Just like the evolution of the automobile never stops, the Push Rods of Hoquiam car club has grown into a respected community service organization. While celebrating the fine lines of a classic car or smooth rumble of a finely tuned engine is never far from their collective mind, it is the call to service that has become their top priority.

Denny Bickar has been president of the Push Rods for the last seven years and is pushing for a “bigger and better” Hot Rods in Hoquiam event every year. Downtown Hoquiam hosted show for the third year in a row and has helped expand the car entries to 175 this year, only 25 of which were from the Push Rods themselves. Six blocks of parking were blocked off by the city, and admirers roamed freely among the vehicles, many swapping car stories with the owners and taking pictures of their favorites. According to Bickar, 18 different northwest car clubs were represented this past weekend.

Bickar and the Push Rods intend to make this a popular destination event for classic car enthusiasts and a sort of “kickoff” to the car show season. To emphasize this concept, they added a Friday night music performer at the Hoquiam Elks Lodge, the epicenter of the car show.

An Elvis impersonator headlined the free to the public show and performed to a packed house with rave reviews. One spectator said, “There had to be at least 200 people there.” The performer was booked again for next year based on the success of the Friday night show, and the Push Rods are locked into an end of June timeline for the car show weekend every year. Over 20 car show participants relayed to Bickar they decided to stay for the entire weekend with the two-day event and Bickar wants to double that every year. “Most of the car shows on the West Coast are on or after 4th of July so we want this to be a place where people can go first,” Bickar said.

The inspiration for the Push Rods to be “bigger and better” is not intended to increase the club’s notoriety in car club circles. Club membership stands at 74 members and growing, again with younger members starting to join up as the focus of Push Rods has become almost completely community service oriented. Bickar said, “If we can get bigger and better it will benefit our community.” A member does not need to have a classic car or be a “gearhead” wanting to share expertise on rebuilds, rather a willingness to commit to bettering the local community and its people.

Bickar estimates that in the last year the Push Rods have donated over $15,000 in cash and/or services to local charities and projects for the community, including the protective coating of local artist Jenny Fisher’s mural on the old Safeway/Rescom building in Hoquiam. The goal is to double that by garnering the support of Harborites for more fundraisers and more members. Push Rods created a first-ever car calendar this year and are selling them for only $5. All proceeds will come back to the community.