A gorgeous and  rare 1957 Pontiac Star Chief on display at the 24th Annual Hot Rods and Harleys fundraiser presented by The River Cruiserz Car Club of Bullhead City at Avi Casino on April 24. The club raises funds for local high school graduate scholarships each year from several shows. Photo by Kane Wickham

LAUGHLIN, Nev. – Last weekend at Avi Casino, local car club The River Cruizers hosted their 24th annual charity Classic Car and Bike show and scored a major hit as well as returning to their annual home to raise funds for school scholarships for local graduating students as they have for years.

The River Cruizers have been a club since 1994 and have been one of the most prolific fundraisers for local High School students on their way to college for over two decades now and to date have raised and distributed over $600,000 in scholarship funds. A staggering amount for any charity organization, and such prolific fundraising has earned them awards for their philanthropy.

Entrance for the car show began last Thursday for participants to show up and begin unloading their classics and bikes for the event that brought in classics from several states across the nation for the annual event.

Last year an expedited Hot Rods and Harley Show caused the event to be put on hold, but this year the club got the green light according to former club President and current member of the Board of Directors Daniel Moran and they came back strong with a massive show lasting all weekend.

The grounds behind Avi along the waterline were packed with every imaginable type of classic car and bikes from all eras of American car history. Model A’s sat next to 60’s and 70’s classics from one end of the grassy veranda to the other and a special zone was set aside for the bikes and two-wheel attractions of which there were many.

Throngs packed the grounds at Avi all weekend up to Sundays Awards show where trophys for the different categories were handed out and participants began the work of loading back up their cars and bikes for the journey home until next year.

In total, 318 cars and bikes participated in the show this year. Moran stated that the total haul for the weekend would not be tallied until sometime this week after all receipts had been counted but that the event was a major success.

For more information about the club, go to their website at www.rivercruizers.com.

Kane Wickham