With the holiday season arriving as Thanksgiving closes, communities are gathering to spend their time with loved ones or serving people in need. The Elizabethton Car Show has already been doing that, however. In fact, that was kind of the idea in the first place.

Members of the car show recently participated in the Salvation Army’s Angel Tree program last weekend, gathering gifts for roughly 105 children.

“We donated last night to the Boys and Girls Club,” President Ron McCloud said Wednesday. “We have been doing this for about 11 years.”

The car show’s work to provide for its community, he said, is part of its core design. The club’s proceeds regularly go to charity. In particular, he said most of their money goes to children’s charities.

“It is fulfilling and gratifying that we have the ability to give the gifts we gather,” he said. “The city helps us immensely. We always want to thank them.”

This spirit of giving does not end when January 1 rolls around, however. In fact, the work with the Angel Tree and other donations only comes to fruition after a year of hard work fund-raising beforehand.

“People can work all year round,” McCloud said. “This is just when we dispense the funds. The club does as much as any organization for children.”

He said a slew of other companies and organizations helped the car show members pull this off, including Big Dan’s BBQ, Carter County Bank and more.

“We try to set an example,” McCloud said. “We are utilizing our love of cars to help children.”

He said this love of cars should not discourage people from attending or even helping out with the car show every Saturday evening. He said the show is a perfect way to socialize with other people and have a great time.

“It is a beautiful place to socialize,” he said. “It is more than just the cars.”

For those who are interested in signing on, however, he said new members are always welcome, whether it is for their passion for cars or the community they serve every weekend.