Caledonia Argus

Motor Ioway 500 tour to visit Caledonia

Posted: 5/11/04

By Jane Palen
Managing Editor

Caledonia will be the only Minnesota stop for a group of old-car enthusiasts from Iowa who will arrive on Friday, June 4.

About 85 vehicles from the Motor Ioway 500 tour are expected to arrive in town for a morning pitstop. All cars and motorcycles are pre-1978 models. The tour is associated with Motor Memories, Inc. of Des Moines. The tour begins June 2 in Charles City, Iowa then travels to Decorah which will be home base for the next three days.

The drivers will begin to arrive at about 9 a.m. and proceed to the north end of town where they will make a rest stop at the Four Seasons Community Center. They will probably arrive in several groups rather than all at once. From there, they will travel past the nursing home and then to the gazebo park. Several streets will be blocked off to accommodate the cars. Vintage car owners are encouraged to bring their cars out for the event and compare notes and share stories with the Motor Ioway group. A sound system will be playing music from the 50s and 60s.

Jane Schiltz and Jerry Hajek are organizing a welcome for the drivers. Ambassadors are needed to ìmeet and greetî the visitors. The Founders Days Court will attend the event, which will be their last appearance together before their reign ends on the sesquicentennial weekend. Schiltz pointed out that this Founders Days Court began its reign by greeting drivers in the Model T tour for the Ford Centennial in June of 2003.

Volunteers are still needed to give out information and help distribute ìgoody bagsî with coupons or small gifts from local businesses.

Any business wishing to donate an item can contact Jane Schiltz or Jerry Hajek. People are also needed to be among those welcoming the drivers and can also contact Jane or Jerry.

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