Freedom at the Fairgrounds
Reclaim 6 Brings Community, Cars and a Cause Together at Burlington County Fairgrounds
Pine Barren Venom Jeep Club’s sixth annual First Responders Charity Automotive Show fills the fairgrounds with vehicles, vendors, families and community support
COLUMBUS, N.J. — The Burlington County Fairgrounds came alive on Saturday, August 8, as the Pine Barren Venom Jeep Club hosted Reclaim 6: Freedom at the Fairgrounds, the club’s sixth annual First Responders Charity Automotive Show.
What began years ago as an idea to bring the automotive community together for a good cause has continued to grow into something much larger.
Cars, trucks, Jeeps and Broncos rolled through the gates as vehicle owners, families, vendors, first responder supporters and automotive enthusiasts gathered for a day centered around community and giving back.
For Pine Barren Venom Jeep Club, Reclaim has never been about one brand, one type of vehicle or even simply putting on a car show.
It is about bringing people together.
A Show Built Around a Cause
At the center of Reclaim 6 were two organizations whose work represents the purpose behind the event: Troopers United Foundation and Burlington County K9 Search and Rescue.
Supporting first responders has remained an important part of the Reclaim tradition, and the sixth installment continued that mission.
The day officially opened with remarks from Pine Barren Venom Jeep Club President Steve Szabo, followed by an opening prayer from club Chaplain Chad and the Pledge of Allegiance. Kristi Taylor then performed the National Anthem as attendees gathered to begin the day.
In what has also become something of a Reclaim tradition, Szabo opened the event wearing another intentionally outrageous outfit selected by his daughter, bringing some humor to the opening ceremonies before turning the focus back to why everyone had gathered.
The message was simple: different clubs, different vehicles and different backgrounds did not matter that day. Everyone who came through the gates was there as part of one community.
More Than a Jeep Show
Although Pine Barren Venom is a Jeep club, Reclaim 6 was deliberately designed as a true automotive show.
Rows of Jeeps were joined by Broncos, trucks, daily drivers, custom builds and cars representing a wide range of styles.
The show-and-shine competition featured a large field of awards, including Top 40 trophies and specialty categories recognizing everything from Best of Show and Best Off-Road Build to Best Wheels, Best Interior, Best Paint, Best Stock, Most Unique, Best Daily Driver and more.
Rather than allowing club leadership to simply choose its favorites, judging responsibilities were placed in the hands of individuals selected to help provide a fair look at the field.
The goal was never to judge a vehicle based on the name across its grille or the club decal on its window. It was to recognize the work, creativity and pride that owners put into their vehicles.
Vice President Brett Rovani helped lead the presentation of the Best Of awards as winners were recognized during the afternoon.
Vendors Turn the Fairgrounds Into a Marketplace
The vendor area became an attraction of its own.
Automotive businesses, small businesses, crafters and specialty vendors filled the grounds with displays that gave attendees plenty to explore beyond the rows of vehicles.
The amount of work vendors put into their displays did not go unnoticed. Many arrived hours before the gates opened to build their spaces and prepare for the crowd.
Food trucks added another layer to the atmosphere. The smells of food cooking carried across the grounds throughout the day as attendees moved between the show field, vendor area, registration and activities.
For families, Reclaim 6 also offered activities including a bounce house and petting zoo, helping make the event something families could enjoy together rather than simply a traditional car show.
SimpleTire Goes Above and Beyond
One of the major partners behind Reclaim 6 was SimpleTire, whose involvement extended far beyond putting its name on the event.
SimpleTire sponsored the trophies, supported the event’s tire giveaway and provided discounts while representatives spent the day interacting with attendees at the SimpleTire Winners Circle.
Then they took their support one step further.
After the tire raffle winner was selected, SimpleTire representatives personally delivered the winner’s tires to their home.
It was an unexpected gesture that left a lasting impression on organizers and demonstrated the type of partnership PBVJC hopes to build with the businesses supporting its charitable events.
Music, Games, Raffles and Plenty of Laughs
Mike from DJs Available kept the grounds active throughout the day with music, trivia, games and giveaways.
Attendees had opportunities to win prizes throughout the event, including SimpleTire swag bags and items donated by businesses, manufacturers, supporters and members of the Pine Barren Venom community.
The raffle area was packed with prizes, ranging from automotive products to baskets assembled and donated by club members and supporters.
One of the featured prizes was a set of five 35-inch Venom Power tires, while another major prize gave one lucky youngster — or perhaps one very jealous parent — a new 24-volt ride-on Jeep.
The event also featured a separate 50/50 drawing.
Behind those tables was an enormous amount of preparation. Donations had been gathered for months, prizes organized, tickets prepared and volunteers assigned to keep everything moving throughout the afternoon.
The People Behind Reclaim
Long before the first vehicle entered the Burlington County Fairgrounds, dozens of volunteers were already working.
Parking crews, registration volunteers, raffle workers, event walkers, judges, setup crews and administrators each had a part to play.
More than 30 volunteers helped operate Reclaim 6.
They worked through the August heat, covered one another’s stations when breaks were needed, kept each other hydrated and handled the countless small problems that inevitably occur behind the scenes of a large event.
Most attendees will never see that part of Reclaim.
And that is exactly how it should be.
When an event runs smoothly, much of the work that made it happen remains invisible.
One Final Challenge From Mother Nature
With approximately 45 minutes remaining in the event, organizers received notification that severe weather was approaching the area.
After monitoring the situation, the decision was made to begin clearing the grounds before the storm arrived.
An announcement was made by the DJ and PBVJC President Steve Szabo asking vendors and attendees to begin packing up.
What could easily have become a hectic situation instead became one of the day’s quieter examples of community cooperation.
Vendors, attendees and volunteers calmly packed their displays and belongings, helped one another where necessary and began leaving the fairgrounds in an orderly manner.
Within a relatively short period of time, the grounds were cleared without incident.
The heavy weather arrived shortly afterward.
More Than a Car Show
When the final trailer pulled away and the storm clouds moved over the Burlington County Fairgrounds, Reclaim 6 became another chapter in a tradition that continues to grow.
But its success cannot simply be measured by the number of vehicles parked on the field, trophies handed out or raffle tickets sold.
It is measured by the businesses that donated.
The vendors who showed up.
The volunteers who worked in the heat.
The first responders and charitable organizations who were supported.
The families who spent the afternoon together.
And the automotive community that proved once again that different badges, different clubs and different builds do not have to divide people.
Pine Barren Venom Jeep Club was founded around a simple philosophy: give more than you receive, lend a hand when you can and remember that community matters more than the sticker on your vehicle.
On August 8, at the Burlington County Fairgrounds, Reclaim 6 put that philosophy on display.
And when the gates closed, planning for what comes next had already begun.
Reclaim will return.
