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Enos makes appearance at fall festival
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Sonny Shroyer, better known as Enos from the Dukes of Hazzard, makes a fan very happy, signing her replica sheriff’s car Saturday during his appearance at New Life Connection Center’s Fall Festival. Shroyer took time to visit and sign autographs for the hundreds who came to the event. - photo by Duane Sherrill

With several versions of the General Lee parked in the lot and Enos Strate dressed in his deputy’s outfit, it was like a return to Hazzard County Saturday at New Life Church.

“It’s our New Life Fall Fest,” revealed Rick Goins of New Life Church which played host to the event Saturday. “This is our second annual festival. We had a lot of success last year so we thought we’d expand it this year to include a car show and we brought some cast members in from the Dukes of Hazzard.”

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Several versions of the General Lee were on display at the New Life Church festival. - photo by Duane Sherrill

Goins was friends with Sonny Shroyer, who played Enos Strate in the highly popular Dukes of Hazzard series that ran from 1979 to 1985 and can still be seen in syndication.

Shroyer, now 83, was also in Smokey and the Bandit, The Longest Yard and most recently was a guest star in the television show The Resident where he played a man struck by lightning on this past Monday night episode.

“We know them and gave them a call and they were gracious enough to come down and spend the day with us,” he said of Shoyer. “We also have Chris Hensel who played the Dukes’ cousin, Jeb Stuart Duke.”

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A werewolf guards one of the vehicles entered in the New Life Connection Center's car show Saturday. - photo by Duane Sherrill
Goins pointed out that Hensel will be shooting a movie soon in Baxter. “He was in the area already and we asked him to be part of our event so he was here as well.”

Both stars hung around for several hours, greeting fans and signing autographs while the arts and crafts show went on elsewhere inside the building. Meanwhile, a large car show was held in the parking lot, back dropped by live music and food booths.

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Gospel music served as a back drop to the events Saturday at the New Life fall festival. - photo by Duane Sherrill

Goins said the festival is a way to reach out to the community. “We just want to bless the community because we’ve been blessed,” he said, noting the event was all free unless visitors purchased crafts or signs pictures during the autograph signing.

Along with the church, the facilities at new Life include a learning day care and DeKalb Christian Academy (K-4) and a dining hall the church rents out to the community for events.

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Horse rides were available at the fall festival at New Life Church Saturday. - photo by Duane Sherrill