Sean C. Morgan
Kimi Dixon is shooting to break 300 cars Saturday with the fifth annual Sweet Home Sweet Ride car show, and it’s looking good based on early registration.
“We’ve been ahead of schedule, which makes me very happy,” said Dixon, who is organizing this year’s event. Other than a couple of hiccups, such as the roadside banner with the wrong date, things are looking good, she said.
The correct date is this Saturday, June 29.
“We actually are up in responses,” she said. Last year at this time, the show had 48 entries registered. This year, as of Thursday, the show has 73 cars signed up, and she was anticipating a busy week.
“Last year, we had 289, and it was amazing because we had rain,” Dixon said. She thinks it ought to be easy to hit 300 this year.
Dixon and other volunteers have been busy going to other car shows and handing out fliers, she said, and the response has been “œamazing.”
The show will have 10 vendors and two information booths.
Proceeds from the event fund Sweet Home and Lebanon children’s care at Doernbecher Children’s Hospital in Portland, Sweet Home Police Department children’s programs like Shop with a Cop, and Sunshine Industries.
The show provided $1,500 to Doernbecher last year, Dixon said.
This year, eight Doernbecher children will be on hand, picking out their favorite cars for 10 trophies, she said.
Total, the show offers 88 trophies this year.
Dixon, the new event director, has been volunteering with the show for four years, helping founders Susan and Larry Angland.
“They’re the face of the show, the founders,” Dixon said. “They’ve done a really great thing in this community.”
The Anglands remain part of the show, mostly during the event.
“I wanted to pass it on but remain a part of it,” said Susan Angland. “Kimi went with it. Kimi’s really good at organizing. She’s been involved with things like this before.”
Dixon has experience with similar events, with the Sweet Home Four-Wheel Drive Club.
Sponsors for the car show include T2, O’Reilly’s, Les Schwab Tire Center, The Point Restaurant, Anderson Auto Body and the Beaver State Corvette Club. The event operates under the umbrella of the Kiwanis Club, with the Rotary Club as a partner.
The Young Marines, the AmVets and its auxiliary, Sweet Home Police Department and Sweet Home Fire and Ambulance District will provide support as well.
White’s Electronics has provided a metal detector for the grand prize drawing.
The event still needs volunteers, particularly at the front gate, which is basically a welcoming committee, Dixon said. For information or to volunteer, call Dixon at (541) 401-9844.
Registration begins at 7 a.m. SHFAD will serve breakfast, and the CMA Prayer Warriors will provide free coffee.
The welcome and invocation, with presentation of the colors by the Young Marines and the National Anthem, begins at 9 a.m.
Judging begins at 10 a.m., and food booths open.
All Rights Reserved, which features Sweet Home resident Tim Riley, begins playing at 11 a.m.
A poker walk ends at 1 p.m., and prizes and trophies will be awarded at 1:30 p.m.