The Saginaw Rods & Classics’ fifth annual Auburn Car & Bike Show may be a relatively new event, but its origins can be traced back a few decades to a local car buff by the name of Joe Moore, Sr.
This year’s event, which raises money for the Make-A-Wish Foundation, is scheduled for Sunday, August 6 from 8 a.m.-3 p.m. at Auburn City Park.
Moore, who loved restoring hot rods and vintage cars, died in 2016 at the age of 72. But the longtime gearhead’s love of car shows is carried on by his son, Rick Moore, and Rick’s wife, Roberta– along with other family members and friends who volunteer their time to put on a car show the late Moore would be proud of.
“My father started Tri-City Cruisers back in 1983 or ‘84 and sponsored the Crump Car Show for a long time,” said Rick Moore, a United States Air Force retiree. “The Tri-City Cruisers were around for 11 years, and after that, my dad created the Saginaw Rods & Classics Car Club. We still have original members that come to our car shows today.”
Moore recalls being at a car show as a pre-teen and taking cover under Dennis Kuehn’s 1957 Chevrolet Nomad that he named “Blueberry Hill.”
“I was hiding from the sun,” Moore said. “I was 12 and thought car shows were kind of boring.”
But many years later, love ignited between Rick and Roberta Moore at one of his father’s car shows.
“I met Rick at one of his dad’s car shows back in 2010,” said Roberta Moore. “We got married in 2011.”
Like Joe Moore before them, Roberta and Rick Moore emphasize family, philanthropy and community in their car shows.
“We make just about everything ourselves, from the plaques and T-shirts to trophies,” said Roberta Moore. “We make it with love. We want to keep the overhead to a minimum so we can raise as much as possible for the Make-A-Wish Foundation.”
This year’s fundraising goal is $10,000. That’s how much it costs to sponsor a local child with a critical illness from the Bay, Saginaw and Midland county areas.
‘It used to be $5,000,” said Rick Moore. “We have car guys that come to our shows not only for the cars, but because they know we’re benefitting Make a Wish.”
“Rick’s daughter got her wish to go to Disney World in 2009,” said Roberta Moore. “It got a little personal then. The Moore family has been raising money for Make-A-Wish recipients for over 35 years. It’s a labor of love.”
This year’s Auburn Show will feature food trucks, a DJ, door prizes, goodie bags, commemorative T-shirts, a craft show, a 50/50 raffle and trophies for car owners in 24 people’s choice categories.
“We don’t do conventional open range competitions,” said Rick Moore. “Nobody walks out with more than one trophy.”
The Moores trust that everybody, from show entrants to spectators alike, will walk away knowing they helped a great cause and had fun doing it.
“That’s what my dad would have wanted,” said Rick Moore.
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