Calvary Free Car Wash Provides Community with Clean Feeling

What better way of celebrating 75 years of existence than with a free car wash?

This is exactly what  members thought when they decided to celebrate this milestone year.

"It’s a great thing to do in the community,” Rev. Richard Tyson, senior pastor of Calvary, said at the June 18 car wash. “Word’s getting around that we’re a church that wants to do a simple act of service.

The goal for the free car washes is to reach 75 automobiles by its last scheduled date, this Saturday, June 25. (And, apparently, not all participants have to be in cars, as a young girl with a hot-pink 'Barbie Jeep' proved last Saturday.)

Calvary began this car wash endeavor on June 4, and has washed cars every Saturday from 10 a.m. – noon, since.

According to Pennye Goodman, the assistant treasurer at Calvary, the church received 27 cars the first week, 19 cars the second week (it rained) and the end of the June 18 car wash, the number had increased to 61.

Seventy-five is a significant theme with the string of year-long celebration events.

Along with the 75 cars, Calvary has also given 75 loafs of bread to new residents in the Willow Grove area, 75 pounds of chicken wings at the, and is currently at the tail end of a 75-basketball pick up game series.

Each event was open to the public, and, most notably, free.

Other events, include one on Black Friday, according to Goodman, will provide child-care for 75 children while their parents go out shopping this year.

“So we’re doing things in '75s' here to celebrate,” Goodman said. “Much of this celebration is under the wings of our evangelism committee, so we hope to bring people into our community by going out and reaching out.”

Many of the participants at the June 18 car wash were not congregation members, some of who were of different faiths and hailed from outside of Willow Grove – quite a number were return car wash patrons.

There were also many Calvary congregation members who returned to commit a few hours on a Saturday to service, as well as faith community members outside of Calvary.

Representing such a group, was Rev. John O, of Grace Covenant Presbyterian Church, which shares Calvary’s church space for separate services.

“They’ve been more than generous and kind to us, and we felt, as recipients of their hospitality and goodness to us, we would do our best in supporting them as well in their ministry,” O said. “And, so we’re out here to just have some fun.”

Outside of the 75-themed cannon, will be the capstone events, scheduled for this fall, and include a Sept. 30 classical music concert and an Oct. 1 – 2 Park Fair, held on the Church grounds, which includes carnival-like activities and family games.

For more information, visit www.calvary-wg.org.

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