For car enthusiast Vicki Ayuen (Le), organizing the Partsource Charity Car & Bike Show in North Bay is all about giving back to the community.
The child of refugees – her parents escaped Vietnam during the war in 1975 – her family quickly settled into life in Northern Ontario and watched the city of North Bay wrap its collective arms around her family. Vicki was born and raised in North Bay. She later went to High School and University in North Bay but shortly left in 2007.
And for the past 15 years, Ayuen has been able to combine two of her passions: a love of cars and a deep connection to the city that provided her family with a new home.
“There’s a lot of great support here,” Ayuen said. “The Northern Ontario community of people are second to none. It's the people here that make it a great place.”
As a 23-year-old university student, Ayuen put together her first event in 2007 almost single handedly, attracting 50 cars and raising $1,600 for the North Bay Food Bank. Since then, Ayuen said, the event has been growing, but she hasn’t lost any of her youthful enthusiasm.
“It’s my passion, and a way to connect with the community.”
The Car Show attracts hundreds, and Ayuen estimates she’s been able to raise over $60,000 for local charities over the last 15 years.
That includes the car, truck and bike enthusiasts – sometimes called “gearheads” – a group that Ayuen said proudly welcomed her in her teen years.
“It was very rare to have a female gearhead, especially in the early 2000s,” Ayuen said. “I hung around with a lot of friends who had trucks, then I ended up buying my own car and souping it up, as well.”
Ayuen and her wheels – a dusty pink 2002 Honda Civic – quickly became a fixture on North Bay’s car scene, and she says that people still remember her from 20 years ago as the young woman zipping around town in the pink Civic.
The Civic is still around, Ayuen says she keeps it in top shape at her home in southern Ontario, but occasionally she will bring it north for the annual North Bay event.
And those trips give her the opportunity to do two things she is passionate about: talk cars with other enthusiasts and help give back to the community.
“I love seeing people come together,” she said. “Just seeing people come together to raise money. Hopefully the charitable event inspires others to participate in different forms of giving.”
What to expect at the Partsource Charity Car & Bike Show
The show will feature several competitions, including a Stereo Competition and Show and Shine, giving participants a chance to showcase their vehicles and compete for trophies and prizes.
In addition, “Vendor Alley” will offer up the chance to see local makers, their products and services throughout the day.
Organized by North Bay-Ontario Car Shows, along with Ayuen and Cory Woodland from Partsource, the event aims to support JumpStart – a charity dedicated to providing opportunities for kids from disadvantaged backgrounds to participate in sports and physical activities.
All monies raised during the event will be donated to Jumpstart, a program that Ayuen says blends nicely with her own beliefs in giving kids a sporting chance.
“I’m a teacher, and I see so many kids not get the opportunities with sports, because it is expensive for parents, paying for that equipment and fees,” Ayuen said.
“Jumpstart pays for the registration, it helps pay for the sports and equipment. So I’m hoping that this will give them an opportunity to grow up with those kinds of extracurriculars.”
Show information
- Date: Sunday, August 27, 2023
- Location: Lee Park (800 Memorial Drive, North Bay, ON
- Roll in for car participants: 8:00 am - 11:00 am
- Show Time: 11:00 am - 3:00 pm
- Show Registration: $20 show and shine per vehicle/motorcycle
- Stereo Competition Registration: $15 each or $30 for all stereo competition.
- SPECTATORS: Free (Monetary donations will be accepted)
For more information on how to register, visit the Partsource Charity Car & Bike Show in North Bay page on Facebook.
