By Dave Nashif

Sunday July 30th, Cascade Cougar Club Hosted the 21st annual Cougar Prowl at XXX Root Beer Drive-in located at Issaquah, WA. Team Prowl presented an event focused on the Mercury Cougar, and honoring the traditions of Prowl past, present, and future.

There was a good turnout of Cougars with the official count of 46. The additional presence of "Dearborn’s Finest" raised the official count to 75 cars. Many of the Cougars which did attend were making their public debut at Prowl 2006. Once again the show site blended both a car show and cruise-in theme well. Weather was a challenge during the show and contributed to the lower than expected turnout.  A forecast of rain, and 3 showers during the course of the show, provided for some un-scripted excitement. Most importantly we had a collection of great cars and great people cemented together by having fun. 

The criteria to measure the success of the Prowl event are divided into 3 categories. First and foremost is to have fun, second is to create an atmosphere for club members and guests to enjoy displaying their cars, and enjoy the company of each other, and thirdly is to raise some money for the club’s charitable work, and expenses. Without a doubt the people who did attend had fun, enjoyed displaying their cars while visiting with friends new and old, and money was raised for LEO, a local charity and Mary Bridge Children’s Hospital. Many of us have already started planning for Prowl 2007, which will help celebrate the 40th anniversary of the Mercury Cougar’s introduction.

Enough can’t be said to acknowledge the sponsors and volunteers who made the event a reality. Cougar Vendors, the Cougar Club of America, and local businesses provide financial support and door prizes that are the life blood of our annual Prowl and Cascade Cougar Club charitable donations.  Team Prowl and day of show volunteers were like a well oiled machine getting the show site set up, welcoming and registering our guests, parking cars and getting on with the business of the show. Site management and the merchandise area were the two crown jewels of Prowl 2006.

Two special awards were presented during Prowl 2006. Long distance award was presented to long time club member and supporter Pat Price. Pat’s journey to the show wasn’t measured in miles only. Pat overcame a very serious health issue prior to the show, and having him with us for Prowl was the culmination of a very long journey. Mike Hainsworth has been the club cartoonist for many years. Mike has provided our newsletter, the Prowler, and other publications, with entertaining and Cougar specific cartoons. Our retired newsletter editor Bill Herbert located a Cascade Cougar Club men’s watch and current editor Don Skinner helped present the watch to Mike for his contributions to the Club.

Here are some of the pictures from the event. (Click back after viewing)

Photos (part one)

Photos (part two)