鈥淟et it rain,鈥� said director Riccardo Sestito of the 91原创 Good Times Cruise-In, a phrase he鈥檚 never uttered before in his life during this time of year. 鈥淎round this time, we鈥檇 always be getting nervous about what the weather was going to do.鈥�
There鈥檒l be no Cruise-In this September, a decision that was made back in early July due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
鈥淯sually this time of year I鈥檓 tied up, but now we鈥檙e at quite the standstill,鈥� Sestito said. 鈥淲e haven鈥檛 washed any cars or even taken them out.鈥�
The annual display of cars has survived for nearly a quarter century, with hundreds of volunteers facilitating a lineup of hundreds of new and restored cars in support of 91原创 charities.
The only other cancellation of the Cruise-In was in 2010, after controversy ensued over burnouts occurring that same weekend in 91原创 City.
Though the director used the word 鈥渓ost鈥� to describe how he鈥檚 feeling without Cruise-In, Sestito was still in good spirits.
鈥淚鈥檓 getting a lot more yard work done,鈥� he admitted.
Unlike some large-scale events that have turned to virtual means in order to keep going, there is nothing scheduled for Sept. 12.
Seeing as how the Canada/U.S. border remains closed, Sestito said there would be no way fixtures like In and Out Burger, based in California, could have attended anyway.
鈥淓veryone鈥檚 forgotten,鈥� the director said. 鈥淲e still wanted to put the show on 鈥� but there is too much at play. People are so entrenched in COVID and masks and social distancing; other things are weighing down on people鈥檚 minds.鈥�
He noticed a few car clubs trying to gather people for coffee or a social distance show and shine, but ones like what happened on Friday evenings outside Army and Navy in 91原创 City got far too big.
鈥淢ore close circles are still happening and getting together,鈥� he said.
Jodi Steeves, president of the Aldergrove Business Association, called the cancellation of Cruise-In a huge loss for the community,
鈥淲e we鈥檙e finally getting into the groove of things and working out all the bumps,鈥� she said. 鈥淪o it鈥檚 a huge loss because we would have gotten so many visitors. It鈥檚 a huge event a nice way for people to come see how Aldergrove is changing.鈥�
While Steeves said nothing could quite replace the impact of Cruise-In, the business association is planning to launch several promotions this fall to get people visiting and shopping around Aldergrove.
READ MORE: 鈥極ur hands are tied鈥�: 91原创 Good Times Cruise-In announces cancellation due to COVID-19
The one aspect that is still open and active is the charitable aspect of Cruise-In; people can donate via a PayPal link at .
鈥淢oney gets donated the same way through vehicle registration. Right now we are seeing if participants want a refund or to forgo their payment,鈥� Sestito explained, adding that whatever is left will be dispersed evenly to charities.
Sestito said the same charities as last year 鈥� 91原创 Community Services Society and Aldergrove鈥檚 Valley Therapeutic Equestrian Society (VTEA) 鈥� will again be the 2020 recipients.
director Lynn Moseley said everyone at the non-profit loves Cruise-In and was sorry to see the cancellation.
鈥淚 can only imagine how hard it was for them to make that call,鈥� Moseley said. 鈥淏ut it hasn鈥檛 changed our relationship at all. It is hard has a non-profit to not get that support, but a lot of our donors have stepped up to help and fill that gap.鈥�
The Aldergrove-based equine-assisted therapy organization temporarily closed due to COVID-19, but re-opened in mid-June to offer limited programming.
鈥淭his is our new abnormal,鈥� Moseley said, 鈥渂ut I believe we鈥檒l get passed this. We鈥檝e pivoted to a different therapy to provide a mental health space to help with anxiety and depression.鈥�
Mosely said people can still help fill the void created by absence of Cruise-In by donating directly to VTEA or even signing up to lend a helping hand in the barns.
鈥淲e鈥檙e always in need of people to walk along with the riders and we do have staff who offer training,鈥� she explained.
The next training session for new volunteers is 2 to 4 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 12 鈥� 3350 256 St.
鈥淲e鈥檙e already planning next year,鈥� Sestito added, assuring that it will be business as usual that he and other participants are very much looking forward to. 鈥淚鈥檝e had more time to reflect on things and come up with new ideas now that there鈥檚 no time crunch.鈥�
The director laughed and advised people to grab their lawn chair and still sit along the sidewalk on Sept. 12, even without classic cars to admire.
鈥淗opefully we get the rain all over and done with this year so the next couple Cruise-Ins have good weather,鈥� he said.
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