A long-running event that has supported a variety of area charities has had to cancel this year, and its future remains uncertain.
The Legends Car Club came to the decision that it could not move ahead with its charity drag races at the Altona airport due to issues related to changes related to insurance coverage.
“We could no longer meet the requirements of our current liability insurance provider,” explained president Alex Loewen. “We are still looking, but we haven’t been able to find a new provider or a way that we can meet the requirements that have been laid out.
“We’re still exploring options. We’ll make a final decision as to the future of the event either later this year once we start having planning meetings again or early next year,” he said. “Effectively, what it boils down to is the temporary nature of what we do in that it’s not a permanent facility with permanent barricades … it just makes the liability coverage a larger task than it has been in the past.”
The club had been doing the drag races for 20 years, and they have been very successful.
“For the last two years … we’ve been just shy of $25,000 from that event overall,” said Loewen, who noted they supported three title charities making a difference in the area with those funds: STARS air ambulance, Genesis House, and South Central Cancer Resource.
With the boost of funds raised by the drag races, the club has also supported a variety of other local organizations. Its Drive for Cancer that happens in May also raised about $31,000.
“Last year, we gave away $49,000 as a club,” Loewen noted.
He said it is disappointing that insurance companies changing their policies has impacted other events as well, including drag races that have happened in Neepawa, for example.
“Realistically, our event was the only drag race in southern Manitoba south of Highway 1,” he said. “It was a unique way to draw people in to Altona and the Pembina Valley.”
The club will now consider if it will move on to something else.
“That is another part of our discussion as a club … giving has been such a large part of what we do,” Loewen said. “We are looking at other options. It’s been a good way for us to use our hobby to give back.”
