LAKEPORT >> This year’s Lakeside Car and Boat Show took place this past weekend, August 17-18, in downtown Lakeport. Drawing large crowds for two days of fun, food, drink, vendors, music, and of course, vintage and custom cars and boats, the event was a welcome distraction from the recent fires.
Many people were hesitant to make the trip to Lakeport, due to the Mendocino Complex Fire, and the event suffered a few registration cancellations, but overall there was a great turnout, said event organizer, Tony Bartel.
Bartel works closely with Dave Lakotas, also an event organizer, to ensure the event goes as smoothly as possible. The two set the date for the Lakeport show between two other major surrounding car shows, Hot August Nights and the Pleasanton Goodguys, said Bartel, who also runs an online car show calendar. “I don’t have any blood, just motor oil,” he joked.
Despite battling rumors the event might not take place, the event organizers worked diligently to ensure the event would occur, said Don and Peg Mccown. The Mccowns have volunteered for Operation Tango Mike, the organization the Lakeside Car and Show benefits, for 15 years. 100 percent of the proceeds from the show benefit Operation Tango Mike, said Bartel.
Operation Tango Mike, the brainchild of retired law enforcement officer, Ginny Craven, began when she started shipping care packages to a fellow law enforcement officer who joined the service and was shipped overseas.
This first package started something amazing and to this day Operation Tango Mike has shipped more than 22,000 packages, about 100 boxes per month, in its nearly 16 years of existence, said the Mccowns. The organization has only failed one month out of the 16 years to send out care packages and that was due to snow, the couple proudly reported.
It costs about $18 per package to ship, so fundraising events like The Lakeside Car and Boat Show are paramount to the success of Operation Tango Mike, the Mccowns said.
More than 300 custom and classic cars registered for the event, said Craven of Operation Tango Mike. About 250 cars and 30 boats pre-registered for the event, with more than 50 cars registering on the day of the event. There was no cut off for the number of entries, said Craven. “If you want to be here and support our community, we’ll find space for you,” she said. Vendors pay no fee to set up, but are asked to give a donation, Craven continued.
Looking around Library Park bustling with people, filled with vendors, live music playing by The Fargo Brothers, and engines revving from the custom boats at the dock and cars on the streets, Craven smiled and said, “It’s not just supporting Operation Tango Mike, it’s supporting the whole community.” Craven continued, “God bless the first responders for helping us to make this happen.”
Donations to Operation Tango Mike can be taken to the Oak’s Red and White Store in Clearlake Oaks, Clearlake Fire Dept., Kelseyville Fire Dept., and Umpqua Bank in Lakeport.
Residents can volunteer with Operation Tango Mike every third Thursday of the month at Umpqua Bank in Lakeport. Visit operationtangomike.org for more information.
