A local car club is continuing its tradition this year of donating money to worthy causes. The Highway 43 Car Club, based out of North Grenville, has decided to give donations to local food banks in Kemptville and Winchester this year.
“We like to donate some money, we’ve done it over the years,” said Kevan Whittaker, Vice President of the Club. Known for holding a Cruise Night every Friday at the Kemptville Food Basics, the Highway 43 Car Club has been going strong for over 10 years.
The Car Club is as charitable as can be, often raising money through fundraisers and sponsorship, and then donating it to worthy causes. This year, $250 will be donated to the Salvation Army Food Bank in Kemptville, and another $250 will benefit the North Dundas community through a donation to the Community Food Share. The $500 will surely be welcomed by the beneficiaries, though it is not as high as what the Car Club has been able to donate in previous years. The Club was shuttered during the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic, meaning there was no fundraising or sponsorship money coming in, resulting in less money in the Club’s bank account now.
“We’re starting off at the bottom of the ladder again,” Kevan added. This year, the Club has a new President, Mike Lecuyer, and along with Kevan, the pair has taken on the reigns of the Club and endeavored to keep the sprit of the Club going strong. Kevan was pleasantly surprised at the number of local businesses that were willing to provide sponsorship money this year, so soon after the COVID-19 pandemic that hurt the bottom lines of many businesses.
The Highway 43 Car Club is one of the biggest car clubs in Eastern Ontario. The Club operates very informally, with no “cut off date” governing which car model years are welcome to be included. This year, instead of holding car show events, the Club visited area long term care homes. “They get a thrill from seeing some of the old cars,” Kevan said. “It brings back memories.” The Club also regularly thanks local sponsors by bringing a few cars for a mini event at their business location.
Donations to food banks are popular at this time of year, and are particularly welcome in light of significant rises in the cost of food, and the economic uncertainty faced by many households. Food banks work to ensure that no one goes hungry, by providing free grocery packages on a recurring basis to individuals and families in need. In order to operate, food banks rely on donations from those with the means to give.
To learn more about the Highway 43 Car Club, visit https://hwy43carclub.com/index.php/en/. More information about the Salvation Army can be found at https://salvationarmy.ca/, while those who want to learn more about the Community Food Share should visit https://www.communityfoodshare.ca/.
