Hot Classic Nights brings entire community out to support Rigby seniors

RIGBY, Idaho (KIFI) - Rigby City Park was filled with cars ripped from the history books and brought to life, by hot rod owners from all over. Organizers say the event had over 500 cars from history displayed all over the park. Many were drawn to the park to support the cause of the day raising funds for the Rigby Senior Center's Meals on Wheels Program.

Wayne Wright, the owner of a 1920s model A Ford, was present at the car show for him the cause is why he and many other hot road owners came out.

"If I can find a car, show that benefit somebody or some group or an individual, whatever. Yeah. And most of our people are that way. They would rather spend your entry fee on something that's going to a community, even if you don't live in that community."

Wright says while the cause is a very important aspect of the show, seeing a younger generation becoming enamored with these older cars fills him with a good feeling.

"They're excited and especially when they're learning something new, they know little, little things that besides just the visual, the history when they were developed, you know, like this is a postwar car pre Second World War (his model A). When they start reading, you know, or talking and listening to hearing, they figure out the timeline and just how old and where the world was different."

He says it allows them to see history in a new light as well as perhaps a new hobby.

"It it just it's like giving them a history class, you know, and then, you know, you get the nicer ones that are all tricked out and it's just how you do that. It's neat to see the younger generation. It just kind of get a spark to do something. They may own one, they may build one, they may buy one."

Wright says he's glad for the opportunity the city gives for this opportunity to bring his car out and help those in need out.

Todd Stowell the chairman of the show says this year everyone rallied behind the cause.

"They would say, how much is it? And we'd say it's a $25 donation towards the seniors. And a lot of them would throw us a $50 bill. We'd go to get the change and they would say, No you keep it. I had a guy that gave us a couple of hundred bucks and he registered one car."

Aliza King one of the city council members and lesion to the seniors says this event just continues to grow.

"We all love it here in Rigby. We're so glad that we can host stay here and call it our home. And every year it gets bigger and bigger, and we just are excited for the next year."

Adam Hall, the Co-Chair of the event, echoed Stowell by saying, "They come in and they're just blown away at how how awesome the event is. So we've got more people coming in saying this is just the most amazing show I've ever seen. And, you know, we've tried really hard to make it that way. But they know that the cars is going to the senior citizens Meals on Wheels. They know that the reason that we're doing this is for a good cause. All the proceeds go to it. And so, you know, they're just they're happy to be here. They love being part of the event. And they love they love helping out the community."

Hall says as they organized the event, they would just hope that people from all over would just enjoy the day.

"When we can have events like this and the community come out and have fun with it, just it helps us remember, you know, what, what it's all about. And I think that's our whole goal when when Todd and I put this show on every year, the goal is to just have something for the community, do families, friends, fun."

He says last year they were able to raise over $12,000 for the Senior Center and their meals on wheels program. This year they hoped to hit $15,000, a goal they feel they have surpassed.

"Every one of the cars that comes into the park gives us a $25 donation and we give them their T. Shirt, we give them a swag bag. And that's just kind of a thank you for coming in. But that's 25 bucks to the seniors that every car is a $25 and that's awesome. So I really do. I think that we're going to hit our goal of over 15,000."

The event included drag races, a motor cycle rodeo and a raffle. Wright says the show feels more like a car fair/ larger community event than a usual tight knit car show.