"Revving Up Joy" Car Show Celebrates Classic Cars and Community Connection

Libby Hastings • June 24, 2025

Kansas Advocates for Better Care (KABC) hosted its first-ever community car show this month, and we’re still riding high from the energy, joy, and connections sparked at the event. Despite a little Kansas rain, 28 beautiful classic cars and over 200 attendees came out to celebrate.


We were thrilled to welcome residents from both Pioneer Ridge and Presbyterian Manor, who joined alongside their families, caregivers, and community members to admire the lineup of vintage vehicles. The car show was part of our 50th anniversary celebrations, and we couldn’t think of a better way to bring generations together for fun, fresh air (a little drizzle), and conversation.


We gave away over $100 through our 50/50 raffle, raffled off three gift cards and a car banner (each paired with a KABC t-shirt), and awarded four standout cars:

  • Oldest Car – 1917 Dodge Roadster
  • KABC’s Choice – 1937 Buick
  • Resident’s Choice – 1955 Chevy Bel Air
  • Best in Show – 1971 Ford Mustang Mach 1


None of this would have been possible without our outstanding planning committee, especially Max and Dalton, who helped steer every detail from concept to execution. We also want to give a heartfelt shout-out to our volunteers—Garrett, Richard, and Kurt—for helping during the show, and to our dedicated board member Barbara Braa, who stayed for the entire event to lend a hand.


Special thanks to our generous event host, Rev City Church, for providing the perfect space to showcase these cars and connect with our community.


We’re also deeply grateful to our event partners:

  • O’Reilly Auto Parts and Audio-Reader Network, for setting up booths, handing out free goodies, and powering through the downpour 
  • ThisN’That-LFK, for serving up delicious food and drinks to keep spirits high
  • Douglas County Community Foundation, whose support made this event a reality
  • Our giveaway sponsors: Summit Racing Equipment, Stoner Car Care, Gateway Classic Cars, and EATON Detroit Spring – thank you for helping us create a memorable experience for all


From the rumble of vintage engines to the smiles shared between residents and car enthusiasts alike, this car show reminded us why community connection is so vital—especially for those in long-term care.


We’re already looking ahead to next year’s show. Until then, thank you for celebrating 50 years of advocacy, community, and care with us.

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Inside Kansas Nursing Homes: Through the Eyes of the Experts

July 31, 2025
Inside Kansas Nursing Homes: A Special Series Returns in Honor of KABC’s 50th Anniversary In celebration of Kansas Advocates for Better Care’s 50th anniversary, we are proud to reintroduce a powerful special series from our early days as Kansans for Improvement of Nursing Homes. Originally launched in the mid-1980s, Inside Kansas Nursing Homes: Through the Eyes of the Experts offered an unflinching look at nursing home care across Kansas, as observed by those who know it best: the relatives, friends, residents, and caregivers of residents. Now, nearly four decades later, we are bringing this vital series back, with the same grassroots spirit and commitment to truth. This first issue of Volume One marks the beginning of our updated report on the current state of nursing home care in Kansas, informed by the honest voices of frequent visitors who witness daily life inside these facilities. Since April 2025, we have been gathering recorded and transcribed conversations with individuals who care deeply about their loved ones in long-term care. These candid reflections are edited to preserve confidentiality—identifying details are removed, names are changed, and nursing homes are referred to by assigned numbers and regions. Mentions of facilities in passing are designated with alphabetical letters (e.g., Nursing Home A). Over the next year, we aim to gather insights on at least 40 to 50 percent of Kansas’s 305 nursing homes. Volume One of this series, covering roughly 40 homes, will be released in serial form over the coming weeks. Through these voices, we invite readers to reflect, question, and advocate, just as we did in the 1980s. Because meaningful change begins when we listen.