Iowa: fClassic cars for fun, friendship and a good cause

From Southwest Iowa News:  Classic cars for fun, friendship and a good cause

A bunch of car guys getting together to have a good time.

That’s how Gary McConnell described the Fraternal Order of Eagles 104 Classic Car Show, the third incarnation of which is scheduled for Sept. 7.

“Camaraderie, that whole thing,” said McConnell, a longtime Eagles club member.

Added Doug Fowler, event organizer: “The cars are great, a lot of fun. But in the end this is about people getting together.”

And for a good cause, too. The show is a fundraiser for the Children’s Diabetes Foundation and the Eagles women’s auxiliary.

Last year almost 100 car owners brought their hot rods, stock classics and other vehicles to the show, while about 300 people attended. Organizers said they expect the same amount of cars this year and are hopeful for even more attendees.

One car that’ll be there is a 1941 Studebaker hot rod Council Bluffs resident George Roseland cranked up to 200 mph at the Bonneville Salt Flats in northwestern Utah. Roseland, a longtime member of the I-80 Cosmopolitan Club, which does charity work for diabetes, said bringing his hot rod was an easy decision.

“Anything for diabetes,” he said. “It should be a great time.”

The classic vehicle show is one of about 15 to 20 fundraisers the Eagles hold throughout the year. Beneficiaries of the work include the Council Bluffs School System, Council Bluffs Fire and Police departments, the American Cancer Society and the National Lung Foundation. The women’s auxiliary puts on a number of events for children, including during the Halloween, Christmas and Easter holiday seasons.

The club raises about $25,000-$30,000 annually for charity, according to member Lee Duncan.

Founded in 1898 in Seattle, Eagles membership today exceeds 850,000 with 1,400 clubs – called Aeries – in the United States and Canada. There are 1,300 women’s auxiliaries with about 250,000 members.

The Council Bluffs Eagles Club has been around since the 1950s, according to longtime member Jay Kennedy. And more than a few members are classic car enthusiasts.

At the club, 1530 Ave. F (along North 16th Street), the guys showed off their rides – McConnell’s 1970 Chevy Chevelle station wagon, Jamie Sommerville’s 1965 Ford Galaxy convertible and Fowler’s 1939 Ford hot rod. All three have owned classic cars for years.

“Memories,” Fowler said of his love for the classics. He’s owned at least one “older car” since 1969.

“These bring back the good days,” he said.

For Sommerville, the youngster of the group, having the top down on his Galaxy simplifies life.

“When I drive I can’t hear my cell phone, the radio, anything,” he said. “I’m free.”

The Eagles 104 Classic Car Show will run from 5 to 10 p.m. on Sept. 7. Food and drinks, including hamburgers, brats and more for $3, along with music and raffles are on the schedule.

For more information on the classic vehicle show, call Fowler at (402) 658-7977, Chris Doyle at (402) 517-8136, Kennedy at (402) 490-3138 or Duncan at (402) 203-6312.