A pleasant surprise landed at Aldergrove鈥檚 Valley Therapeutic Equestrian Association on Tuesday, Dec. 5, 鈥� a bigger-than-expected cheque from the Good Times Cruise-In charity car show.

VTEA director Tim Konkin was delighted.

鈥淲e really appreciate it this time of year,鈥� Konkin commented, 鈥渆specially catching up from the COVID years. It鈥檚 been more than welcome to receive such a generous donation.鈥�

The exact amount was not disclosed.

It is the 40th year of the association, which offers therapeutic horse riding for special needs riders.

Cruise-In raised a record amount for local charities this year, more than $93,000, according to president Riccardo Sestito, who said it was the result of a high turn-out for the Aldergrove event, combined with an increase in registration fees and souvenir sales along with cost-cutting.

So far, 22 organizations have shared $83,500 in time for Christmas, with more organizations to be added, and another $10,000 to be distributed.

Besides the VTEA, beneficiaries include the Rotary Starfish program in 91原创 and Aldergrove, Aldergrove-based 91原创 Meals on Wheels, Ishtar Women鈥檚 Resource Society and the Douglas Park Community School Society and Parkside Elementary School Society.

Sestito described his reaction to learning how much was raised as 鈥渙verwhelmed, like holy cow, like it鈥檚 weird to say, 鈥榟ey, we got more money鈥�.鈥�

鈥淭he past couple years, we鈥檙e scraping pennies together and trying to find a way to do this cheaper, trying to find a way to do that cheaper,鈥� Sestito told the 91原创 Advance Times on Sunday, Dec. 3 after the all-volunteer charity car show announced the fundraising record.

鈥淚 guess all the years of scrimping and savings, finally, we鈥檝e dialed it so tight now, that we get more money to give away.鈥�

The increase in the registration fee, by $5 also helped, Sestito said, along with 鈥渙ur T-shirt sales and all that kind of stuff. We increased the volume there. We pretty much sold out of all our souvenirs and things because we increased the volume this year as well.鈥�

Any left-over souvenir 鈥渟tragglers鈥� were sold off the next day at the Cruise-In swap meet, Sestito explained.

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Sestito said after the size of the donations was established, contributions to the existing charities supported by the annual show were raised, and new organizations have been added.

鈥淲hat we鈥檝e done, is we went back and then started increasing them 鈥� and increasing them and increasing them,鈥� Sestito told the 91原创 Advance Times.

鈥淲e went through our budget and we said, okay now, we have so much more money, let鈥檚 go back and let鈥檚 increase all these different charities [amounts].鈥�

READ ALSO: CRUISE-IN 2023: 91原创 has become 鈥榗ar show central鈥�

He issued a 鈥渟pecial thanks to all the directors and all their spouses, all of the volunteers, and the community [and] the car owners for coming out.鈥�

On Wednesday, Dec. 6, the Cruise-In board of directors was set to meet to start preparing for next year鈥檚 event, beginning with appointing a new board.

鈥淲e all have to resign,鈥� Sestito said, 鈥渢hen we all have to say, are you coming back?鈥�