Few cars have captured the hearts of enthusiasts like the Chevrolet Camaro, and for members of the Columbia River Camaro Club (CRCC), that passion goes far beyond the vehicle itself.
At the center of the Pacific Northwest’s Camaro scene, CRCC has been bringing together Camaro lovers since 1982. More than just a club for muscle car enthusiasts, CRCC has built a strong community, forged lasting friendships, and contributed to numerous charitable efforts across the region.
The club is particularly active in fundraising, event organizing and supporting local causes, including its growing involvement with Woodland’s annual Planters Days celebration.
“The goal is to enjoy our cars in a manner that is not embarrassing to the public, and we like to raise money showing our cars to benefit the community,” said Bryan Fakler, president of CRCC. “We use it as a way of enjoying our cars, showing them off and ... also raising money and doing charity work for the local Portland and Vancouver metro areas,” Vice President Balton Carter added.
Since 2021, the Columbia River Camaro Club has played a major role in Woodland’s Planters Days, taking over the car show portion from the aging Rose City Classics club. The transition was gradual, with both clubs hosting the event together for one year before CRCC assumed full responsibility. Despite early challenges such as weather-related setbacks, the club has worked to expand and improve the event each year.
In addition to organizing the car show, CRCC provides convertibles for the festival’s parades, including the Hazel Dell Parade in May and the Planters Days Parade. Club members escort the Woodland princesses through the parades, further integrating themselves into the fabric of the event.
“The first year was a joint (effort). We did it jointly just so they could show us the ropes and how they ran the show,” Fakler said. “Also getting those people to know what we’re coming in and help taking the transition and who what we’re gonna do and all that.”
One of CRCC’s biggest contributions to Planters Days is its fundraising efforts for the Woodland Action Center, a local food bank. The club collects proceeds from the car show’s $20 registration fees and additional donations from the Saturday night cruise-in.
“So last year we gave them a check for $9,000. I’m not sure how many pounds of food, but there were quite a few barrels,” Fakler said. “Quite a handful of barrels were at the main hub of the whole fire station there.”
The club has also made it a priority to keep their fundraising efforts local.
“We really tried to pick charities that were local and gonna benefit the local community, so that’s why we picked the Woodland Action (Center),” Fakler explained. “It was a local food bank. So ... there was a need, so we figured (it) best to put on the Planter Day cruise-in and have the proceeds go to that charity.”
CRCC also ensures that visitors have a reason to bring their cars out for the show by awarding Best of Show and Top 50 awards, encouraging participants to show off their hard work and dedication to their vehicles.
“The Best of Show is like the — that’s the top car that we as the club select,” Carter said. “But we also give out … out 50 other awards to like the top 50 cars of the show. That the various club members go out, look at all the cars that show up and pick.”
Recently, CRCC has also been navigating the impact of Chevrolet discontinuing the Camaro once again at the end of 2024. Fakler, who has been with the club since 1984, witnessed a membership decline when the Camaro was first discontinued in the early 2000s, but he remains optimistic about the club’s future.
“I’m sure it’s gonna impact us some, but what I see with the club present-day is that we have a group of people that really enjoy being around each other — not just about the cars, but as friends,” Fakler said. “I foresee at least a core group of people staying around and enjoying this, regardless of what the Camaro does.”
Carter echoed the sentiment, noting that the club has grown into more than just a gathering of car enthusiasts.
“The Camaro was the icebreaker for building these lasting friendships,” Carter said. “We’ll probably see some drop-offs … but I see us still having a good solid core group for the foreseeable future.”
Beyond Planters Days, CRCC is an active force in the community year-round. The club participates in charity events such as toy drives for Randall’s Children’s Hospital, holiday meal donations and other fundraising efforts benefiting families in Washington and Oregon.
“The club’s always been really good about coming together, raising some money or raising, you know, stuff for various things,” Carter said. “We’ve always had a good time of just being together and going out and having fun going through scenic drives and picnics and talking to other people.”
For those interested in getting involved, the club welcomes anyone who shares a passion for the Camaro — ownership is not a requirement.
“No,” Fakler said simply when asked if one needed to own a Camaro to join. “Just have to like them.”
The club encourages anyone curious about its activities to visit a meeting or attend an event.
“If you want to learn more, you want to meet new people that have at least a similar interest with your vehicle … it’s a good place to social network,” Carter said. “We just like hanging out and having fun, on top of all our charity work.”
Readers can learn more at columbiarivercamaroclub.com.
