Kevin Arndt and the Waxhaw Coffee Cruisers brought the Town of Waxhaw together on Saturday, from a distance of course. With a cruise to raise spirits, and to raise money for the Joey Logano Foundation, the Coffee Cruisers renewed a sense of community that has, unfortunately, been set aside in the last few weeks.

The Waxhaw community’s drive to be together turned Arndt’s creative idea into a town-wide rally through the neighborhoods of Waxhaw. As the first 30 cars arrived, expectations were blown away. When upwards of 100 cars poured in to fill the Cureton Town Center, everyone in attendance knew that they were on to something special. Waxhaw’s spirit of togetherness shone brightly in the face of unprecedented isolation, as residents came out onto their lawns, waving and cheering for the parade of cars.

As of the time of this article, more than $500 in donations have been made to the Joey Logano Foundation by those involved in or impacted by, the cruise and its goals. The Joey Logano foundation supports children in times of crisis, and donations through April 30 will go directly to those impacted by Covid-19.

As long time friends of the Logano family, Arndt and his wife Regina knew that raising money for the foundation would be a great way to give the cruise an even bigger impact. The Arndts reached out to the Loganos, and the fundraiser was set up. The foundation is committed to raising over $1 million this year for children in need in Charlotte and the surrounding areas.

Those who enjoyed the cruise, or participated in it, are encouraged to visit www.joeyloganofoundation.com and donate to children in need during this time of crisis. A simple comment of “cruise4kids” with your donation will help to measure the impact of the cruise, and the impact of your donation. See the foundation’s website, or Logano’s video on the Coffee Cruisers’ Facebook page, for more info on fundraising, and how you can help.

The joy on the faces of Waxhaw residents, as Saturday’s parade drove by, proved more than Waxhaw’s love for cars. Reactions from the town proved how important togetherness is for those in our tight-knit community. Jesse McCrink of Waxhaw posted on the Cruisers’ page that the cruise brought back some normalcy to the community. David Eaton of Waxhaw told the Cruisers that his entire neighborhood was buzzing in anticipation. He called the cruise the highlight of the neighborhood’s week.

Several Waxhaw residents told the Cruisers that they were brought to tears by the event, and what it represented. As North Carolina prepares for a statewide stay at home order, the sentiment is surely shared by all.