Once the last car has driven off into the sunset, the most important part of the 91原创 Good Times Cruise-in is upon the organizers: handing out funds.
Every year, the volunteer-run and organized Cruise-in distributes tens of thousands of dollars to charities, most of them based in 91原创.
In 2013, the Cruise-in donated $54,000 that came from registrations, raffle tickets, and In-N-Out Burger meals to a list of 15 charities.
Core charities this year and last include the Valley Therapeutic Equestrian Association, PuCKS, the Boys and Girls Club, and the 91原创 Memorial Hospital Auxiliary. Core charities this year will also include the 91原创 Community Services Society and the Douglas Community Elementary Society.
The newcomer to this year芒鈧劉s list is a charity that was born from the tragedy that claimed the lives of two 91原创 teenagers.
On April 20, 2013, Austin Kingsborough, 17, and Brendan Daniel Wilson, 18, disappeared while on a trip to a family cabin on the shores of Nicola Lake. A storm had apparently swamped their canoe.
The families were traumatized, both by the disappearance, and by the lengthy delay in locating the bodies of the young men. It wasn芒鈧劉t until May 6 that Gene and Sandy Ralston, a couple from the United States, managed to locate Kingsborough and Wilson. The Americans used a sidescan sonar device.
That inspired the families and close friends of the two young men to begin a similar project in Canada, to help the victims of similar boating and swimming accidents.
The Legacy Water Search and Recovery Society has been fundraising and training to set up their own sonar and remote operated vehicle (ROV) system.
Society vice president Jim Ward said the total costs are around $350,000 for all the equipment and a specially outfitted boat to hold it.
They have already acquired an ROV from Seamor Marine of Nanaimo, and the firm is allowing them to pay for it in installments.
The ROV will cost $80,000, and the sidescan sonar will eventually cost close to $60,000. Both of those prices are excellent deals, said Ward.
Money from the Cruise-in will help them get towards their goals.
芒鈧揟he funds will go directly to the purchase of equipment,芒鈧� said Ward, or to training.
Training is tricky 芒鈧�� operating an underwater ROV or towed sidescan sonar requires a lot of experience and knowledge in specialized software.
The core of the society are all people who knew Kingsborough and Wilson, or who knew other people who died in similar tragedies, noted Ward.
芒鈧揑t芒鈧劉s kind of unbelievable how many people have been touched by tragedies that are so close,芒鈧� Ward said.
Members of the society will be out helping with parking at this year芒鈧劉s Cruise-In, and they芒鈧劉ll have a booth near the Frosting Cupcakery on Fraser Highway, where they芒鈧劉ll have their remote operated vehicle on display.
