In memory of the late Ed Kazlauskus, longtime business owner and annual car show host, the open header cruise for the cause will donate all of its proceeds to the Cass County Cancer League.

Preregistration is open now through July 15 with an entry fee of $20. Participants can register by filling out the flyer online at Magician-Lake.org.

If the flyer is unavailable, participants can contact Curt Rohdy, who is planning the event, any day from 6 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. at (269) 782-2524. Participants can register up until the event, but after July 15 the entry fee is $25.

“Ed and I had talked about this for three or four years, but every time we tried to set it up something else would come up,” said Rohdy, who is also the owner of John & Curt’s Brake & Alignment and co-host of the annual car shows. “When Ed passed away I decided this was the time to do it and we would donate the proceeds.”

Curt said registered participants will meet at the Five-Mile Drive-In around 5:30 p.m.

Around 6:40 p.m. they will head into town with a police escort. All of the roads in the route have been blocked off so the group can stay together.

After that, at 7:30 p.m., the band Sixth Generation will play in the park. There will also be food served.

Though anyone who wants to register for the event may do so, there are some specific cars, such as cars with open headers and muscle cars from the ‘50s and ‘60s, Rohdy said. However, cars without headers, newer cars and even motorcycles are welcome to come out and drive for the cause.

“Ed had a love for cars and he thought that it [car shows] would bring business to the business district downtown,” Rohdy said. “Ed was the type of person that helped a lot of people. He did it just to help people out of the good of his heart and didn’t take the glory for it.”

Rohdy said he and Ed’s wife and decided to donate all of the proceeds to the Cass County Cancer League because the organization had helped them before and made a difference in their lives.

“Ed had passed away from cancer and I also had a sister-in-law pass away from cancer,” Rohdy said. “The organization was really nice. They tried to get anything that you possibly needed that they could help you with. It’s [Cass County Cancer League] local, so the money stays in Cass County. We thought that would be a good one to donate to. I talked to Ed’s wife, and that was her wish too.”