OGDEN, Utah – A car crew in Ogden is committed to transforming the auto scene and community, breaking down stigmatization in auto clubs, and showing that there’s more to it than meeting in modified cars.
Every Thursday evening, the Ogden Midnight Runners (OMR) take a leisurely cruise through the streets in Ogden.
Ethan Gerena and his girlfriend drove down Washington Boulevard and stopped at a traffic light. Gerena rolled down his window and waved to a couple in a white Dodge Ram next to them.
“Hello!” he said. They said hello to their friends as the weekend’s voice filled the background of the radio.
This car crew is not trying to drive or drive fast. You are not out to weave your way in and out of traffic. This car crew is about what they can do when they’re not on the road.
When it rained in a parking lot at Dollar Tree in Ogden before the cruise, people parked side by side and slowly got out to walk towards a group standing with umbrellas near the cars.
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The Ogden Midnight Runners have been holding a get-together twice a week since Gerena and friend Luis Chivichon founded the crew last December. The group has grown slowly and adds new members every week.
During this special meeting, someone named Daniel went to Chivichon to introduce himself.
“What are you driving? Luis asked. Daniel replied that he drives a Subaru Outback.
“I think I’ve seen you before and thought, ‘What is this ?!'” Luis said of Daniel’s outback. “And then I saw you at the meeting and I said ‘Woah!'”
OMR is not about a make or a model. Everyone is welcome in this group.
Gerena called everyone in a circle to make some announcements.
“Luis and I will be peeking around Ogden later this week and looking for other areas to clean up,” said Gerena.
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He talked about the other type of meeting that OMR holds twice a month – a city cleanup.
The group gathered again on a Sunday afternoon, but this time they all parked next to Ogden Park. Everyone grabbed 5 gallon buckets and trash collectors and set off.
“We go up and down on the 25th and try to keep it clean. As clean as possible, you know,” said Brian Loftus.
They searched the sidewalks and parking lots, picking up beer bottles, cigarette butts, flattened cans and other rubbish.
“To see the good change from Ogden because there is trash everywhere,” Hector Medina told why he is involved with OMR and the cleanup. “It’s a beautiful city and we don’t need that
The OMR cleanup days are just one of the many ongoing service projects that the auto crew is leading.
“We went on a clothes trip, and then we’re going to do another food trip here in May,” said Gerena. He added that they are also working with Youth Impact to help Latinos become homeowners.
Medina said they are also hoping to raise funds to buy a car for a family in need.
You know it doesn’t come to mind when people think of auto crews. They know it’s not what people would expect from the auto scene.
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But that’s exactly what Ogden Midnight Runners wants to change.
“The typical stigma would be, ‘Oh, these people are only here to hang out, you know, kind of loud,'” Gerena said of what others see when they see the OMR group of cars parked in Ogden. “I really hope that when people see us with garbage collectors and bins and they’re ready to clean up the street, they really say, ‘You know, they have the sports cars, but they’re not here to ruin the atmosphere. They are here to pick things up and make them a little better than before. ‘”
In doing so, Gerena hopes the car scene can evolve into noisy vehicles racing down the street into what OMR created: a safe, uplifting, and fun family that helps a community they care about.
“I love doing things like that, especially with the crew,” said Medina. “Everyone here, I love them all to death.”
Fate Patterson said the best way to think about it is that they are family and want to make sure that where they live and what they do is where they live is clean.
“We just want to be proud of where we live, much like when you’re in your own house, clean up because you want to be proud of where you live,” Patterson said, adding, “We’re doing the same thing but for Ogden. “
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