The tenth annual Variety Creative Car Cruise was celebrated from March 25 to 29 with local Serpentine couple David and Kylee Hopkin from Serpentine attending with their 1963 EJ Holden panel van.
Every year since the cruise’s inception in 2011, the Hopkin’s have participated with their panel van, which they have labelled as their pride and joy.
The van was bought from a builder in Geraldton, and was an icon in the community there before Mr Hopkin bought it to Perth to restore it.
This year, the cruise mirrored the first ever route driven by the group in 2011, with 28 classic, muscle, sports and modified vehicles driven across Perth’s South West.
The group raised $160,000 this year to give WA kids who are sick, disadvantaged or living with disability a fair go.
Variety labels the Creative Car Cruise as a fun and laid-back way to experience regional Western Australia with a like-minded group.
The Hopkin’s said they look forward to the cruise every year, which they hold close to their heart as it allows them to see the difference they are making first-hand.
Mrs Hopkin said the most memorable trip was visiting a special needs school in Bunbury where the faculty outnumbered the students.
“We gifted them a new roof for their playground so that the children could play outside all year round,” she said.
“What touched my heart was the involvement, the parents and school provided us with breakfast and when we gifted them the playground they were all in tears. “It was just so touching and it was lovely to see how we can change people’s lives just by doing the little bit that we do.”
This year a key highlight of the cruise was a special visit the convoy paid to a school in West Busselton to present a grant of $2226.
The funding will go towards buying sensory and motor play equipment to improve student’s physical and emotional mental development.
“I have four very healthy children and I’m grateful to have healthy children,” Mrs Hopkin said.
“So participating is a little bit of us saying that we’re grateful for that as we know not everyone is fortunate to have that.”
“My favourite thing about the cruise is being able to meet the people that we help.”
