The Jukebox Cruisers Car Club donated over $3,000 to five local nonprofit organizations on Tuesday.

The check presentations were held at the Penn Forest Volunteer Fire Co. No. 1.

Jim Laub, of the Schuylkill Carbon Marine Corps League, was on site to receive $300 on behalf of Toys for Tots.

“Without people like this, we wouldn’t be able to do half of what we do,” Laub said. “We put boxes out and collect toys, and that kind of works. But people like this, these organizations - the businesses around here are what keep us afloat every year.”

The car club donated $500 to the Penn Forest Volunteer Fire Co. No. 1.

Fire Chief Tom Lynd said it’s going toward a new department chain saw.

“We get together with the club once a month on Friday nights,” said Lynd. “They have their cruise meetings out here and we make food for them. It’s all people from the community. We really appreciate the support they give us.”

Turn To Us Inc., a Carbon County nonprofit which provides autism and cancer support to locals, received a $1,000 check from the Cruisers’ club.

“The club has been very supportive of Turn to Us over the past few years,” said Alicia Kline, founder and executive director.

“We’re extremely appreciative of their help and spreading our mission and awareness for what we do. This year, in particular, every penny counts. A lot of our fundraisers were canceled in 2020 and we are still taking precautions in 2021, with the hope of getting back to normal and doing our in-person events in 2022.”

Another $1,000 was donated to Shepherd House, a local organization which nine food pantries operate through.

“We’re there to provide a three-day supply of food,” said Executive Director Stanley Haupt. “All of our pantries are open once a month. The only exception is Trinity Lutheran Church in Lehighton, which is open every Tuesday, because their volume is too high to have everyone come at a certain time once a month. They funded us in the past, so it’s nice that they funded us again. They like what we do and we really appreciate the financial support.”

Joe Boyle is one of the original founding fathers of the Jukebox Cruisers, which was created in 2001. He is also involved with the Mauch Chunk Rod & Gun Club, which received $250 from the club.

“We actually started at the Mauch Chunk Rod & Gun Club. Three of us sat there and thought, let’s start a car club, and that’s where it took off from,” Boyle said.

The Cruisers, a nonprofit, celebrated its 21st anniversary a few months ago. The club hosts many events and the monetary donations go back into the community. It has over 140 members who can be seen on cruises or in local parades.

For more information, visit jukeboxcruisers.org.