As they have for the past 29 years, members of the Escalon Lions Club will once again be putting on the annual Autumn Cruise in September.
This year will mark the 30th anniversary of that event, which raises money to provide scholarships for graduating Escalon High School seniors.
The second of three ‘pre-cruise’ nights was hosted on Friday, July 10 at Hula’s on Jackson Avenue in Escalon, with several classic cars, along with a motorcycle or two, brought in for the show.
Lions Club President Jeff Miller said for the EHS Class of 2026, the club provided a total of 13 $1,500 scholarships for students.
“That was the most we’ve ever done,” Miller explained. “And that’s based solely off of our car show we do in September, this coming September all that money will go to scholarships.”
He added that there is an application process for students and there is a committee that reviews them.
“We don’t base it on their GPA,” Miller noted, but rather more on community involvement and volunteerism.
Scholarships for trade schools, such as for welding and plumbing, have been provided by the club, as well as for traditional colleges.
“We’re somewhere around $500,000 that we’ve given out in scholarships and that’s only going to grow,” Miller shared.
Along with those that brought cars to display at Hula’s for the pre-cruise show on Friday night, there were some people that just came to enjoy looking at them.
That included Lee and Charlotte Bayne of Modesto, with Lee drawn to a shiny Chrysler.
“We had a ’48 Chrysler that we drove to Oklahoma City to the Street Rod Nationals, in 1984, I think it was,” he remembered. “We’ve been around this stuff for a long time and enjoy it.”
Wife Charlotte said her favorite car they have owned was a ’58 Impala and Lee said they have attended the Autumn Cruise in the past and plan to be back in September for the downtown show.
There were some special deals at Hula’s for those choosing to dine in while attending the show, and there were also some prize drawings for those who had a car on display.
Also, a Best of Show plaque was presented, the one on Friday night going to Pat Guidera of Modesto and his 1933 Chevrolet hot rod.
A fan of the Autumn Cruise, Guidera was pleased to receive the recognition at Friday’s pre-show and said he definitely “will be there” for the September event.
The 30th annual cruise is scheduled for Saturday, Sept. 12 from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., with more information or registration forms available by contacting John Salvin at 209-838-7077 or Mike Powers at 209-380-3190.
The final pre-show at Hula’s will be Friday, Aug. 14 from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.
“Just to sit here and watch the community come out here to a pre-show, that is really nice, it’s a really nice turnout tonight, all gearing up for the big show in September,” Miller said. “It’s fantastic and that’s what we do, we give back to the community … that what it’s all about.”
