Just Kruzin Hits The Road & Gives Back To Local Communities

The Just Kruzin Specialty Vehicle Club is doing more than showing off classic and specialty vehicles this summer. Club members are hitting the road, visiting surrounding communities and finding ways to give back to the people and organizations that have supported them over the years.

On Wednesday, July 29, members of Just Kruzin headed to Kitscoty, where they were hosted by the Farmstead Market as part of the community’s Wednesday evening “Be on Main Street” event.

Main Street was blocked off for the evening, creating a place for residents and visitors to check out the vehicles, enjoy a barbecue and take in live entertainment. The barbecue ran from 6 to 8 p.m., with proceeds supporting Kitscoty Jr./Sr. High School. Amanda Koopa performed from 7 to 8 p.m., followed by Earl James Stevenson from 8 to 9 p.m.

As part of the visit, Just Kruzin also donated to the Kitscoty Community Hall, as they have and will be in other communities they have visited and will visit.

“This year we are donating to five non-profit groups where we have a community host organization. We are pleased to support the Kitscoty Community Hall, giving back to the communities that have supported Just Kruzin and its activities,” club member Kerry Million said. “We also give a Kruise Host Pack to those hosts, consisting of Just Kruzin swag, of 3 sets of hat/t-shirt/trinket to hand out as they see fit to commemorate the kruise.”

For club members Kerry Million and Ken Hollington, getting the vehicles out on the road and becoming more involved in surrounding communities has been an important focus.

Million explained that while the club had organized drives in years past, members began talking last year about bringing more Kruises back into their regular activities.

“We would park at the mall and hang out for a couple or three hours and then go home, and there would be members who would cruise to the shows on the weekends,” said Million. “But we thought there had to be something more to this. We wanted to do more to get more club members involved instead of just sitting around all the time. We also want to note that the kruises aren’t just for club members. We encourage anyone to join in that wants to.”

A quick brainstorming session between Million and Hollington helped get the wheels turning.

Last year, the club began organizing Kruzes to communities including Kitscoty, Lashburn and Marshall, along with Sandy Beach, which Million said has been an annual club destination for years.

Some of those first Kruises also came with a bit of a learning curve.

“We did some loops around town and lost a few members along the way,” Hollington joked. “It was kind of fun, but we learned from a few Kruises last year where we should be taking off from and where we could go to make it easier for us to stay together as a group.”

One of the club’s recent outings included cruising past local seniors’ centres, giving residents an opportunity to see the vehicles and, for some, revisit memories from years gone by.

“It’s always good because you put a smile on their face like you wouldn’t believe,” said Hollington. “And it’s fun.”

For some seniors, seeing a particular make or model can bring back memories of a vehicle they once owned.

“It’s a step back in time for them,” Hollington said.

The club has a busy Kruzing schedule planned throughout the summer. Million said the Kitscoty visit came through a partnership with Angie at Farmstead Market and offered members another opportunity to take their vehicles outside Lloydminster, mingle with residents and enjoy an evening in the community.

“We rolled out there around seven and stayed for a couple of hours, mingled with people, had a nice little Kruise and had some fun,” Million said.

Another Kruise to Kitscoty is being planned for the end of August.

The club has also travelled to other communities this summer, including Marwayne for its 100th anniversary celebration. Despite pouring rain forcing much of the celebration indoors, Just Kruzin members still made the trip.

“We just parked on the street and went in and enjoyed the day,” Hollington said. “It was great.”

Along with getting more vehicles on the road, the club is looking for members who want to take an active role in its activities.

Membership is $25 per year for an individual or $40 for a family, and prospective members are required to attend at least one meeting.

“We want members to be active in the club in any sort of capacity, not just pay a fee and you’re part of the club,” said Million. “The whole idea is to have more people help put on events and do more for the club.”

That involvement also allows Just Kruzin to continue raising money and supporting organizations throughout the region.

“We give back to the community and a bunch of different organizations,” Million said. “We’ve been donating to quite a few different non-profits this year, and even some of the communities we’re cruising to, we’re donating to groups in those communities.”

For Just Kruzin, the summer Kruises have become about much more than the vehicles. They are an opportunity to bring members together, create memories for those who come out to see them and give something back to the communities along the way. The next community the club will kruise to is Paradise Valley on August 5.