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Cruise-In raised $46,296 for local charities

Totals were down from last year, but society president says, ‘we can still hold our heads high’
Car were lined up along the one-way. DAN FERGUSON/LANGLEY TIMES
Visitors checked out the collection of classic cars on display in downtown Langley City during the annual Good Times Cruise-In in September. Organizers announced Thursday that more than $46,000 was raised for charity this year.

The fundraising numbers are in from the 2016 Langley Good Times Cruise-In.

Langley’s largest charity show-and-shine — and one of the biggest car, truck, and motorcycle shows in Western Canada — raised $46,296.50 for local charities.

And while the fundraising totals were down $16,703.50 from 2015, Cruise-In president Wayne Patterson said “we can still hold our heads high.”

“This is $46,296.50 that would not be going to charities if this event did not happen,” Patterson said.

Patterson thanked Cruise-In sponsors Cascades Casino, the City of Langley, Black Press — Community News Media, and “all the volunteers who have dedicated their time over the past year to make this show happen.”

This year’s Cruise-In had some challenges — the car count was down by about 200 entries, and Ultimate Garage ticket sales were also down.

However, the event’s 50/50 was a success, giving away over $2,700, and the swap meet and car corral sold out on Sept. 11.

In-N-Out Burgers, which sends a food truck every year to Cruise-In, was completely sold out by 11 a.m.

Over the next couple weeks, the Cruise-In’s board of directors will be meeting to hand out cheques to the local charities “to support their ongoing efforts to better Langley and the people in the community,” Patterson said.

“During the show there are thousands of people who meet old friends, and build new relationships, but it does not stop at the event,” he added. “As you can see, we touch many lives in Langley after the event is over.”

Patterson said, “for the board member this is the best time of the year, to see the tears in the members of a small charity’s eyes when they can now plan 2017, or letting the kids of Douglas Park (Community) School know they get to do the extra activities that are just not in the budget. This is what makes the Cruise-In great.”

Reflecting on the Sept. 10 Cruise-In, the morning started off with a little rain at 5 a.m.

But, Patterson said, “the rain faded and the clouds broke to revile a wonderful day in Langley.”

“Soon the market place started to fill up, the parking crews were busy parking 963 cars, In & Out was selling burgers, and the show was off to a great start,” Patterson said. “We had bands playing in many areas of the show to keep everyone rocking as they viewed all the cars that came out to our show.”

The organizations that benefited from this year’s Cruise-In are:

• Langley Community Support Service;

• Langley Community Support Groups;

• Langley Memorial Hospital Auxiliary;

• Valley Therapeutic Equestrian Association;

• Legacy Water Search & Recovery;

• Kwantlen Polytechnic University; Spartan Foundation;

• PuCKS;

• Vineyard Church;

• St John Ambulance;

• Langley Boys and Girls Club; and

• Douglas Park School.

Next year’s Cruise-In is scheduled for Saturday, Sept. 9.