By Marilyn Miller
The Vintage Car Club of Minden is going all out to make sure there is something for everyone at the 15th Annual Car & Bike Show this Saturday in historic downtown Minden. The festivities begin at 10 a.m., and on-site registration starts at 7 a.m. and ends at 11 a.m. sharp. And everything is free!
For those who can’t make it to the show, the car and bike entrants will participate in a “Fun Run” beginning at 1:30 p.m. According to Larry Gipson, the parade of cars and bikes will take off from in front of the Minden Civic Center, heading down the Homer Road to Walmart, where drivers will take a right onto Hwy. 531, will proceed to Hwy. 80, where they will also take a right, and will continue towar downtown via East Union, taking another right on Gleason Street, and back to the Minden Civic Center parking areas.
The Annual Car & Bike Show is truly a family-oriented event. “Organized in 2001, the Vintage Car Club of Minden provides an opportunity for club members to meet, socialize and maintain the spirit of good fellowship,” said club president, Antoinette Quarles. “We encourage the use of these special interest autos in activities which promote our city and parish.”
The Vintage Car Club of Minden is a non-profit organization that participates in local parades several times each year and travels to other communities for parades and shows. The car show is the club’s largest money-maker, with profits going back into the community to support the Martin Luther King Parade, UCAP, St. Jude Children’s Hospital, scholarships for young car enthusiasts, the bike give-away by Patrick White, the Dorcheat Museum, sickle cell anemia research, Christmas gifts for kids, baseball and basketball teams, and more.
Officers are Antoinette Quarles, President; LaKeyla Williams, Vice President; Kathy Gipson, Finance; Larry Gipson, Finance and Event Coordinator; Catonio Shelton, Sergeant-At-Arms;
Jackie Walton, Chaplain; Rolonda Allen, Committee Coordinator; and Ronald Swafford, Secretary. Members include Roger Jones, Robert Grigsby, Robbie Gilbert, Sammie Williams III, Melvin Williams, Alisha Williams. Founding members of the club were Verdis Gilbert, Almory Slim Walker, Sonny Kennon, W. J. Williams, Alvin Ray Williams, and Tommy Wallace.
In addition to cars and bikes of all vintages, the show will include concessions (featuring turkey legs and pork chops), competitions like hula-hooping and a Dance-Off; and bouncy houses, face-painting, live entertainment, and much more.
The presentation of trophies in many different categories will begin at 2 p.m. Saturday in front of the Minden Civic Center fountain.
