SUNDRE – A couple of local auto clubs are combining into a single group with plans to put on a Canada Day show and shine next summer.
The Sundre Auto Group, which was originally started by Sherry St. Jean Hamel and Cody McAllister, gathers informally on Friday evenings at the Co-op Cardlock parking lot on the west side of town throughout the spring as well as summer months and well into the fall until the snow starts to fly. This season’s last get together was in mid October.
Also an informal group, Sundre Sunday Meets was founded by Erin Erickson as well as Tomas Knecht, and tended to attract more people from out of town such as Red Deer, Drayton Valley and Calgary since participants weren’t pressed for time to get here after work on a Friday.
“We have cruised to Bearberry for a burger, met with the Carstairs group, joined up with a few of the events with the C10 group out of Red Deer,” Erickson told the Albertan, adding they’ve also travelled together to some of the neighbouring shows in places including Cremona, Innisfail and Didsbury.
“Who doesn’t like a nice scenic drive in a classic on a nice Sunday afternoon?” she said.
With a shared passion for the world of automotives, organizers from both groups agreed to amalgamate under one banner. Nils Gafner joined Knecht, Erickson, and McAllister on the effort to combine the clubs.
“We are letting our group members decide through a poll as to the new name,” Erickson said, adding their goal is “to have most everything in order for January.”
Of an originally fairly lengthy list of names suggested through the survey by members of the Sundre Auto Group’s private Facebook page, West Country Thunder was as of Nov. 23 edging out a clear majority with 41 per cent, while Sundre Street Dreams and Sundre Classic Cruisers came in with 21 per cent and 18 per cent respectively.
Several of the group’s members posted comments to express the opinion that “Sundre” should be part of the new club’s name.
Asked what prompted the two groups’ push to form a single club, Erickson said, “We all want to see the local car enthusiasts’ community grow, bringing in other groups, and do some cruises to meet other similar minded groups.”
And as the saying goes, many hands make light work, along the way potentially opening the doors for other opportunities to further expand the group’s activities in the future.
“By combining the two groups, we hope to continue to see our locals and do cruises with other groups – whether to shows or just to go grab a meal or an ice cream somewhere,” said Erickson.
“We are working to get more involved in the community and trying to make Sundre a destination cruise spot,” she added.
Among the membership are individuals who have been involved in organizing COVID cruises, seniors’ shows, as well as the Sundre Car Show, with plans being drafted for the Sundre Show N Shine on Canada Day, she said.
Anyone who is interested in either joining the group to get more involved as a member or perhaps even simply following along as an automotive enthusiast to see when events are coming up, is invited to follow the social media pages of Sundre Auto Group or Sundre Sunday Meets.
