The interior of a vintage vehicle is seen in August 2021 at the Drive to Remember Car Show at the Maude Cobb Convention and Activity Center in Longview. (Les Hassell/Longview News-Journal File Photo)

Cameron Williams bonded with his father over cars, so when Williams lost his father to Alzheimer’s in 2016, he started Drive to Remember, a nonprofit organization that shares his passion for exotic rides in order to drive support for those suffering from the disease.

Motorheads will meet July 20 at the Maude Cobb Convention and Activity Center in Longview for the ninth installment of the benefit car show. Doors open at 10 a.m., and the show runs until 3 p.m.

“There will be hopped-up Mustangs and Ferraris,” Williams said. “Every year, we’ve raised more money and more people show up. Last year, we raised around $15,000 for the East Texas Alzheimer’s Alliance, which gets us close to our goal of contributing $100,000 to local families with loved ones suffering from the disease.”

When Williams was looking for help as his father’s condition deteriorated almost a decade ago, he found there was little support in the Longview area.

“There was a lack of resources at that time in our community,” he said.

Worse, Williams noticed that many people he encountered were unaware of how serious an Alzheimer’s diagnosis is.

“People will call it ‘oldtimers’ disease and more or less think of it as being elderly and forgetful,” he said. “It surprises a lot of people that this is a lethal disease. There is no cure, and your organs eventually shut down.”

The East Texas Alzheimer’s Alliance, a nonprofit support network based in Longview, was established in 2017. That allowed Williams to donate the proceeds of the car show to an organization focused on area families.

“We give locally, so we know exactly where the money goes,” he said.

The alliance provides services ranging from consultation with families who have just had a loved one receive an Alzheimer’s diagnosis, to what’s called respite care, which gives families a safe place to leave a loved one where they will be taken care of while their relatives or spouses work.

“As the disease progresses, those with it need to have hands-on, around-the-clock care, which can be incredibly stressful for the family,” Williams said.

Drive to Remember is free to attend and has grown so large that the cars — previously confined to the inside of Maude Cobb — likely will overflow into the outdoor parking lots this year, Williams said.

“We also get a lot of support from our sponsors,” he said.

Twenty sponsors, including Longview businesses such as Rose Retirement and the Dallas-based Cadillac V Club, help boost donations. Visitors can give in cash or electronically at the convention center doors, through raffle tickets or by purchasing event T-shirts.

A food truck will be present to serve hungry attendees, Williams said.

For more information, visit drive2remember.org.