By Conrad Dudderar
Staff Writer
Four non-profit “help causes” have been selected for Yukon Main Street’s third annual car cruise.
“Cruise-In for a Cause” – set 5-9 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 16 in downtown Yukon – will support Canadian County CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates), Compassionate Hands, Manna Pantry, and Yukon Sharing Ministry.
Compassionate Hands, Manna Pantry and Yukon Sharing benefitted from the Yukon Main Street’s first two car cruises. Canadian County CASA is a new addition for 2021.
The Cruise Team accepted proposals from local non-profit help causes through April 9.
“We had quite a bit of interest and ended up receiving seven proposals,” Yukon Main Street Director Vicki Davis reported.
The names of the four selected causes were announced during the weekly Yukon Community Coffee last Friday, April 16 at Yukon’s Best Main Street office, 334 Elm.
“We made the decision to stick with four so we can have a greater impact with those organizations,” Davis said.
Priority consideration was given to help causes in Yukon, especially those in the “downtown area.”
To be eligible for the Sept. 16th Yukon Main Street cruise, each applicant had to be a 501c3 organization in Canadian County.
Donations will be collected and a portion of “Park & Show” entry fees will benefit the four causes. The participating non-profit groups also will have product drives at the event.
“Each of them will join our Cruise Team once a month so we can help plan with them and promote the cruise,” Davis said.
THIRD THURSDAY IN SEPTEMBER
Yukon’s Best Main Street and the Yukon 66 Main Street Association have established the third Thursday in September as the recurring date for the popular Cruise-In for a Cause.
All varieties of street-legal vehicles – from classics to customs to late-models – cruise and park along Yukon’s stretch of Route 66 during the annual event.
A “Park & Show” area is along the Fourth and Fifth Street blocks of Main Street.
“We are looking to expand the number of cars we can have there,” Davis said. “We have very generous, angled parking spaces.
“We’re also working with businesses along the way to accommodate some clubs as well.”
The 2020 Cruise-In for a Cause collectively raised $1,858 to support four Yukon non-profits – Compassionate Hands, Manna Pantry, Yukon Sharing, and Pets & People.
This included $1,289 collected at the booths, $154 from two “donation stations” and $415 in contributions from 50% of each Park & Show entry.
Event sponsors’ generosity allowed the Yukon 66 Main Street Association to contribute another $1,000 to the causes, bringing last year’s total closer to $3,000, according to event coordinator Judy Austin.
Manna Pantry collected 92 pounds of peanut butter and jelly plus four packages of snacks. Yukon Sharing collected 157 pounds of soup. Compassionate Hands collected 681 rolls of toilet paper. Pets & People collected 200 pounds of kibble plus 42 cans of dog and cat food.
For more information about the 2021 Cruise-In for a Cause, visit http://www.yukonok.gov or call the Yukon Main Street office at (405) 350-5999.
