Annual car show raises funds to send local veterans to Washington D.C.

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – With over 120 different kinds of cars, the seventh annual car show at the New Mexico Veteran’s Memorial brought out car enthusiasts of all ages on Sunday. 

“We raise money to take veterans on an all expense paid trip to Washington D.C. — we take 25 each year,” said Adeline Herrera, president of the Honor Flights of Northern New Mexico. 

From young ones to fellow veterans like Larry Laursen who owns an old and rare car. 

“It’s a ’66 Dodge Charger,” said Laursen. “I take the car everywhere, everywhere I can.”

People all out to show their cars for local veterans, sending them to Washington D.C. from funds raised through this program is very important to organizers.  

“It is very important for them to see the monument, the memorials that were built to honor the service that they gave our country, and they all get very touched by that,” said Herrera. 

And it’s even more important because there’s limited time to get them out to the nation’s capital.

“We take World War II, Korean, and Vietnam veterans. We’re running down on World War II they’re dying faster than we can take them,” Herrera said. 

With events like the car show, the hope is to send as many veterans as possible while time still allows.

For more information on upcoming fundraisers, visit the Honor Flights of Northern New Mexico’s website.