Cruizin’ for a Cause, which made its debut last year courtesy of the Johnston Street Machines and raised nearly $8,000 for Rhode Island-based charities, will begin its second season next Thursday evening from 5 p .m. to 8 p.m. in the Denny’s Restaurant parking lot off Hartford Avenue.
“We’re excited about our second season,” Street Machines president Gary W. Maddocks said. “We have added additional sponsors, we’ll have several firsts, and we’re even exploring the possibility of publishing a children’s coloring book.”
Cruizin’ for a Cause is a weekly event held from May through September. It features doo-wop music, trophies for a number of car categories, restaurant discounts, raffles, and fun for the entire family.
“Denny’s Restaurant was very supportive of our efforts last year,” Maddocks said, “and will give a 20-percent-off discount coupon to those classic car owners who donate $5 upon entering each night’s event.”
Maddocks also announced that Denny’s neighbor – the still-under-construction Five Guys restaurant – will also become a Cruizin’ for a Cause sponsor.
“We have spoken with Five Guys management and they fully support our cause,” he said.
Price Rite – the flagship store of The Hartford Centre – also supports the cause, and last year gave the Street Machines gift cards to use in the weekly cruises.
New to this year’s cruises will be apparel – T-shirts and jackets, to be precise – that is the direct result of last year’s successful program.
“If anyone would like their business or personal name on the back of a T-shirt, we can get that done,” Maddocks said. “We’re actively selling sponsorships for $100, and checks can be issued to the Johnston Street Machines, 1171 Atwood Ave., Johnston, RI.”
The Street Machines are also working with Jim Weicherding, who Maddocks announced “is helping us design a coloring book for kids that will feature cars actually participating in the weekly cruise nights.”
Maddocks also announced the benefiting charities from the five months full of Cruizin’ for a Cause will be:
May: Foundation for the Homeless
June: RI Veterans of Foreign Wars
July: Gloria Gemma Breast Cancer Research Foundation
August: Endometriosis of RI
September: Victoria Alviti Music Foundation
The 2016 Cruizin’ for a Cause dates are May 5, 12, 19, and 26; June 2, 9, 10, 23, and 30; July 7, 14, 21, 28, and 25; August 4, 11, 18, and 25; and September 1, 8, 15, 22, and 29.
Cruizin’ for a Cause was founded by Maddocks, George Arakelian and his wife Gina Sabitoni-Arakelian, and Anthony Ferranti for the sole purpose of helping various charities and bringing back the nostalgic history of car cruise nights that were once highly-popular at such Johnston locations as the former Burger Chef, Howard Johnson’s, and Burger King restaurants.
“We encourage classic cars, hot rods, street rods, pro street rods, muscle cars, antique cars, motorcycles, and any street machines to join us on Thursday nights,” Maddocks said. “It is our intent to present a positive image of safe street rodding through organizational activities, member socializing, and meaningful charitable contributions by way of the cruise nights.”
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