By April Lehmbeck
C & G Staff Writer

EASTPOINTE — Tough economic times have affected more than just the businesses fighting to keep their doors open.

It has also touched Cruisin’ Gratiot sponsorship.  

However, despite the tough times, businesses are still supporting the cruise, and cruise planners are looking for others who want to sign on to be a sponsor of the annual event, which takes place along Gratiot in Eastpointe every June.

“We lost a major sponsor when Colonial Dodge closed, but we have picked up two new ones and (are) working on a few more,” said Karen Arondoski, president of the Cruisin’ Gratiot board, which is made up of volunteers.

“It is very important for the cruise to have sponsors as it helps to cover our costs and all proceeds go to assist local charities and they need our help more than ever now,” she said.

Some of the sponsors of the cruise are the Villa Restaurant, the Eastside Family Federal Credit Union, American Ink Printing and Graphics, and C & G Newspapers, but there are a number of others.

“One that has been with us since the beginning is First State Bank,” Arondoski said.

She mentioned the Cloverleaf Bar and Restaurant as another one that has been with the cruise since the inception.

The Eastside Family Federal Credit Union is one of the newer sponsors, signing on to sponsor the event last year. Another newer company that signed on last year is the city’s engineering firm, Anderson, Eckstein and Westrick.

“The city of Eastpointe has been a very good client of AEW for over 28 years, and we looked at this as an opportunity to give back to the community,” AEW Executive Vice President Stephen Pangori said. “This is a very difficult time for many individuals, businesses and municipalities, but we believe that the cruise is one of those events that brings the community together in celebration of the American automobile and at the same time supports local charities.”

They’ve attracted some others this year including a new company called Wow Electronics and 1st Choice Home Improvement.

Karen Vaughn of sponsor American Ink Printing and Graphics was responsible for attracting 1st Choice as a new sponsor for the cruise.

“They donate a lot of our printing for us, and the rest she only charges us cost,” Arondoski said of American Ink Printing and Graphics.

Sponsors sign on for different levels of sponsorship, so the cost is dependent on what level they sponsor at, but there are benefits for that cost including exposure to the more than 200,000 people who come out on cruise day, according to cruise information.

Major sponsors get their names in the newspaper, on cruise memorabilia including T-shirts and on signs for the cruise, according to cruise information.

Also, since the cruise is a nonprofit that supports charities with money raised, the businesses that sponsor also are helping with the causes that the cruise supports.

For more information about sponsorship opportunities, contact (586) 552-1366 or e-mail Karen Arondoski at upwards3@aol.com.

You can reach Staff Writer April Lehmbeck at alehmbeck@candgnews.com or at (586) 498-1043.