P.E.I. classic car club cruises by Charlottetown long-term care homes

The P.E.I. Antique Car Club brought cruise night to several long-term-care homes in Charlottetown on Tuesday night.

Fourteen cars participated in the event, including a 1952 Dodge police cruiser owned by the Charlottetown Police Department.

The cars drove past four different long-term care facilities in Charlottetown.It's the latest drive-by organized by the club, with events being held across the Island.

Events like this have been held in Montague, at the Mount in Charlottetown, and in Tignish and Alberton, said Rudy Crocken, president of the P.E.I. Antique Car Club.

Because of COVID-19, many restrictions are currently in place at long-term care facilities, including visitor restrictions and modified activities. One of the facilities asked if the club could organize an event for their residents. From there, members expanded it to three other homes.

"They just wanted some kind of activity that they could do from the inside," said Wilfred Moase, a member of the club and a director with the National Association of Automobile Clubs of Canada.

"Something else that was happening outside that they could see through the window."

Normally the club holds meets throughout the summer, but this year, because of COVID-19 those meets have been put on hold. Butthe club still wanted to get out and share their cars with the community, said Crocken.

"When we do show the cars a lot of the older people, through the years, they'd come over and tell us that. 'My father owned that car, when I was 16, That was my first car.' And so that's kind of a cool thing for the older people," he said.

And it's because of that the club has held events like this.

"It brings back a lot of memories with a lot of the older people," said Doug Parkman, a member of the club.

"There's a lot of memory there, so it perks them right up."

Moase agreed, and hopes either his vehicle other others spreads a bit of joy to the residents.

"Hopefully brings back some memories to some of them, maybe they owned a car similar to what they see going through tonight and [it] brought back, hopefully, some good memories," said Moase.

"If not then maybe it showed them some cars that they have never seen before. But, you know, they recognize that they came from possibly their generation or generations ago and they appreciate having them come through."

And at each stop, the club was greeted by people waving, taking photos and even applauding as the cars drove past.

"Just looking through the windows tonight ofsome of these people smiling and laughing and clapping, it's such a good feeling,to see them get such a charge out of seeing the old cars," said Crocken.

"It's just nothing more than the enjoyment of seeing the cars."

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