Car club cruises through 20 years

The 54 Cruisers car club will hold its annual car show in El Dorado Springs on Saturday and celebrate 20 years of meetings, car shows, road trips and fellowship in the process.

The vintage car show is open to the public and free of charge. According to member and show chairman Ralph Zartman there should be 80 to 90 cars in the show. Zartman said that 28 exhibitors have preregistered for the show, and it will be held rain or shine.

The car show will be held along Main Street in El Dorado Springs near the park downtown. Zartman said that if the number of entries makes it necessary, cars will also be lined up on Spring Street both east and west of Main Street.

There will be 15 classes of vehicles represented and registration is $15 per vehicle. Exhibitors that don't preregister may do so from 8:30 a.m. to 11 a.m. on the day of the show. Awards will be given at 2 p.m. for the first three places in each category and the entry chosen as best in show wins a special $50 prize. This year's best of show winner will be featured on next year's T-shirt. The first 100 cars to register will be given a dash plaque.

Zartman said there were still some T-shirts for sale and the El Dorado Springs Christian School will have their cook shack on site for concessions. He also said other vendors often show up and the historical society will have a pancake breakfast that morning. The Senior Center will hold a drawing for a Weedeater and Zartman said the car club will have a drawing for a 12-gauge shotgun, a barbecue grill and other items.

The 54 Cruisers currently has 29 member families. Together they travel to parades, cruise-ins, and car shows in other towns. They visit local businesses and use their cars as an attraction to customers. They visit nursing homes and try to help the community.

The car club raises money from dues, show sponsorship, show participation, sales of caps and T-shirts and drawings. Much of their money is used in the community for supporting civic groups, clubs and various charities. The club provides scholarships, and puts together Christmas baskets for distribution in El Dorado Springs, Stockton and Nevada. The club helps victims of fires and other disasters and provides assistance during family emergencies. To date, the organization has contributed more than $20,000 to such worthy causes.