FGS Auckland Vintage Car Show to Support Cancer Society
On 25th August 2024, Fo Guang Shan Temple Auckland hosted an Open Day to foster community relations. The event welcomed over 1,500 visitors from the local community. Coinciding with the annual Daffodil Day, a nationwide fundraiser for the Cancer Society of New Zealand, the Temple collaborated with several vintage car clubs to raise funds, spreading the warm spirit of the Three Acts of Goodness and Four Givings throughout the community.
The event was collaborated with the Auckland Veteran and Vintage Car Club and featured participation from four other car clubs, including the Jowett Car Club, The Austin Car Club, the Auckland Morris Minor Car Club and the Rover Car Club. Over 60 antique vehicles from 24 different brands were showcased, captivating attendees who took the opportunity to admire and photograph the cars. Many of these vehicles are over a century old, with the oldest, a car from 1901, having withstood 119 years of history. To enhance interaction, the organisers invited visitors to ride in a 109-year-old Renault vintage car. This unique experience, akin to a journey through time, attracted long queues of excited participants.
The President Shaaran Price of the Auckland Veteran and Vintage Car Club, highlighted that all 36 branches of the club participated in this major fundraising event, contributing from the northernmost part of the North Island to the southernmost tip of the South Island. She expressed her deep gratitude to the Temple for providing the venue, noting that the Temple's beautiful environment and the warm assistance of BLIA members left a lasting impression. She remarked on the incredible sense of community and the remarkable strength it generates. Jodi Tomlin, the club’s secretary, also extended her thanks to the Temple for its full support and meticulous organisation, expressing her surprise and appreciation at the large turnout and the generous actions of the public.
As the event concluded, the Temple Team lined up to bid farewell, applauding and cheering for the vintage car club members for their splendid display, which enriched the community’s cultural life and provided tangible support for cancer society. . The car club members are excited to return for another show at the Cherry Blossom Festival in November.