When the gates at the Calgary Stampede parking lot open at 7 a.m. on Sunday, Aug. 25 , you can be assured there will be a lineup of vehicles ready to roll to set up for the highly-anticipated day.
The 6th Annual Show Your Ride for Brandon Thomas is just days away and organizers are all set for what could be the largest edition ever.
"I'm hoping for at least for as many as last year and if it's bigger then that's great," Kim Thomas, who founded the event with her daughter Kayla. "That would mean more people will be aware of the event and our message of sober driving. The more people that attend, the wider we can spread the message of don't drive impaired."
"People are really looking forward to it and that boosts my excitement a lot."
Now a staple of the last Sunday in August, the event had a modest beginning in 2014 in the parking lot of Crossroads Furniture Mart in northeast Calgary. In that inaugural year, 154 vehicles registered.
Last year, 743 vehicles participated and $19,318.05 was raised in support of the scholarships for both Cochrane High and SAIT and the Show Your Ride for Brandon Victims Fund.
Thomas says they have prepared 1,200 registration packages for this year's event. Each contains event keepsakes, discount cards, wrist bands, a raffle ticket and the search list for the new scavenger hunt.
Hunt participants need to check off 24 items and take a photo of each, then take it to the photo booth to confirm they've located each item. They'll then be entered into a draw for a prize.
"It will be fun," says Thomas. "We'll have people wandering around the lot and getting them to see all these different attracts that we have that day."
The attractions are numerous. They include the Zeebs Battle of the Techs, Dyno by Devon Dyno, toss games for children and adults, kid's parade from 11 a.m. to 12 noon, bubble mower races, RC races and a digital photo booth. There'll also be several food trucks on location.
Proceeds from the event continue to support the Brandon Thomas scholarships and victims fund. Since 2014, it has raised more than $70,000 and that's largely due to a huge raffle made possible by many generous donors.
There will be more than 79 prize packages up for grabs from the raffle. They're also holding a silent auction for a custom-made six-player poker table donated by Mark's Poker Tables, of Cochrane. It has an incredibly polished finish, complete with dark oak trim, gold-rimmed poker chip cups and black and blue felt with the Show Your Ride for Brandon Thomas logo in the centre.
"It's absolutely beautiful," says Thomas. "I cried when I saw it."
She continues to be overwhelmed with the support shown each year.
"A big shout out to our team and volunteers, our partners and everybody that attends year-after-year and the new people interested in coming to show their support. We couldn't do it without all of them."
Earlier this summer, organizers held three warmup events. It kicked off with a mini show and shine sponsored by Ramada Cochrane, followed by a poker rally in conjunction with the Urban Bulldogs Against Kid Abuse (UBAKA) and a cruise to Drumheller in July.
"All the new events this year have been successful," says Thomas. "The poker ride was successful, the Cochrane Ramada MIni-Meet is always successful and the cruise was successful so I think they are all things we will incorporate in years going forward."
Brandon Thomas had just turned 17 when his life was claimed by impaired driver Ryan Gibson on Dec. 6, 2012 just south of Cochrane on Hwy. 22.
During the show, people can sign the petition of Families For Justice asking for minimum mandatory sentencing for anyone convicted of impaired driving causing death or bodily harm.
Tue, Apr 30, 6:30 PM
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