SAUGUS — From looking at vintage automobiles, to enjoying a tasty burger and live music, hundreds came together Sunday evening in the Fuddruckers’ parking lot off of Broadway for the ninth annual Mom’s Cancer Fighting Angels Relay for Life car-show fundraiser.
The event ran from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. More than 150 cars had already lined up before 4:30 p.m., with even more pulling in as the day neared 5 p.m. — topping last year’s total of 139.
The event, which was rescheduled from July 16 due to weather, featured a number of classic motor vehicles along with awards for best in show, raffles, and music from oldies DJ Lil’ Jimmy’s Stack of Records. The car show benefited the American Cancer Society and as the host of the event, Fuddruckers donated 20% of all food sales made during the show.
Organizer Guy Moley said the relay team — consisting of his wife and her sister, his sister and her boyfriend, and his niece — came together after his mother passed away from esophageal cancer.
“That’s why we formed the team to do the relay,” Moley said. “It’s a great feeling. We did it in her memory and we’ve been going strong.”
In order to be part of Relay for Life, teams need to put together a fundraiser. As Moley brainstormed, the idea to hold a car show sprouted.
A former employee at Full of Bull restaurant in Saugus, Moley developed a love of cars through the automotive theme of the eatery.
On Thursday nights, Fuddruckers used to hold a cruise-in. So, Moley got to work and went down to the restaurant to pitch his idea. The restaurant agreed to combine the cruise night and fundraiser and moved it to Sunday. Nine years later, it continues to grow.
“Ever since then, everybody looks forward to this event every year,” he said.
Moley himself is a stage three colon-cancer survivor. He was diagnosed within the last three years, but has remained healthy since he beat the disease. He said that stories like his are why fundraisers are so important.
“It goes to show events like this are well worth continuing and doing,” Moley said.
In just its second year, the fundraiser had more than 300 cars show out. Last year, the relay team raised just under $10,000, making it good for first place out of nearly a dozen teams.
According to the American Cancer Society, Relay for Life is the largest peer-to-peer fundraising event in the world that is dedicated to saving lives from cancer. The annual fundraiser in Saugus is dedicated to remembering and honoring cancer survivors and those who have died from the disease.
Though this is its biggest event, the Cancer Fighting Angels hosts two other major annual events: one in May known as Touch a Truck, and the other a Christmas-themed fundraiser. Last year’s third annual Christmas fundraiser generated hundreds of dollars for cancer research, along with toys that were donated to Boston Children’s Hospital.
Moley said all of this would not be possible without his team, and he thanked Fuddruckers for its partnership.
