MAKE THEM SHINE

ELEVEN YEARS ago, the idea was raised at a monthly Thunderbird club meeting to conduct a car cruise from four separate areas in Melbourne, to the Royal Children's Hospital to make a donation for the Good Friday Appeal.

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The state director at the time made a call to the Royal Children's Hospital to see if they would accommodate such a request, and he was then given a phone number and told to contact the Kids Day Out committee to see if anything could be done.

After months of communication back and forth, the green light was given to hold the first 'Make Them Shine,' a classic car show held back in 2015 in conjunction with the Kids Day Out event inside the Melbourne Exhibition & Convention Centre for the Good Friday Appeal.

It proved that a classic car show at a children's event was a major drawcard and fitted in very well with the surrounding fundraising efforts.

The first classic car display helped raise $15,147 and each year it has grown from strength to strength. Each year the number of display cars has been capped at 80 vehicles, but the numbers of volunteers has substantially grown.

After eight shows in a 10-year period, including two COVID years raising money for 3AW's Neil's Wheel, 'Make them Shine' has raised a total of $404,976.76.