Sunset Carehome Cruise caravans through Swift Current

Seniors across Swift Current got one heck of a show last night. 

The Rogue Cruisers organized their biggest-ever cruise, going past multiple care homes in the city. Altogether, the cars numbered around 120, snaking their way through Swift Current for everyone to come out and see. 

The two parties responsible for both Taillight Tuesday and what has been dubbed the Sunset Carehome Cruise are Cory Schultz and Dustin Vipond, two of the found members of the Rogue Cruisers. Each of them was blown away by the turnout for the cruise, which they think may have ended up being the biggest one in Swift Current history.

Dustin Vipond (left), Cory Schultz (centre), and Verral Scriven (left) at the end of last nights Taillight Tuesday, with Scriven holding his prize.

"We had a few of the care homes reach out to us and they kind of felt like they were missed on the last cruise around the city," said Vipond. "They asked if we could put something together and we thought, well, what the heck, we can see what we can do."

Classic cars, hotrods, customs, pickups, land more drove past Cypress House, The Meadows, Clover House, the Hospital, The Bentley, Goldenwest Manor, Riverside Estates, River View, Willow Creek, Heritage Towers, and finally back to the Living Sky Casino. 

The folks at The Meadows had their chairs and blankets ready to go for the cruise.

Folks were set up in lawn chairs out front, ready to watch the cars go by. Seniors, who may have owned some of the cars rolling by back in the day, were happy to watch the chrome and pinstripes roll by, eliciting smiles and waves from many. 

"It was just fantastic," said Schultz. "Every time we do something like this, the support from the car community and the people of Swift Current and the surrounding area is always fantastic."

Plenty of the cars going by have long histories in Swift Current and area, with members of The Meadows having some familiarity. 

For many seniors, limited mobility means they no longer can come out to car shows. These cruises help to bring the show right to their front windows. It's that spirit of inclusivity and community that holds these events together. Everyone driving their vehicle, be it a truck, van, car or dirt bike, understands the freedom they grant a person to go anywhere they want. Bringing that to the care homes helps to grant a small portion of that back to those who live there. 

The parking lot back at the casino was a little empty after the bulk left for the cruise, leaving some late arrivals and newcomers to the event a tad bit confused. However, around an hour later, the parade came back to fill up every stall available. 

The parking lot is a lot more colorful when the cars come out on Tuesdays.

"We kind of put it up on the Facebook page and I couldn't believe the cars that came out for it," said Vipond. "It had to be the most cars I've ever seen on a cruise in Swift Current."

Packed from one end to another, the community was out in numbers to check out some of the vehicles being displayed. Things like mid-century pickups, fox body mustangs, brand new corvettes, imports, and lifted trucks were points of interest for many of the automotive enthusiasts making the rounds. 

For Vipond and Schultz, the continued love for the event never stops inspiring them to put more effort into it each week. 

"We've had nothing but positive feedback, so if it isn't broke, don't fix it," said Vipond. "I feel like we could probably make it better yet or bigger, but the general format I think is a win for everybody."

Last night was the final Taillight Tuesday of the month. They drew a winner for their 50/50, seeing Verral Scriven take home the prize package provided by Automotive Unlimited. 

Folks can expect the weekly car show to continue into September, with the hope being to go all the way into October if the weather cooperates. 

In response to Canada's Online News Act and Meta (Facebook and Instagram) removing access to local news from their platforms, Swift Current Online encourages you to get your news directly from your trusted source by bookmarking this page and downloading the Swift Current Online app.