Rows of cars sat gleaming in the sun, their hoods popped open, in Walden’s village square last Saturday. Car enthusiasts sat beside their prized possessions in lawn chairs, hopping up to show off their cars when visitors passed by.

This was the 10th annual Walden Classic Car Show, a fundraiser produced by the Knights of Columbus 9254 in Walden. All proceeds went to the Catholic service organization’s mission of supporting local charities, including the Hudson Valley Food Bank, Most Precious Blood Parish, the Valley Central Backpack Snack Attack, local hospices and more.

Grand Knight Tom Gayton said the organization will tally its donations from the year in August and decide how to distribute their money. Almost all of the money raised goes directly to local charities.

Gayton said there were about 75 entries this year, the most of any year.

“It was a very good, shining example of what our community can do when we all get together,” Gayton said.

There were cars from every era, from the 1920s up to the modern day. There was a great variety of makes and models, including American classic, classic and modern trucks, American muscle cars, corvettes, hot rods, imports, Mustangs, Fords and more.

Skip Tentz won People’s Choice and Best in Show for his 1929 Cadillac. Tentz said the beige car has been to many shows, from shows in Florida and Connecticut to local shows in New York.

Tentz said he found the car on eBay. He rebuilt the motor and transmission before transforming the car into a convertible. The old Cadillac is just one of 11 show cars that Tentz owns.

Myrna Wishnick had a unique entry with her 1963 Ford Thunderbird dubbed “Princess Grace”. Princess Grace of Monaco, also known as the former actress Grace Kelly, was asked to pick the colors for the 1963-and-a-half limited-edition Thunderbird Landau. At its debut in Monaco, Kelly was given car number one of only 2,000 cars made.

Wishnick’s pale cream Thunderbird is number 325. The low-slung, long-bodied car won first place in American Classics 1960-1979.

There are many reasons car enthusiasts put so much time and effort into their cars and showing. Some enjoy meeting people with similar interests. Others enjoy the charitable aspect of many shows. Most all enjoy seeing the cars themselves and showing off their own.

For others, cars and car shows carry a special meaning.

Bobby Archambault showed his 1972 Chevy Nova. The bright red car had two dolls hanging in the driver’s seat.

The car is a tribute to his son, Bobby Jr., who passed away at only 8 years old. Bobby Jr. helped his father with the prep work for a paint job shortly before he passed in 2001.

Mostly, Archambault remembers taking his son for rides in the old car. The two dolls in the front seat are a homage to the characters from his son’s favorite movie, Chucky.

“It’s very, very special,” Archambault said.

Archambault has a tradition of placing a matchbox car on his son’s grave for every trophy he receives. He smiled wide when he was handed the first-place trophy for American Muscle.

“I feel like my son is with me every time I’m at a show,” Archambault said.