WAXHAW, NC – “Tell me you’re a car guy without telling me you’re a car guy,” Harrison Kirkbride, a fellow car enthusiast, remarks as he observes a cream-colored classic car back into a parking spot.
Exhaust fumes wavered in the air as the bite from the morning chill was stronger than anticipated for Waxhaw Coffee Cruiser members, but it didn’t stop gearheads like Kirkbride, who came from Jacksonville, from showing up.
“It’s just the way they pull in,” Kirkbride motions with his hands. He explains that gearheads have a calculated way of backing into a spot, like a signature to other motorists announcing their arrival. If you’re wondering why someone would make the nearly four-hour trip from one side of the Dogwood State to the other for a car meet, Kirkbride says Waxhaw Coffee Cruisers is the exception to the rule of most car communities. It’s all about the cars. “Everyone is friendly. The cops are friendly. This is way better than home,” he says.
Waxhaw Coffee Cruisers redefines community by encouraging people with the same passion to gather in a friendly environment that serves one another and lightens the burden of others who may need a little assistance. The November car meet hosted the Waxhaw-Weddington Rotary Club’s holiday outreach program. One of their many charities involves selling live wreaths from the Carolina mountains. All the proceeds go towards purchasing Christmas presents for lower-income families in the Union County area. In addition, they conduct a simultaneous project to raise money that allows them to buy coats for every child at the Walter J. Bicket School in Monroe.
“We took the whole school and provided coats to every child,” Shawn Persing with the Waxhaw-Weddington Rotary Club explains, reminding us that while the holiday season might be quickly approaching, we should all remember to slow down and look around because there’s always someone who may need a helping hand. “There are so many people in need in this area right around us; you just don’t see it.”
While the Rotary Club sells wreaths to raise money for their cause, the Waxhaw Coffee Cruisers collect additional donations by handing out raffle tickets. To get a ticket, community members drop a dollar or twenty, whatever they can give, into the bucket. To encourage participation in the raffle, prizes are auctioned off. Generous gifts are donated from local businesses; from detailing kits gifted by Tour Delux Rally to bath and body products from Refresh Gift Shop, there’s something for everyone in the car community to enjoy,
Whether you’re a connoisseur or an entrepreneur, Waxhaw Coffee Cruisers is home to many and supports those who are going the distance for the car scene. Entrepreneur and car enthusiast Prep created Street Cars 101 Magazine to spotlight those who already own their cars.
“Magazines like MotorTrend, their job is to sell you the car,” he says. “After you buy the car, that’s it. People like CJ who put events like this together, these people deserve flowers for this. They do so much for the car scene. I want to appreciate these people.”
Prep describes his magazine as a platform of appreciation for all car owners. Anyone is welcome to showcase their car. Prep expresses his magazine and participation with Waxhaw Coffee Cruisers: “When you share something good about what’s going on. You really do have the power to change everything in it.” Auto enthusiasts like Kirkbride and Prep show up to monthly car meets, not just to share what they’re passionate about but to build a stronger community for tomorrow.
You can find Prep’s magazine at https://www.streetcars101.com/home
