Retirement homes, a cool thing to do, Car show idea

That 32 post got me thinking about a little cruise in my wife and I planned at the retirement home she worked at in Mpls back in 96. I notice that most of the older crowd digs our cars a TON. We did a little show that day with about 20 cars,and I HAVE NEVER felt so good! Lots of these folks usually have very little interaction with the outside world. Families dont even come visit them. Guys that could have kicked your ass 30 years prior get wheeled out into the lot with grins on their faces as they see the cars. The conversations are worth the effort! It is cool to see how the the most un communicative ones light up and start telling stories of wild times in their youth.

So look into it, find that Veterans Home or retirement Home and ask the activities director if you can bring some OLD CARS by for a while some nice summer evening for the folks to see. It will make your day and somebody else's year.

 

I agree that is a great idea, I always get a kick out of listening to the old timers tell stories about a certain car at car shows, it would add a little excitement to their day.

 

Ya know Tman... that is probably the best idea (non technical) I have seen on the hamb in four years. That is one very non self serving idea... makes my gears turn.. hmmmm.....

 

Yeah I know where your coming from Tman. We did a similar but slighty impromptu thing when we were at the run to Narrandera here one year. I bunch of us took our hot rods up to a local retirement home. Yeah it was defintiely worth it! Geoff aka Whodaky

 

Tman, that is such a cool thing to do and rewarding for all involved.
BTW, I lived in R.C. many moons ago, is Billy from H&B still around? I lived across the street from him and he helped me a bunch with my first Harley. Porky helped me a bunch too.

 

EXCELLENT IDEA TMAN ! There is a car club in my hometown called " Detroit Cars" , And they have done this for more than 10 years. It is Highly appreciated !! They pick the Guys/Girls up , and then they go cruizin`. ( 15-20 sixties converts ) They have a stop somewhere with Food & drinks , and then they cruise back home ( Usually takes the whole day ).I`m not a member of Detroit Cars , ( Lone Wolf ) , But when my Roadster is done , I will turn up, adding my bit to the fun .

 

Our Wednesday Night gatherings (usually 40 or 50 cars) will be at two assisted care facilities in September.

I attended one a couple of years ago and recall two old ladies peering into a '40 Chev sedan and one remarking, "I rassled around in the back seat of one of these more than once !"

 

My wife has managed assisted care facilities for 30 yrs.
Never once have I thought about doing this. You are exactly right, Every time you have a conversation with them about their youth..their eyes light up and are full of stories to tell. Can you imagine when the subject of cars comes up. Great idea!

 

I belong to Rochester Street Rods (NY) we have been doing a "car" show at an adult home for a few years. Its amazing the response we get at the "home" these people are wheelchair bound some have early stages of ALzheimer. They instantly remenisce , "I had a car like that" etc... Makes me realize how lucky we really are to have an old car to bomb around. The joy on peoples faces is worth a Saturday morning for me

 

Trent, you are dead nuts right on.
Every Fathers day, there is a show at a local home
The looks on those faces are worth the time.
There are some real life stories, if you take the time to listen.
One of the best overlooked resources on time past.

Good post, Tman.

 

This is a great thing to do...It puts a lot of smiles on faces...and you have a chance to learn something from the experience.
Great, TMan!

Melon

 

Damn fine idea.... Hmmmm... I'll be looking into it...

Your not half bad for a pig burner and a latch breaker...

 

[ QUOTE ]
Lots of these folks usually have very little interaction with the outside world. Families dont even come visit them. Guys that could have kicked your ass 30 years prior get wheeled out into the lot with grins on their faces as they see the cars. The conversations are worth the effort! It is cool to see how the the most un communicative ones light up and start telling stories of wild times in their youth.

[/ QUOTE ]

VERY good idea! A lot of these guys were around when our sport started, not to mention that they fought for us in past wars.

Give them respect, and make their day!

 

I attend our local vererans hospital/care unit rod run when I have a car running. The old guys really appreciate it.My old flathead 51 Vicky vapor locked at the event one hot summer day and the old veterans all thought it was hilarious! Said it always happened to them too.

 

this sounds like something i might want to try when i get back to mi

 

We've been visiting 3 or 4 Nursing Homes & Assisted Living Facilities each year for the last 15 years or so. It's usually about 3-4 hours and the homes provide a light lunch. It feels good to bring a little pleasure into some of the old folks other-wise boring lives. The Social Directors say the old folks will talk about the cars and related memories for weeks after our visits

A couple of weeks ago, we visited a local home and met a man named Paul Kuehl. Mr. Kuehl is 100 years old and worked with Bob Lowey & Bob Burke in designing Studebakers in the late-40's until Studebaker ended U.S. production in the early-60's. He was still very sharp mentally and had lots of stories to tell. Here's a living piece of history, 3-miles from my house and I would have never known about him or met him if I hadn't gone to visit the home.

 

willowbilly, Bill is still here and our main parts guy, he sold out to Carquest a few years back and Martha, his wife is the general manager. Porky is also still in business.

 

yep been doing it for yrs, and the funny thing is you will here the care giver say something like" he hasn't spoke in a year" now thats all he talks about, all you have to do is go to the place and talk with the manager and listen to the residents bitch about what car was better or not,it is a riot, ,plus they can give a lot of on hand customizing that us younger folks have nevr heard of or did because we were not there

 

[ QUOTE ]
Ya know Tman... that is probably the best idea (non technical) I have seen on the hamb in four years. That is one very non self serving idea... makes my gears turn.. hmmmm.....

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What an awesome idea...

 

I always enjoy doing the retirement home benefit shows. I have been to a few regular shows that have their poker run in the middle of the day and every stop is at a different retirement center in the area, sort of a rally/poker run combo. Always great fun helping them out.....H

 

Man, I have never even thougt about that before. That is a great idea! I used to visit my grandpaw in an assisted living place. I would drive the 41 quite a bit and the old timers loved it. Man they can bullshit all afternoon. I like it when they tell ya how much ass they used to get because of the car they used to have. Some things never change!

monkey

 

Kinda catches ya off guard when a couple blue haired ladies tell ya of their sexploits in the back of some old car!

 

HEREIS MY POST FROM THE 32 POST
"
couple tiems a year we take a bunch of old cars over to the vets home ,and all the old guys flock to the 32,it was the car that changed the way people lived,and functioned, as bad as the car is ,motor wise and so small ,never had one turn his nose at em,if you were there when they came out and got to have one to customize in the 40's you could buy one for 40 bucks,heard that once i heard it a thousand times"



the car it just matters,







I GUESS I THOUGHT EVRYONE WAS DOING THIS? AROUND THE MPLS AREA ALOT OF CAR PEOPLE DO MANY VISITS, GLAD TO SEE IT IS GONNA START ALL AROUND, IOWNED A49 FORD THAT THE LADY THAT RAN THE WALGREENS COUNTER OWNED AND I NEVER KNEW THAT UNTIL YRS LATER WHEN SHE SAW IT,GETTING OLD ISNT SOMETHING YOU WANNA SIT AROUND AND DO ,SO GET OUT THERE

 

[ QUOTE ]
Kinda catches ya off guard when a couple blue haired ladies tell ya of their sexploits in the back of some old car!

[/ QUOTE ]

Yeah, we always wondered what these girls were talking about.

 

man what a killer idea

ive been kicking around doing a small show here because we never seem to have any and was wondering about places

guess its time to put some perspiration with the inspiration

thanks Tman

 

That is THE best idea. There's a home behind my house. What a great way to let folks without much to look forward to something to do!

Wonderful idea!!! <font color="blue"> </font>

 

Hello SJFast,
For you guys in the Ft. Worth, Dallas area,
D&amp;D rockin rods is putting on an event at a local
area retirement and care center Sun,Oct 17th
More info at www.ddrockinrods.com.

Thanks
------------------------
I also overheared some eldery ladies talking about
thier backseat adventures once at a show.
It was neat.

 

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Kinda catches ya off guard when a couple blue haired ladies tell ya of their sexploits in the back of some old car!

[/ QUOTE ]

Yeah, we always wondered what these girls were talking about.

[/ QUOTE ] I ALWAYS LOVED THE LADIES THAT STITCHED UP THE INTERIOR FOR THE BOY FRIENDS CAR , I THINK THAT IS WHERE SOME OF THE BRIGHT CONTRAST COLORS CAME FROM , BECAUSE SOME SAID THIS IS THE MATERIAL AND I AM DOING IT OR YOU AINT GETTING NOTHING,

 

.the car show is a very good idea.i work in a nursing home so i see what its like .mostly the nursing homes are filled with women[ hey they out live us].so most of the activies are for the women. the car show does give the guys something to do and talk about.so even a small show is great for them.so if you can do a small show it means more than you think.

 

also the stories[both from the men and the women]are great.i became friends with a resident at the nursing home i work at.86 years old turns out he was a motorcycle racer[jack pine] he also met and had his bike pinstriped by Von Dutch[pic on his wall].