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Cruise-In enticing youth into trades with new scholarship

Word is spreading about the car show committee鈥檚 newest undertaking
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The Wage_Wagon is going to be at the 91原创 Good Times Cruise-In in September, with the United Association Local 170 Plumbers and Pipefitting Union mobile classroom. They鈥檙e part of a concerted effort to engage more young people not only in cars and mechanics, but a variety of trades. (Special to 91原创 Advance Times)

Word is spreading quickly that organizers of this year鈥檚 91原创 Good Times Cruise-In are looking to set up a scholarship aimed at helping young people get into the trades.

Just weeks after Cruise-In president Riccardo Sestito announced that the annual charity car show wants to focus more on youth, and is seeking to set up an ongoing scholarship fund, he鈥檚 been inundated with calls and queries.

鈥淚t鈥檚 just kind of getting legs now,鈥 Sestito said. 鈥淚 have so many people now who would like to contribute to this thing.鈥

READ MORE: Popular burger chain is literally in and out of Canada just for 91原创鈥檚 car show

Cruise-In has always encouraged young people to engage in the car culture, and to share in the love of collecting and working on automobile. But in August, the team behind 91原创鈥檚 huge charity car show upped the anti.

They announced plans to start a Cruise-In scholarship they hope will encourage more youth to consider careers in the automotive industry and other trades.

While it鈥檚 still just in the formative stages, Sestito envisions it will be an annual scholarship awarded to a student keen on pursuing a career in some aspect of the trades.

Most scholarships, Sestito said, are focused on academics, where he and a few others on the board want to help those who are not necessarily going to pursue college or university. Instead, he wants to offer something to help those interested in a lifetime career in the trades.

鈥淲e want to create a legacy here. We have to build something that will keep giving in the years to come,鈥 said Sestito, who has already brought the United Association Local 170 Plumbers & Pipefitters Union on board in their push to engage more youth.

UA170 will likely be contributing in some way to the Cruise-In scholarship initiative, said business development representative Ryan King, a steam fitter by trade.

RELATED: Father and son debut car at 91原创 Good Times Cruise-In

They鈥檙e joining what King called a real push to get young men and women involved in the hands-on careers, and he鈥檚 excited to team up with Cruise-In.

And, in recent days, Sestito has also been contacted by a few labour unions and provincial politicians anxious to help get the scholarship going.

鈥淲e鈥檙e going to do something this year, for sure,鈥 Sestito said. 鈥淚 just have to get past Cruise-In, and then we鈥檒l focus on making this happen.鈥

A lot of details still need to be ironed out, including the amount of the annual scholarships, who will contribute, and the selection process and how far afield applicants can live. They don鈥檛 plan to restrict the scholarship to 91原创 students only, Sestito insisted.

鈥淛ust trying to get youth into trades, that鈥檚 the whole goal of this,鈥 he said. 鈥淚t could turn into something pretty significant, because it seems to have all the right people coming aboard.鈥

More information is available on the

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Roxanne Hooper

About the Author: Roxanne Hooper

I began in the news industry at age 15, but honestly, I knew I wanted to be a community journalist even before that.
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