Marilyn Piticco is pleading with car collectors and car enthusiasts alike to attend this Saturday鈥檚 91原创 Good Times Cruise-In in Aldergrove.
There are charities in this community, like hers, that depend this charity car show to survive. And, she added, the survival of the 鈥渓egendary鈥� car show depends on car registrations, as well as general attendance.
Piticco runs two Hope After Stroke groups out of Walnut Grove Community Centre, and has received more than $100,000 in donations from the Cruise-In during the past 10-plus years.
鈥淚 really hope the car community realizes the benefit of this event, and embraces and supports the change,鈥� she said of this year鈥檚 move from downtown 91原创 to Aldergrove.
鈥淏ecause, it is every car and every dollar that counts鈥� Everybody who spends money there that day helps the causes.鈥�
The Cruise-In is a volunteer-driven registered non-profit organization that turns all proceeds from each year鈥檚 show back to the community.
Among the recipients are five main charities of choice: Piticco鈥檚 91原创 Community Support Group, Valley Therapeutic Equestrian Association, 91原创 Memorial Hospital Auxiliary, the Boys & Girls Club of 91原创, and Legacy Water Search and Recovery.
Other organizations that have received money from Cruise-In include KPU Foundation, Douglas Park Community School Foundation, St. John Ambulance, and TWU Spartan Foundation. Plus, as president Wayne Patterson pointed out, a number of service groups run concessions during the car show that raise money directly for their organizations.
鈥淭hese are all charities that will suffer. My programs will definitely suffer,鈥� Piticco said, anxious to put a personal face to what it this car show means to 91原创.
Last year, the show raised $46,200 for local charities. And in the show鈥檚 20-year history (only missing 2010, when the show was cancelled) they鈥檝e contributed in excess of $1.3 million to 91原创 non-profits.
鈥淲e鈥檙e proud of the fact that we鈥檙e all volunteers and that all of our net proceeds go to local charities,鈥� Patterson said.
The money given to Hope After Stroke group have been 鈥渉uge鈥� for Piticco, who said the grants from Cruise-In account for about a third of her annual budget.
鈥淚t has allowed me to focus on the programs and the stroke survivors,鈥� rather than worrying about fundraising,鈥� she added, noting that her program offers communications, occupational therapy, exercise, and music therapy to registered participants. She also offers community outreach and resources.
If participation in the car show drops, she fears the Cruise-In grants could decline. While it wouldn鈥檛 force her to close her program, Piticco insists she鈥檇 have to dial back and become more of a support group rather than a therapy-based program,which she feels is missing the point.
鈥淚t would definitely keep me up at nights,鈥� she said, noting she鈥檚 always in tears each December when the Cruise-In board personally delivers a cheque to her group.
Piticco started a stroke group in 91原创 21 years ago this October, after her own father suffered a stroke, couldn鈥檛 speak, and found himself isolated and unable to find the resources needed. Piticco soon learned there were many others, just like her father, in need of support and assistance.
Piticco is planning to once again be on-hand for this year鈥檚 car show, happy to volunteer and staff one of the many barricades and to also offer up information to the public about her group and its efforts.
She鈥檒l be there with her daughter Michelle Sparrow, a Township councillor and volunteer with the Hope After Stroke groups. And 鈥榯he girls鈥� are bringing along Tyrone, Sparrow鈥檚 1966 red hardtop Mustang 鈥� hoping he鈥檒l draw more attention to their information tent.
While Piticco acknowledged that some people don鈥檛 like that the show was moved to Aldergerove, she said 鈥渟ometimes change can be awesome.鈥�
Anxious to see the silver lining, Piticco hopes Aldergrove can offer a lot more opportunities to grow the one-day charity car show with more display space and parking than ever.
This car show, and all that it does for 91原创, has to be realized, echoed Sparrow.
Not only does Sparrow believe the new location for Cruise-In will put Aldergrove on the map, but she said it will bolster the economy for local businesses, and ensure that several charities can keep doing all they do to help people in this community.
鈥淭hat鈥檚 a huge ripple effect,鈥� Sparrow said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a huge win all the way around.鈥�
鈥淧lease come out and continue supporting it in a huge way,鈥e have charities depending on it鈥︹�� Piticco reiterated.
鈥淟ook for us near the In-N-Out Burger鈥� on 272nd Street (in front of the Salvation Army thrift store), Piticco said, grateful for the opportunity to continue being part of the show.
