I Came for the Cars. I Left with a Story.

I Came for the Cars. I Left with a Story.

Sometimes you head somewhere with a fairly clear idea of what you’ll find. Then a conversation changes the whole reason for being there.

That was my experience at Cars & Coffee on the grounds of Bethesda Academy near Savannah.

I went to see the cars, meet a few people, and learn more about the Oglethorpe Driving Club. What stayed with me was the story of two brothers—and their connection to the place hosting it all.

Under the Oaks at Bethesda

The trip down from Charleston began early, with fog and a heavy rain squall along the way. By the time the morning opened up, Bethesda offered a beautiful setting for a gathering of people who share an enthusiasm for cars.

But the event has a purpose beyond what’s parked on the grounds. Cars & Coffee helps support tuition for the young men attending Bethesda Academy.

That connection became much more personal when I spoke with Kim Iocovozzi.

Kim and his twin brother, Kevin—whom I know as Ike—were adopted through Bethesda in the late 1950s. They grew up nearby, riding their bicycles along the dirt roads around these grounds.

For me, Bethesda was somewhere I was beginning to discover. For them, it was part of the landscape of childhood.

As Kim put it: “We never forgot that.”

A Connection That Continues

Kevin founded the Oglethorpe Driving Club. Together, the brothers have found a way to bring their love of cars and their connection to Bethesda into the same story.

There is something quietly powerful about that.

A gathering that might look, at first glance, like a pleasant morning spent admiring automobiles becomes a way to support the next generation. For Kim and Kevin, that purpose carries the weight of their own experience.

Their family connections reach further into Savannah’s history, too. Kim’s wife is an eighth-generation descendant of James Habersham, a figure closely associated with Bethesda’s beginnings.

That detail caught my attention. As I spend more time around Savannah, I keep encountering people whose family histories connect directly to the places I’m trying to understand. A name from the past becomes part of a conversation in the present.

The Story I Hadn’t Planned to Tell

I enjoyed the cars. I also left with new friendships and the beginnings of other stories I hope to explore.

But Kim’s recollection gave this visit its heart.

It reminded me why I like to leave room for conversations when I travel. You can research a place, arrive with a camera, and know what you intend to film. Then someone shares a memory, and your understanding deepens.

As I drove through Bethesda’s entrance, beneath the arching oaks and Spanish moss, I had more to think about than when I arrived.

I had come for Cars & Coffee. I left thinking about two brothers who remembered where their story began—and found a way to give back.

Watch my short film below to meet Kim and see a little of that morning at Bethesda. See the short film on my Instagram link.