Collectible car enthusiasts chat together at the fourth annual St. Agnes Car & Truck Show on Saturday. Photo by Tabitha Johnston

SHEPHERDSTOWN — The St. Agnes Car & Truck Show returned for its fourth year-in-a-row, in the parking lot of St. Agnes Catholic Church, on Saturday.

The show has proven to be a popular event, for both the church and the surrounding community, according to Rev. Andrew Switzer.

“We have a philosophy that we should ‘enlarge our tent.’ The more that you engage and the more that people feel like this is a place that belongs to the community and that is there to support the community, the more we have achieved our goal,” Switzer, who is the pastor of St. Agnes, said. “Pope Francis once said, ‘Please welcome everyone.’ It’s our vision around here to do just that.”

Around 30 cars participated in the show, with only a small number belonging to church members, according to church member Chuck Pierpont, who himself was showing his and his husband’s 1982 Corvette Collector Edition.

“Only three of the cars here belong to members of the church. Everybody else is from all over,” Pierpont said.

Car enthusiasts wander through the fourth annual St. Agnes Car & Truck Show on Saturday. Photo by Tabitha Johnston

He noted that the event is attractive to participants for a number of reasons, including that it promises free admission to car owners and attendees and that its proceeds will go to a good cause.

“If you have a nice car, you want to show it off,” Pierpont said. “Events like this are really of interest to collectible car owners, because they’re raising funds for charity. Most car clubs usually have a charity associated with them — our club, the Frederick County Corvette Club, raises funds for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. You figure, if you’ve got a car worth showing — some of these cars are phenomenal — then you often believe that you’re blessed, so why shouldn’t you give back?”

Proceeds from the St. Agnes Car & Truck Show go to the church’s youth group, Faith Formation. From there, the funds are used for various youth activities, such as youth plays and the annual haunted house in the church’s parish house. Ten percent of the funds, however, are designated for a secondary charitable purpose, according to Faith Formation coordinator Bill Donahue.

“We take 10 percent of whatever we make, and the youth will pick a charity and will donate that amount to the charity,” Donahue said, mentioning he founded the event with the purpose of raising funds for Faith Formation. “Once the expenses are paid, we’ll look at what we have made and will look at a couple of choices to donate to. In the past, the kids have donated to Shepherdstown Shares and also to one of our charities at the church, the Kolofata Girls Education Project, which helps give girls an education in Cameroon, because it’s almost illegal for girls to have an education there.”

Collectible car enthusiasts show off their cars at the fourth annual St. Agnes Car & Truck Show on Saturday. Photo by Tabitha Johnston

People wait in line to sign up for the 50/50 raffle at the fourth annual St. Agnes Car & Truck Show on Saturday. Photo by Tabitha Johnston

Shepherdstown resident Joe Yates checks out a collectible car with the help of its owner, at the fourth annual St. Agnes Car & Truck Show on Saturday. Photo by Tabitha Johnston