INNISFAIL – Local Men’s Shed members had an inspired idea to add a little pizzazz to this year’s 5th annual Innisfail Soap Box Derby on July 26.
They called it the Flying Ace, with Snoopy emblazoned in red on the front of the soap box racing cart.
It was meticulously designed and constructed over a month.
The creation even had an instrument panel and a start button for the kids to marvel over.
“It’s another great idea by Terry. It looks very professional,” said Innisfail Men’s Shed member Ray Cimolini of club colleague Terry Leicht. “There was five of us that built the cart.”
He said the project was constructed for kids from the age of six to 14 who registered to race but didn’t have a cart to enter.
“We've got five kids that'll be driving on behalf of the Men’s Shed today,” said Cimolini on race day. “There's also a donation for each driver, and the Men's Shed has covered the donation as well.
“We're covering all costs for the kids.”
In fact, that was the big and welcome change this year.
In the past there was a registration fee for the Innisfail Soap Box Derby but this year it was changed to a donation with all proceeds going to the Innisfail Lions Club to help support the Innisfail and Area Food Bank.
As for the annual race itself, which was hosted by the Innisfail Lions Club in partnership with the Innisfail Kinsmen and Innisfail Men’s Shed, it was the first time in the event’s five-year history of thrills down Cemetery Hill when participants and supporters had to deal with gloomy skies and rain.
But it did not matter to any attendee.
“I believe this would be the first time we've had rain, for sure, and hopefully it doesn't impact the numbers too much,” said Innisfail Kinsmen volunteer Donnie Hill, who was tasked with using his ATV to transport carts with his son Sylas back up Cemetery Hill after each race. “Yes, it is rain or shine for sure.
“As long as there is no lightning, we should be good,” added Hill. “Lots of kids have worked hard to make their own carts and we're going to make sure they can run them today.”
The gravity-powered race show began on time at 10 a.m. and no one was complaining.
The Flying Ace was up first against two excited competitors but the Snoopy-inspired cart was bested by young Paxton Bayne who claimed the race’s first winner’s ribbon, along with gift cards from Innisfail Dairy Queen and Innisfail Subway.
In total, 31 entrants raced down Cemetery Hill during the three-and-a-half-hour event, which was lower than in previous years.
The rain came intermittently but friends and family members, some with umbrellas, always cheered.
Innisfail Subway later dropped off several boxes of subs for the hungry, and there was plenty of Tim Hortons coffee to sip on to help take away the wet chill.
Event judges later announced three awards.
The Men’s Shed’s Flying Ace won for Best Design. The Fan Favourite was Orange 95, and Skull Car was named Best Cart.
Near the end of the event a trio of adult Men’s Shed members - Leicht, Dale Ray and Bryce Huff - had their own race down Cemetery Hill.
There is no record of the winner but there were plenty of smiles and joy for another successful Innisfail Soap Box Derby, with the besting of the elements making it especially memorable.
“It was pretty decent considering the weather conditions,” said the lions club’s Tom Reinhart at the end of the event. “I think people enjoyed themselves and the ones who participated.
“We will be back next year bigger and better.”
