Western Albemarle County countryside, as well as a Saturday reception and live auction.
“We couldn’t be more grateful to the Virginia Festival of the Wheel for their commitment to our patients,” says Julie Speasmaker, who chairs the Cancer Center Advisory Board. “Their efforts makes tangible differences during a challenging time in someone’s life.”
As for the future, Baldauf says, he and his team have already starting planning for next year, which will again be held at the Boar’s Head Resort on Labor Day Weekend.
