An annual car cruise and show in Essexville raised funds Saturday to support mentoring services for children across the Great Lakes Bay Region.
The Eastside Legacy Cruise and Car Show was organized by Bay City Car Meet, with proceeds benefiting Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Great Lakes Bay Region, a nonprofit that matches children with adult mentors.
Linda Lones, vice president of fund development for the organization, said the support will help immensely.
“Funds raised from this fundraiser will help us match waiting Littles off of our wait list, which is currently about 65 kids, and getting them into a mentoring relationship,” Lones said.
The event began at Hampton Plaza, where drivers lined up for a community cruise. The main car show took place at the GM Powertrain lot and featured contests, trophies, food vendors, raffles and a loud exhaust competition.
Greg Niedzielski, founder of Bay City Car Meet, said the event raised more than $7,000 for the mentoring program.
“We try to keep everything as affordable as we can,” Niedzielski said. “We don’t try to profit off anyone.”
He said group members often pay out of pocket to organize events and cover costs for merchandise and space rentals. The goal, he said, is to build community through a shared interest in cars.
Bay City Car Meet began about 10 years ago as a small gathering in Niedzielski’s yard, where friends would bring their cars over for a barbecue before winter storage. Today, the group has grown to over 6,000 members on Facebook and hosts weekly meetups and seasonal events across mid-Michigan.
Cameron Houtman, a participant who brought his 2019 Volkswagen Golf R to the show, said events like this help create a welcoming space for car enthusiasts of all backgrounds and experience levels.
“It doesn't matter what kind of a car you have,” he said. “I think everybody's fairly welcoming, and they do a good job of making you feel like even though you might be the only German car out here that it's still fine to be out here and that people will enjoy the car.”
Houtman said he enjoys the sense of community and connection that develops through shared interest. He built his car with his dad and said it’s the memories that make it special.
Niedzielski said events like Saturday’s show provide opportunities for people to connect despite their differences.
“Whatever differences, whatever things you can think of that people argue about, you don’t see any of that,” he said. “That all disappears when people come together. You park next to each other; you pop your hood you start talking about cars.”
Niedzielski said the group plans to continue hosting the cruise annually and expanding its support for local causes.
Lones said the donation will directly support Big Brothers Big Sisters community-based and school-based mentoring programs throughout the region.
