How great is this?
NEW ULM, Minn. (KEYC) – A group of car collectors and enthusiasts hosts a weekly parade in New Ulm and its numbers have grown since it began a few weeks ago.
Residents of assisted-living facilities in New Ulm got a special treat Monday after a caravan of nearly 100 vintage cars visited their homes.
“What we’re trying to do is share our love of vehicles with the love of our neighbors and our community here in town. Those people who can’t get out and can’t do anything, we want to bring this to them,” says parade organizer Bryce Boelter.
NEW ULM, Minn. (KEYC) – A group of car collectors and enthusiasts hosts a weekly parade in New Ulm and its numbers have grown since it began a few weeks ago.
Residents of assisted-living facilities in New Ulm got a special treat Monday after a caravan of nearly 100 vintage cars visited their homes.
“What we’re trying to do is share our love of vehicles with the love of our neighbors and our community here in town. Those people who can’t get out and can’t do anything, we want to bring this to them,” says parade organizer Bryce Boelter.
A woman watches from her room at Oak Hills Living Center as car collectors and enthusiasts visit assisted-living facilities with a parade in New Ulm, Minn., Monday, April 27, 2020. (Source: Gage Cureton)
The vintage car gathering has already hit the streets four times in recent weeks, visiting various parts of town, and it’s numbers have grown since Boelter came across the idea over a cup of coffee.
“The first cruise was just five of us. After we were done it was like now we have to start getting on the phone and calling some people who’ve got contacts and who know other people,” says Boelter. “Paul Maday here from New Ulm runs our AutoFest. so it was like what better person to get ahold of than a guy who’s got 400 names of people with vehicles.”
The group’s numbers quickly ballooned after collaborating with organizers of AutoFest, New Ulm’s large annual car show.
“We want to give back to the community that’s supported AutoFest over what’s going to be our 20th year, if we have it this year, but Bryce spearheaded this thing and AutoFest said ‘hey we’ll help you,’” says Paul Maday, New Ulm Autofest Club Secretary. “We’ve got a whole list of email contacts and phone numbers.”
So Boelter and Maday got the word out, and before they knew it, the number of big engines and Detroit steel grew to Tuesday’s numbers.
“We just like it because it’s family-oriented, we try to stay a safe distance and the cars keep rolling in here now, so we’ll fill it up tonight. It’ll be a big cruise,” says Maday.
Maday said he plans to hold the community’s annual car show AutoFest the last weekend of June, but until then, the vintage car parade will continue cruising the streets every week.
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