Car enthusiasts wouldn’t let the weather dampen their spirits for the annual Gear Grabbers Show and Shine.
It was another successful event for the local car club on Saturday, July 14.
Organizer Cayle Scherger said, “We had about 115 cars part of the show, and considering the weather, we did really well.”
People came from all over to be a part of the event, including participants from as far as British Columbia.
“There was a 1927 Cadillac limo that came all the way from Victoria, and that was one of the farthest hauls that I heard about,” expressed Scherger.
Even though they had participants from both near and far, there was no shortage of local support.
“We live in a really great car culture of a town,” Scherger explained.
Director of Gear Grabbers and event organizer Nathan Warkentin said there’s a lot of classic car enthusiasts in the area, and the attention from the community has been encouraging for the club.
“This is a really big show for the size of Bonnyville,” he said. “It’s been really good to see the amount of people coming out, buying tickets for the 50/50, and just showing their support.”
Long-time show and shine participant, Bernie Inman, brought his ‘66 Malibu SS, and got great feedback from anyone who spoke to him during the event.
“Everybody’s an enthusiast who appreciates classic vehicles that are well maintained and preserved,” he said.
The big winner of the Las Vegas trip was Jerry Germain, who had a ‘40 Chevrolet convertible and a 77’ Dodge pickup on display.
“It’s awesome to have won,” Germain said. “I’ve been to Vegas a couple of times, but never as the winner of the trip.”
One of the biggest draws of the Las Vegas trip, is the car auction.
Scherger detailed, “It’s the pinnacle for car auctions, and its a spectacle for car lovers.”
Emile Leguerrier won this year’s people’s choice awad with her Dodge Demon, while Wanda Winterhault and her ‘70 Plymouth GTX took home the mayor’s choice award. The best in class for convertibles went to Eian and Dorthy Wilson for their ‘57 Ford Fairlane.
“Bonnyville never had a car club or car show before Gear Grabbers,” Scherger explained. “A small community of friends had discussed it for years before we finally did it, and when we finally got together to organize one, it gathered a lot of steam and attention. Eight years later, here we are.”
Along with cars on display, there was face painting, bouncy castles, and a barbecue raising money for the Bonnyville SPCA.
Gear Grabbers wanted to ensure the car show had community involvement.
“We wanted to get everyone involved,” Scherger said.
Another draw for car lovers was a Mobile Chassis Dyno, which tests the power and torque of a vehicle.
“A lot of the guys are into hot rods, horsepower, and performance. It’s just a way for them to see if all of their efforts were worth it, and make another goal for horsepower modifications,” noted Warkentin.
Scherger thanked the community for their support over the last eight years, and stressed the importance of the volunteers that helped out.
“Without them, none of this would have happened.”