Corvette a labor of love for Adams

Published 8:48 pm Thursday, July 29, 2004

By By Arthur McLean
Pepsi delivered a restored Corvette to Ed Ray earlier this month, and for its efforts, it delivered a check to the American Cancer Society Friday.
Dale Ash, one of the owners of the Atmore Pepsi distributor, Webb Nall sales manager, and David Adams, Pepsi warehouse manager, presented Annice Barnhill, area director for the American Cancer society with a check for $10,000 raised by raffle tickets for the Corvette.
For Adams, the check's delivery means the wrap-up of six months of long, grease-stained days as he worked to almost completely restore the 79 model Chevrolet Corvette in time for Pepsi's Relay for Life raffle. "We did in six months what would take the average person about three years," Adams said.
Pepsi donated the car to make the raffle possible, and Adams began pouring his energy and sweat into restoring the vehicle. The glistening red 'vette could be seen as an example of Adams' personal business, David Adams Race Car Fabrication. But this project was a labor of love for the 37-year-old.
His brother-in-law died of cancer at 40. His wife's grandmother and one of Adams' best friends were all stricken by the disease.
"There were days, well nights, when I wanted to call it quits, but I couldn't, because of all the people who would receive help from this project," Adams said.
People like Dylan Adams, the 15-year-old Atmore youth and Escambia Academy student who has battled cancer most of his life. Dylan is currently staying at Hope Lodge a special facility provided to the families of cancer patients as they undergo treatments in Birmingham. Hope Lodge is provided by the American Cancer Society, free of charge to patients and their families. Money from events like Relay help pay the costs of the lodge.
David and Dylan spent time together with the Corvette project. Dylan drew the winning tickets for the car.
"We truly appreciate the work people and organizations like Pepsi and David Adams do for us," Barnhill said.
The American Cancer Society also provides help to cancer patients in smaller ways as well. Barnhill said the ACS has three "loan closets" established in Escambia County that help cancer patients with things like wigs, special apparel or prosthesis. Barnhill said medical disclosure rules prevent her from talking about any one case, however.
In addition to Pepsi, and Adams, Central Paint &Body and Atmore Auto Parts contributed to the Corvette project, and Staff Chevrolet, Sandy Sansing Chevrolet, Smith Tractor Company and Snap-On Tools contributed other prizes.

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