Causes ‘rolling’ after Yukon Route 66 car cruise

Record amount presented to Canadian County non-profits

October 21, 2022

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Cruise Cause Support1 — Members of Yukon 66 Main Street present monetary gifts to Canadian County non-profits from Yukon’s 4th Annual Cruise-In for a Cause: From left, Yukon Main Street Director Vicki Davis, Main Street volunteer Kim Rex, Andi Holland of Savannah Station, Joanne Oltmanns of Yukon Mobile Meals, John Schneider of Youth & Family Services, Yukon Main Street Board President Judy Austin, Main Street Board Member Erika Stark, Main Street Board Member Heather Samuels, Main Street Board Member Cherie Logan, and Main Street office coordinator Andrea Griffin. Not pictured is Dana Lutz of Canadian County CASA. Some $4,523.68 was raised, with $3,862.77 given to the help the causes after expenses. (Photo provided)

By Conrad Dudderar
Staff Writer

Support for local non-profit charities grew again at Yukon’s Route 66 car cruise.

Yukon 66 Main Street representatives recently presented gifts totaling $3,862.77 from the 4^th Annual “Cruise-In for a Cause.”

Participating help causes received these amounts:

Yukon Mobile Meals – $1,028.17
Canadian County Court-Appointed Special Advocates – $933.17
Savannah Station Therapeutic Riding Program – $975.67
Youth & Family Services – $925.67

These four organizations were selected among eight applicants to benefit from the Sept. 15^th passive leisure, open cruise in downtown Yukon.

This was Yukon Mobile Meals’ first taste of Cruise-In for a Cause action.

“We were very pleased and a little bit surprised,” Director Joanne Oltmanns said. “We weren’t expecting to make that much. … we did great!

“It was a fun night. We were very pleased with the turnout of people who came by our booth that night.”

Helping draw people to Yukon Mobile Meals’ booth was a bean bag toss bingo game.

“It was a real hit – as were the muffins and cookies we made to give to people as they played,” Oltmanns shared. “We had pretty good traffic of people stopping by.

“It was well worth it!”

All four participating help causes raised funds and had product drives at their advocacy booths on the event grounds.

Volunteers and staff visited with cruise-goers to spread awareness about how their groups serve Yukon and Canadian County.

“We were all very pleased that people came prepared not only to give at the donation stations but made it a point to visit the advocacy booths,” Yukon Main Street Director Vicki Davis said.

SWEETENING THE POT

Funds were collected from event attendees at the booths, from passing motorists at donation stations, and through a portion of “Park & Show” entry fees along with “cause of choice” shares.

The Yukon 66 Main Street Association “sweetened the pot” with generous monetary gifts for each cause, bringing the total collected to $4,523.68.

The donation checks represented that amount less event expenses.

Hundreds of vehicles – from classics to hot rods to late models – cruised downtown Yukon at the special event. Sixty-five vehicle owners reserved parking spaces along the 400 block of W Main, the cruise “hub.”

More than 100 vehicle owners had their pictures taken at a “photo spot” in front of the Yukon Sunset mural at 528 W Main.

The third Thursday each September has been set aside for Yukon 66 Main Street’s Cruise-In for a Cause.

Yukon 66 Main Street Board President Judy Austin, a car enthusiast, has coordinated the cruise since it began in 2018.

Austin and other Main Street volunteers are now planning for the annual Czech Christmas Market and Christmas on Main celebration this December in downtown Yukon.