Down 4 Dennis celebrates life, loves

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August 17, 2012

Down 4 Dennis celebrates life, loves

By JACQUELINE PUGLISI Princeton Times The Zope Gazette Fri Aug 17, 2012, 05:01 AM EDT

BLUEFIELD — The third annual Down 4 Dennis celebrated Dennis Rowe’s life by showcasing the things he loved.

Rowe, who graduated from Princeton Senior High school, was killed in a motorcycle accident on Sept. 19, 2010. He was 30 years old.

To celebrate his life and remember the lives he touched, Rowe’s friends and family organized the Down 4 Dennis event. Skateboarding, motorcycles and a car show were all present and represented what Rowe enjoyed. This year’s event also included motorcycle stunts from Stunt Army, truck limbo with low-rider trucks, games, face painting and an open-skate area. Guests were also given the opportunity to play Whack-a-Car on an old, donated car with any item of their choice.

Trophies were presented to participants of the car show to include the best truck, car, engine, paint, interior and best in show. The largest trophy was given for “Abbie’s Pick”, a car chosen by Rowe’s mother as her favorite.

Music was provided by Rowe’s friend, who performs as Old School Joe. He played a mix of songs at the event that Rowe would have listened to. His goal was to put a smile on people’s faces and honor Rowe.

Joe remembered the smile on Rowe’s face when he was doing what he loved.

“It didn’t matter if he was stunt riding, skate boarding or hitting switches on a low rider. It was that smile that he got,” he said.

Shane Ellison, one of the organizers of the event, met Rowe in 2000 at Princeton’s skate park. He said he immediately noticed Rowe as the best skater at the park, and the friends spent a lot of time skating together.

But Ellison said the Down 4 Dennis event isn’t about skateboarding, cars or motorcycles, but about celebrating Rowe.

“This is just all of us coming together today to celebrate his life and what he meant to us,” he said.

Rowe, who served as a police officer for the town of Kimball, was also known for bringing people together. Ellison said he has never known anyone that brought police officers together with skateboarders, mini-truckers and motorcycle guys.

Wes Hinkle, who met Rowe four years ago at a gas station in Princeton, agreed that Rowe brought different groups of people together. He said it is amazing how many people were touched by Rowe’s life.

“He was just one of those friends that did anything and everything for you. We felt the best thing that we could do was to put this thing on once a year to get his friends and family together,” said Hinkle.

Since the event’s first year, attendants as well as sponsorship continue to grow. This year the event had around 20 sponsors along with car show participants from car clubs in Ohio, Tennessee, and North Carolina Hinkle said the goal is to get bigger each year.

Visitors of the event who knew Rowe enjoyed taking time to remember a friend. Casey Hamm, from Bluefield, said he had been friends with Rowe for around 14 years. He said Rowe was an amazing person who always managed to keep a cool head.

Though the event was an emotional experience, Hamm said it was a good way to remember Rowe by representing what he loved to do.

“It’s definitely all him; every bit of it,” he said.

Some visitors who did not know Rowe personally came to the event to show support. Jim and Nancy Palmer of Bluewell brought their 1957 Chevrolet to the car show. The couple found out about the event through a flier and said it was good cause. Even though they had the opportunity to attend other car shows, they chose to support Down 4 Dennis.

Proceeds from the event went toward renovations of Princeton’s skate park. The park will be rededicated as the Dennis Rowe Memorial Skate Park.

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