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On Saturday, July 11th, the United
Riders Motorcycle Club of Central Illinois (URMC) held their annual
Cruisin’ for a Cause event. Cruisin’ for a Cause is a motorcycle,
truck and car show held in the Oasis Senior Center parking lot in
Lincoln. It kicked off at 10:00 a.m., with entries running until
1:00 p.m. People who came to look at the cars were able to go and
purchase votes for their favorite car, truck, or motorcycle. All the
money made was donated to the Central Illinois Veterans Commission (CIVC).
In addition to the cars, there were
other things for adults and kids to do. There was a bounce house for
kids to play in, as well as a dunk tank next to it. Boomer’s BBQ and
Scooter’s Coffee were both set up outside, with Gilmore’s Treats out
of Clinton set up at a table inside the Oasis Senior Center. Back
outside, there was a seating area under a tent for people to enjoy
their food and beverages.
The cars, trucks, and motorcycles
themselves were all kinds of makes and models, with one car being
painted to look very patriotic. While many showed up within the
first half hour of the event, several others that came through as
the day went on.
In addition to voting, people
present were able to put their names in for raffles. There were 90
items being raffled, ranging from kids toys to a large wooden
American flag. There was a live auction on three items that included
oil changes and a complete interior and exterior detailing of a
vehicle, a Sangamon watch and a challenge coin, and a custom metal
Harley Davidson bench.
The URMC also donated several
children's bicycles that were raffled off as well. Entries for these
bikes were free of charge.
Once all the raffles and auctions
were finished, the winners of the car show were announced. There
were four categories total, each chosen from votes made by those who
came to the show and donated. The first category was best-in-show
motorcycle, with the winner being Terry McVey with his 2017 Harley
Davidson custom trike.
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The next two categories were
best-in-show truck and Veteran’s choice. The same truck won both
categories, Phil Freebill with his 1955 Chevy Cameo.
The final category was best-in-show
car. That award went to Randy and Donna West with their 1964 Chevy
Impala.
After all the awards, there was one
last announcement to be made. Representatives from CIVC were
presented with a giant check in the amount of $12,554. This was an
increase from last year.
Art Whitham, president of the
Central Illinois chapter of the URMC, spoke a bit on the event and
why they hold it each year. Originally, Cruisin’ for a Cause was
held to help support the Special Olympics. Over time, as the event
began to grow and the amount of money they raised became larger, the
CIVC became their target for funding. He stated that this was the
8th Cruisin’ for a Cause, and there is no end date in sight.
“Everything we do is about the causes,” Whitham said. “Whether we
are doing stuff for the Special Olympics or the CIVC, it’s all for
them.”
2026 Cruisin' for a Cause photo slideshow
[Matt Boutcher]
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