There's a new car show on the scene in Sandusky

Want to go?
WHAT: United Streetz of America Car Show & Food Drive
WHEN: 12-4 p.m. Sunday, August 19
WHERE: O’Reilly Auto Parts Store, 229 W. Perkins Ave., Sandusky
COST: Free for viewers, two canned good items (to be donated to Victory Temple Soup Kitchen) for anyone showing a vehicle
INFO: Facebook or 419-239-8013

There’s nothing like the first time someone falls in love. No matter where that relationship goes, the first will never leave one’s memory. The same can be said about a car junkie’s first ride, which explains, in a nutshell, the classic car show craze that has packed strip malls on summer nights for the past few decades.
 
Someone who appreciates the whole concept is David England, who used to run Sandusky’s Sit In Low Car Club. The 2000 Sandusky High School graduate will be the first person to say there’s nothing wrong with the quintessential classic car show where dozens of baby boomers show off their coming of age autos – invariably ‘60s and ‘70s vehicles – while classic rock and bulging waistlines dominate the atmosphere.
 
However, England, who on his own has customized three or four cars, recently decided to change up the local car scene by creating the United Streetz of America car show.
 
“Recently I starting thinking nobody around here does car shows for anything other than the classic cars so we decided to bring back the car show basically to the area that’s open to anything,” said England, who is a fabricator by day. “So the people who build other cars, besides classics, have an opportunity to be a part of something.”
 
The brand-new United Streetz of America will be hosting car shows that also double as a fundraising effort for local charities. The group’s debut event, sponsored by Highline Autoworks and O'Reilly Auto Parts, will be a fundraiser for two good causes. While the show is free to those who just want to enjoy the sights, anyone wishing to showoff a vehicle is asked to donate two canned good items, which will be donated to Victory Temple Soup Kitchen.

The second cause the event is supporting was added more recently. In addition to the canned goods being donated to Victory Temple Soup Kitchen, the event will also be raising funds to help the cover the costs of the funeral for Owen Barker, a young boy who died recently. The funds raised from the 50/50 raffle along with any donations from attendees will be given to Owen Barker’s step grandfather, who paid for all of the funeral expenses out of pocket.

“It’s not a car club, we’re not like before where we required members to have had something done to your car and had to have something fancy to be a part of it,” England said. “This has nothing to do with if you drive a car. This is more of a group that supports the custom lifestyle and wants to see it continue for generations to come. We’re just trying to keep it from being shut out of society because I know there are a lot of laws today that limit what you can and can’t do with your cars. And basically we’re just trying to keep it going for our kids and future generations.”
 
The car owners will receive custom trophies for their hard work, while the public can enjoy free food, for as long as it lasts.
 
For those who have attended a car show in the past, England promises this will be an all-encompassing, inclusive affair.
 
“As far as the similarities to other car shows, you’ve got the classics,” England said. “They’ll be there too. Other than that, this show is open to anything. If you customize it you can bring it, and that goes as far as low riders, mini trucks, the compact cars, the full size, the big full size cars with the big rims and TVs. If you’ve got go-karts or airplanes, anything you want to bring out, if it’s customized, if you’ve put time into it to make it different, it can come to the show.”
 
Wait, the public can display its customized go-karts and, um, airplanes?
 
Said England, “If you can find a way to get it there, it’s more than welcome.”
 
For more information, visit  www.facebook.com/unitedstreetzof...