Vehicle show benefits veterans organizations

CLINTON TOWNSHIP — Owners showed off their classic rides on the Sunday prior to Memorial Day at an event benefiting veterans.

The Knights of Columbus Remember & Honor Car-Truck-Motorcycle Show, at Post 33320 in Clinton Township, raised funds for the Lt. Wood – Cpl. Reid Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 6691 in Fraser. There was also a donation box for Wreaths Across America and Piquette Square. Participants paid a $15 registration fee, $10 if paid before May 17, to show off their vehicles. The event raised $1,660. The VFW receives 60% of the profits and 40% goes to the Knights of Columbus. The Wreaths Across America donation box gathered $90.

The event was created by car enthusiast and Knights of Columbus member Mike O’Neil, who is a Vietnam veteran, with Post 33320 Auxiliary President Kim Weston.

“Fortunately, I made it back,” O’Neil said. “But I had a brother who didn’t make it back. He stepped on a mine in Nam. A lot of guys didn’t make it back.”

The event has been going on for six years and featured local vendors for the first time. Knights on Bikes, a motorcycle group with the Knights of Columbus that O’Neil helped found about 15 years ago, cooked hamburgers and hot dogs at the event. The meats prepared were from Michigan companies Koegel and Asher’s Market on Groesbeck.

Speed Clean Services sponsored the event.

Two bands, the Motor City Geezerz and 60 Amp Fuse, donated their time to perform. This is the third year the former has played at the event. The latter played it for the first time this year. There was also a raffle and door prizes for attendees.

Weston called it an “all-around good day,” saying people came all the way from the west side of the state.

“It went fantastic,” she said after the event. “Everybody loved the food, loved the bands. We’re thinking next year it’s going to be even bigger.”