By Greta Cobar

More than a hundred sparkly cars, motorcycles and bicycles rolled onto Rose Ave, June 30, as the Venice Community Housing Corporation (VCHC) successfully put on its first “Venice Beach Rides for the Community” Car and Motorcycle Show.

The event was awesome, to be surpassed only by its mission of raising money for low-income housing in Venice and Mar Vista.

While strolling between Lincoln and Main Street, Venetians and out-of-towners found it almost impossible to decide on the winner of the event: the perfect beach weather, cherried vintage cars, beautiful people, art rides, street food, hot rods, bands, muscle cars, Venice’s world-famous street performers, motorcycles, custom-built bicycles or eco rides.

Trophies were awarded to several participants in different categories, but Venice itself was the true winner of the event, as the money raised will be used by VCHC to fulfill its mission of “preserving the economic, racial and social diversity of Venice and the surrounding area by maximizing affordable housing, community and economic development opportunities and by providing needed social services to low-income residents.”

Although we Venetians get a chance to breathe fresh air every day, even to us this event felt refreshing after the nasty Overnight Parking District battles, the harassment of the car dwellers by the LAPD, and the ongoing yuppies’ efforts to transform the city into another gated community.

As VCHC proved at this event, reaching out and helping each other, raising money for one another as opposed to trying to get rid of each other is a lot more fun, constructive and good-karma-providing than the bitter clashes could ever be. Let’s let this event serve as an inspiration for what we can and do accomplish here to persevere the true spirit of Venice, which can never be defeated.