Auto club has a blast reliving the past

Administrator | Aug 10, 2016 | Comments 1

Story and photos by Bill Samuel
Prince Edward Auto Club celebrated its 42nd year of “Having a Blast Reliving the Past” last weekend in Ameliasburg with its annual Street Meet.

This year, as in the past three years, the club (PEAC) invited everybody to a special cruise night Thursday, Aug. 4th. Debbie and Brian Lindensmith, organizers of Picton’s Thursday Night Cruize at the Canadian Tire came out to host the event for the second year.

“We gladly took this on,” said Brian. “Debbie and I have been coming out to Street Meet since 1999 and it just made sense to us, since we are here anyway, to run the cruise night.”

The PEAC has always been involved in the community, whether for charitable groups or private individuals, offering both cash and help with events. The cruise night raised $145 through 50/50 sales and the club topped it up and wrote a cheque to the Loyalist Humane Society for $500.

It has been a busy time for the auto club, not only planning for its annual event, but also hosting the 60th anniversary celebrations for Belleville’s Road Angels car club. The PEAC has also hosted the Quinte Rally for the The Canadian Vintage Motorcycle Group each year before their own Street Meet. This year’s rally took place at the end of July.

The Road Angels began life in a chicken coop in Cannifton, in January 1956 and included Jim Uens, Elwood Dulmage, and Claude Lucas. Hillcrest Auto Wreckers of Belleville Ontario would become their first sponsor. Similarly, in 1972, the Prince Edward Auto club was formed by a few friends with the common interest in cars.

Both clubs are still going strong and the 60th anniversary celebrations were a combined effort.

“We were approached by the Road Angels to host their celebrations,” said Fred Morton, PEAC president. “It was a no-brainer, both clubs have supported each others efforts for years.”

Adapting to the changing times has always been a challenge for any group. Members lose interest, others marry and start families, and society itself inevitably changes.

“We have had to change with the times,” said Morton. “What started as a car show and weekend party has become much more family oriented.”

Attracting children is essential for the future of the car scene, he noted and many of PEAC’s events are family-friendly. The rod balance, potato pick-up, corn roast, drive-shaft toss, and a full meal on Saturday nights are augmented by fun for little ones in a bouncy castle, with face painting and colouring and the ever popular valve cover racing complete with their own set of trophies.

Sean Benvie

Sean Benvie, 38, has been attending the Street Meet every year with his parents, Lauren and Jim Benvie, of Demorsetville. Jim Benvie was the club’s first president and he and his family have attend almost every Street Meet since its inception at the Hayloft on Salmon Point Road in 1975.

“For our family it is a holiday ever year,” said Sean Benvie. “It is both a local and car community ritual with many of the same people coming ever year.”

The PEAC club encourages drop-ins to visit local cruise nights on Thursdays from 5 pm.-8 pm at the Picton Canadian Tire, supporting the Jump Start program to help children play sports.

For up-to-date information on car shows and events, and stories and photos, click to visit Quintecar.ca

1931 Ford Model A, Brian Connell, Lakehurst Ont.