By Steve Huffman
Salisbury Post
SPENCER ó A monthly gathering of hot rods and classic cars has proven a blessing for a number of needy children in Rowan County.
Over the past few months, participants in “Cruzin Round Spencer” have been donating toys in order to make Christmas a little brighter for those who might otherwise have gone without.
“Cruzin Round Spencer” is held the second Saturday of each month in and around Spencer Shoppes. For months, participants were asked to pack a toy or two in the trunks of their classic Impalas, Galaxies and Camaros.
The toys were collected at Two Worlds Apart, a car parts store at the corner of Salisbury Avenue and Fourth Street. The store is owned and operated by Steve Waddell and his wife, Margaret. They’re the organizers of “Cruzin Round Spencer.”
Earlier this week, representatives of the Rowan-Salisbury School System retrieved the toys and took them to a number of schools in the Spencer community. From there, they went to children from about 30 needy families.
“They’d bring bags of toys; it’s amazing,” said Kenneth Womble, a Spencer alderman and one of those who helped the Waddells organize “Cruzin Round Spencer.”
“As hard as times are now, people are still giving.”
Womble noted that the toys collected through the cruise-in will all be given to children in the immediate vicinity. He said “Cruzin Round Spencer” attracts anywhere from 100 to 1,000 classic vehicles, the number varying largely based on the time of year and weather.
Womble said cruise-in participants were asked to bring presents for children between the ages of 2 and 11. They did so with enthusiasm, he said.
“If not for the cruise-in, we couldn’t help them,” Womble said.
This is the second year that “Cruzin Round Spencer” participants have collected toys for needy children.Contact Steve Huffman at 704-797-4222 or shuffman@salisburypost.com.