Huge charity car show ready to roll
More than 500 vehicles expected to take part
One of Southwest Florida’s largest charity car shows returns this Saturday to Mariner High School.
The ninth annual Cape Coral Charity Car Show, sponsored by Cape Coral First Methodist Church, takes place from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Feb. 21.
The event is expected to be packed with nearly 500 different makes, models and styles, with 100% of the proceeds going directly to the Cape Coral Caring Center.
The day-of-show entry fee is a $20 donation for show cars (no pre-registration necessary); parking is $5 for spectators.
Last year, the show raised $110,000 for the local food pantry — the most ever — and has raised close to $500,000 since its inception.
Event organizer Phil Deems said they expect this year’s exposition to be the largest car show ever held in the Cape, with thousands of expected attendees.
“Our show has a selection of everything you can imagine,” he said. “We’re going to have classic cars, race cars and drag cars there. We’ll have a little bit of everything. We’ve got the street rods that are old cars made up to with modern-day driving modern day mechanicals.
“We have originals. We have a Model T Club that is going to be coming in, a Model A Club, all original stuff.
“A lot of people have memories of these cars. They may not have a classic themselves, but they have a memory of a particular vehicle back in the days of when they were in high school or maybe that was how they met their wife.”
The show includes a Tribute to the Military and first responders from 11:30 to noon, including color guard, pledge and live music; a deejay playing ’50s and ’60s music, food; and door prizes. There will be many additional vendors, plus information booths for the charity and church sponsor. Judging will be done by co-sponsors and donors with more than 50 trophies being presented.
“This is not just a stop in and see a car or two, we put on a program,” Deems said.
Also returning this year, to accompany the wide variety of makes, models, and style, will be a display of large model airplanes.
“Children and adults alike love the model planes,” Deems said.
The Cape Coral Caring Center annually serves more than 12,000 needy people in the community and provides more than 143 tons of food to those less fortunate. In addition, 600 families received Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners; 300 children got toys from Santa; and 300 children got school supplies in a backpack thanks to the Cape Coral Caring Center. CCCC provides special food for older residents with special dietary restrictions linked to disability and illness. The Cape Coral Caring Center also helps people build resumes for job searches and provide free bus passes so they can get to interviews.
“Those funds go to help families that have hardships,” Deems said. “We talk about things that were beyond their control -maybe a death in the family, disability, loss of a job, you know, a job that maybe has cut back in hours, a lot of different reasons, and that’s one way we can give back to the community. Every dollar goes right back to the Cape Coral citizens.”
The event will be held rain or shine. Pets are not permitted on the property.
Mariner High School is at 701 Chiquita Blvd., North.
Please visit capecoralcharitycarshow.com for additional information about the show.
To reach CJ HADDAD, please email cjhaddad@breezenewspapers.com