Cars, bikes to rev up cash for charity

KINGSTON — Due to the enormously roaring and powerful response to last year’s “Just Because” Show & Shine fund-raiser for Kingston’s ShareNet Food Bank, co-organizer Dale Gerber decided that it couldn’t hurt to get more motors running again this year.

“We felt it was successful last time,” Gerber said. “So many people — car and motorcycle people and the charity — felt it was a benefit and that we should do it again.”

After more than 200 cars and 40 motorcycles showed up to support the cause last year, approximately 1,000 food items were collected and $5,000 in cash was donated to the food bank

This year, Gerber is hoping it will be bigger than ever — he expects more than 300 cars and 150 motorcycles to show up.

“I think people can identify with the cause,” he said about why it was such a success. “People understand the need.”

The second annual “Just Because” Show & Shine will be from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Aug. 15 at the Kennedy Industrial Park off Minder Road, just outside of Kingston. Admission is a cash donation or non-perishable food item. There will be free food and this year’s silent auction will have more than $7,500 worth of products for bidding. While Gerber is spearheading the event, it’s the businesses in the industrial park that are putting it together.

“You hear about the fund-raisers for Fishline Food Bank in Poulsbo, there is a good car show put on for a food bank in South Kitsap,” Gerber said. “It’s time for someone to do something for the Kingston community. We all believe we need to give back to the community.”

This particular Show & Shine is also different from other typical car shows for two reasons, he said.

Instead of restricting the types of cars allowed into the show, all cars are welcome, he said, and all the money raised goes directly to the food bank.

ShareNet’s administrative assistant Barbara Brumagin said last year’s donation was used to purchase several things — breakfast and lunch items for kids during the summer and school supplies for the fall as well as advance order for items for the annual food boxes.

“It made it stretch for the last half of the year,” Brumagin said, noting that this weekend’s proceeds will probably go toward the same purposes.

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