By Keyra Kristoffersen | [email protected]

On Saturday, May 5, the Utah chapter of Challengers Unlimited car club held a charity car show to raise funds for the West Valley Animal Shelter.

"Just about everybody in the club are animal lovers," said Joe Street, president of the car club. "We have a rescue dog and a lot of the other members have dogs and cats."

The Challengers Unlimited club works to benefit a charity through a fundraiser every year and in 2017, Street and his wife, Terrie, who is also treasurer of the Utah chapter, decided that they wanted to help the shelter because they know the shelter often struggles with paying for medical care for the animals they take in. 

"We just thought it would be good to help them out," Street said. "Last year we raised $2,350 and every dollar goes to the shelter right at the show."

Believing that they could do better this year, the club ramped up its advertising and increased the number of activities and vendors like Smoke a Billy BBQ (which also participated last year), Juniper Coffee and a Hawaiian ice truck set up at the shelter with the cars spread throughout the parking lot.

The day began with at 10 a.m. with the national anthem and raffle tickets sales, which benefited shelter animals. Several complete car clubs showed up as well as members of the Las Vegas chapter of Challengers Unlimited.

Rockin Hotrod Productions provided the music and emceed the awards and counting of the money to hand directly to shelter director Dave Moss. The Cars & Critters show also made the list of top car shows to see in 2018 by Utah blogger, Utah Car Czar. 

"It's expensive to put on a car show, and it's well worth it," Street said.

Street and the Challengers Unlimited have done a number of car show fundraisers, including one for a young girl with liver cancer two years ago and he said he learned that people aren't as bad as it seems.

"It's truly amazing how deep people dig for children and animals," said Street. "It seems like we're heading in the right direction."

Challengers Unlimited began in Southern California five years ago as the dream child of Elliott Reyes. A year later, a mutual friend put him in contact with Street and the Utah chapter was formed, which now has over 300 members of Dodge Challenger enthusiasts who have get- togethers and meetings as well as rides, shows and other events. Their mission statement is help those who need help and try to do good things. 

"It's just a big group of great people could have same interest," said Street, who bought an R/T Redline Edition Challenger new in 2014. "More of a family than a group of friends which I think is the way a club should be."

Reyes passed away three years ago from cancer but now his brother is president of the Las Vegas chapter that was formed in 2017. 

"Hopefully, he's happy with what we're doing," said Street, who also organizes a memorial ride for Reyes on his birthday every year.

The second annual Cars & Critters show ended up having 163 cars present and raised $3,093.45 for West Valley Animal Services. 

To find out more ways to help through donating, volunteering or animal adoptions, visit: https://www.wvc-ut.gov/169/Adoptions