Fundraising’s a Drag (Race)

After more than six decades, the Langley Loafers Hot Rod Club continues to make inroads into the public’s affection, thanks to it’s members’ appreciation for vintage style, hot rods and their dedication to advances in patient care at Langley Memorial Hospital.

On August 1, the club marks the 60th “BC Old Time Drags,” a drag race and the Loafers’ signature fundraising event held at the Mission Raceway, with partial proceeds going to the hospital’s urgent needs through Langley Community Health & Hospital Foundation (LCHHF). Last December, the club donated $20,000 toward imaging equipment for the hospital’s urology unit.

The group is no stranger to giving to patient care; previously its members raised funds to support the purchase of a new defibrillator for the hospital.

Steve McEwan, president of the Langley Loafers for the past three years and a member for a decade, says the club’s interest in supporting urology services overseen by LMH Dr. Jason Archambault last year was a natural move for the group.

“We have members in their 60s, 70s and 80s, so when one of the guys brought it up at a meeting, we heard, ‘Oh, I’ve seen Dr. Archambault,’ one after another. It’s not something guys talk about normally. It was an eye opener.”

With about 30 members (including two who joined as founding members in 1957), the Loafers attract gawkers and admirers of all vintage vehicles. The term “hot rod” defines vintage cars that have been modified to such a degree that they can be driven safely on the road. Some internal parts may be modern, even as the exterior aesthetics of the vehicles remain intact.

Steve says he’s still seeing custom-car culture growing and evolving locally as the Loafers work to attract new members. “The car community in Langley is huge. Langley has more space for bigger lots so there’s more space for workshops.”