The Hungarian Reformed Church Men’s Brotherhood and the Lorain County Stylers Car Club put on the sixth annual Blessing of the Fleet event June 1 at the Hungarian Reformed Church, 1691 E. 31st St. in Lorain.
The event featured dozens of classic cars and motorcycles and their owners. Religious leaders from the church led a blessing prayer with each individual owner. Joe Suerth of LaGrange was at the event showing off his 1957 Chevrolet Bel Air, which he calls Peggy Sue.
He said he bought the car from Colorado about two years ago. “I wanted a four-door purposely because most of my friends are old and fat, but she’s a beautiful car,” Suerth said. Suerth said he aims to get 3,000 miles on the car this year and savor some old memories along the way.
“It’s the nostalgia,” he said. “Going by and waving to people, it brings back memories.” Suerth said most of the inner workings of the car are in their original form.
“I’m trying to keep her as original as possible and give her to my grandson one day and keep it in the family,” he said. Rodger Greenless of Amherst also showed a Chevrolet Bel Air, his two years older, made in 1955. Greenless has owned the Bel Air since 2008 and said he has not found it difficult to maintain.
“It’s not really that hard,” he said. “I’ve never washed it since I’ve owned it. I get caught in the rain, take it home, wipe it off with a towel and I’m done.
” Greenless said he enjoys events like the Blessing of the Fleet wh.
