By Conrad Dudderar
Senior Staff Writer
Hundreds of pounds of food and hundreds of rolls of toilet paper were collected during Yukon Main Street’s second annual “Cruise-in for a Cause.”
Several hundred vehicles participating by cruising and/or parking along State Highway 66 during the Sept. 17 benefit presented by Yukon’s Best Main Street and the Yukon 66 Main Street Association.
“We thought it went exceedingly well,” Yukon Main Street Director Vicki Davis said.
Buoyed by great weather and a desire for people to get out and enjoy life, cruise organizers were thrilled by the turnout.
“The event gave us a sense of community – whether people got out of their vehicles and strolled some of the areas or just slowly drove along the route,” Davis said. “It really provided that ‘connectivity’ that we were looking for.”
Four nonprofit “help” causes had advocacy booths during the events, encouraging cruise-goers to donate cash and needed items while promoting services they provide Yukon.
• Manna Pantry collected 92 pounds of peanut butter and jelly plus four packages of snacks. Their theme was “Fill Their Bellies with Peanut Butter and Jelly.”
• Yukon Sharing collected 157 pounds of soup. Their theme was “Soup for the Soul”.
• Compassionate Hands collected 681 rolls of toilet paper. Their theme was “Roll Out the Help for Compassionate Hands.”
• Pets & People Humane Society collected 200 pounds of kibble plus 42 cans of dog and cat food. Their theme was “Can You Show Me Some Love?”
This year’s Cruise-in for a Cause raised $1,858 to support these four Yukon non-profit agencies. This includes $1,289 collected at the booths, $154 from two “donation” stations
and $415 in contributions from “Park & Show” entries.
Yukon Compassionate Hands Director Joanne Riley said it was a “great night” as her
volunteers cruised Main Street in one of their accessible vans – while the second van filled up with toilet paper rolls.
“It was lots of fun and I think it was an excellent outreach for Compassionate Hands,” Riley said.
The Sept. 17th Route 66 cruise, which was free and open to any street-legal vehicle – featured many classics plus some unique late-model vehicles.
Many of the same car owners who participated in 2019’s inaugural event returned this year.
“That speaks to their enthusiasm for those vintage cars as well as Route 66,” Davis said.
“Our mayor (Shelli Selby) was out volunteering in the middle of the event and that again speaks to the sense of community.”
Yukon’s Main Street director pointed to the excellent response to two “photo stops” along the cruise route – on in front of the mill mural sponsored by State Farm and a second featuring the “Battlin’ Betties” pinup girl auxiliary.
