Sheehy Auto Stores is encouraging shoppers and community members to join in its efforts to feed the needy throughout the Richmond, Va.; Baltimore and Washington, D.C. areas.
The dealer group will collect canned goods and non-perishable food at its stores as part of the company’s annual Fall Food Drive.
The drive will go through Nov. 12, and donations will benefit Ashland Christian Emergency Services (ACES), the Capital Area Food Bank, Feeding America, the Oxon Hill Food Pantry and the Southern Maryland Food Bank.
Sheehy Fall Food Drive drop-off locations include:
Washington, D.C.:
Sheehy Ford of Gaithersburg (Capital Area Food Bank)
901 North Frederick Avenue
Gaithersburg, Md. 20979
Sheehy Nissan & Hyundai of Waldorf (Feeding America)
2950 Crain Highway
Waldorf, Md. 20601
Sheehy Volkswagen (Capital Area Food Bank)
6601 Backlick Road
Springfield, Va. 22150
Sheehy Ford, Nissan & Subaru of Springfield (Capital Area Food Bank)
6727 Loisdale Road
Springfield, Va. 22150
Sheehy Nissan of Manassas (Capital Area Food Bank)
9010 Liberia Avenue
Manassas, Va. 20110
Sheehy Ford of Warrenton (Feeding America)
6443 Lee Highway
Warrenton, Va. 20187
Sheehy Honda of Alexandria (Capital Area Food Bank)
2434 Richmond Highway
Alexandria, Va. 22306
Sheehy Ford of Marlow Heights (Oxon Hill Food Pantry)
5000 Auth Road
Marlow Heights, Md. 20746
Sheehy Infiniti of Chantilly (Feeding America)
4145 Auto Park Circle
Chantilly, Va. 20151
Patriot Harley-Davidson (Feeding America)
9739 Fairfax Boulevard
Fairfax, Va. 22031
Annapolis/Baltimore, Md.:
Sheehy Lexus of Annapolis (Southern Maryland Food Bank)
121 Ferguson Road
Annapolis, Md. 21409
Sheehy Infiniti of Annapolis (Southern Maryland Food Bank)
123 Ferguson Road
Annapolis, Md. 21409
Sheehy Nissan of Glen Burnie (Southern Maryland Food Bank)
7232 Ritchie Highway
Glen Burnie, Md. 21061
Richmond, Va.:
Sheehy Ford Lincoln/Mercury of Richmond (Feeding America)
10601 Midlothian Turnpike
Richmond, Va. 23235
Sheehy Ford of Ashland (ACES Ashland Christian Emergency Services)
11450 Washington Highway
Ashland, Va. 23005
Sheehy Nissan of Mechanicsville (Feeding America)
6564 Mechanicsville Turnpike
Mechanicsville, Va. 23111
For more information, visit www.sheehy.com or call (410) 760-3500.
Dodge, in partnership with the well-known actor Danny Trejo, have organized a campaign that not only aims to boost test drives at several of its southern California locations, but will also give back to a worthy cause fitting to the locale.
Via its “It’ll Test You” Hispanic marketing campaign, Dodge and Trejo have partnered with the A Walk On Water nonprofit organization, pledging up to $25,000 in donations, for the latter’s contributions of “surf therapy” for children with special needs.
Following Dodge’s $20,000 initial donation to AWOW last week, the automaker will contribute another $50 for each test drive taken, up to an additional $5,000, during its following events between Thursday and Tuesday.
"We always knew that Danny Trejo's tough persona, strong character and perfect mix of both muscle and fun made him the ideal spokesperson for Dodge's 'It'll Test You' campaign, as he epitomizes the irreverence and dare-to-be-different attitude of the Dodge brand," said Juan Torres, head of multicultural advertising, FCA US LLC. "We learned about the other side of Danny when we met him – his philanthropic work and his passion for A Walk on Water – which made it easy for Dodge and our dealers to support Danny in his efforts to generate awareness and funds for this wonderful organization."
Here’s the schedule for upcoming “It’ll Test You” test drives in southern California in the next week:
· 2-7 p.m., Thursday, September 24 at Champion Chrysler Jeep Dodge Ram of Downey, 9655 Firestone Blvd.
· 3-8 p.m., Friday, September 25 at Premier Chrysler Jeep Dodge Ram of West Covina, 298 N. Azusa Ave.
· 3-8 p.m., Monday, September 28 at Van Nuys Chrysler Jeep Dodge Ram, 6110-6114 Van Nuys Blvd.
· 3-8 p.m., Tuesday, September 29 at Alhambra Chrysler Jeep Dodge Ram, 1100 W. Main Street
Test-drive participants will also receive two free tickets to the Supersonico festival on October 3, which Dodge is a title sponsor, at the Hollywood Palladium in L.A.
For more information about A Walk On Water, visit its site here.
The Southeastern Auto Auction celebrated its anniversary last week, recognizing 19 years of operation in its Savannah, Ga., location.
SEAA’s 19th Anniversary Sale featured a large consignment of vehicles from a variety of consignors, including new-car dealers, independent dealers and institutional accounts.
According to the auction, it had a record-breaking number of dealers involved, both in the auction lanes and online via Simulcast.
The celebration culminated at the sale after a month of anniversary related events, with prize giveaways at every sale. In-lane dealers had weekly chances at diamond-plated shrimp and oyster steamers while online shoppers had a chance at winning an iPad mini.
The anniversary sale itself featured a free Georgia barbecue along with more than $15,000 in cash and prizes. The event also included a generous act of philanthropy, a donation given to the Shriners Hospital for Children from money raised during the event’s 50/50 drawing.
“It has been a long year for breaking records here at Southeastern Auto Auction and our anniversary month was no different,” said Bill McCready, the auction’s vice president. “For an auction to be in business this long you need to have great employees and great customers. I would like to thank the hard-working Southeastern Auto Auction team members for all they do and also our amazing dealers. Everyone is looking forward to see what our 20th anniversary year holds!”
For more information on SEAA, visit its site here.
New-car dealers in the Chicago metro area, colloquially known as Chicagoland, recently donated more than $121,000 to the USO of Illinois and local troops.
Seventy Chicagoland dealers collaborated to put on the USO Barbecue for the Troops fundraiser, the mid-July culmination of a month-long fundraising campaign to help support the military.
The Chicago Automobile Trade Association board of directors presented the check to the USO of Illinois during the USO’s Clark After Dark fundraiser last week.
“I feel very proud and honored to lead this association of dealers,” said Mike McGrath Jr., CATA’s chairman. “As a dealer myself, I have a huge sense of pride as I know firsthand the hard work that goes into coordinating these events. We had 70 dealers leading the charge and rallying their individual communities to raise funds and awareness for Illinois troops.
“It does not at all surprise me that CATA dealers far surpassed the fundraising goal from last year. What some might not recognize is that dealers are already deeply rooted within their communities and constantly strive to make a difference. The CATA’s partnership with the USO of Illinois is a natural fit and a cause that dealers can appreciate and, demonstrably, fully support.”
The organization’s fundraising goal was $100,000, which it exceeded by over $20,000. The 70 Chicagoland dealer participants hosted their own barbecue fundraisers within their communities. The organization raised $90,000 last year.
“With this generous donation, the CATA has set the bar high yet again and the USO of Illinois is truly grateful,” said Alison Ruble, the president and chief executive officer of the USO of Illinois. “Thanks to the grassroots efforts of 70 Chicagoland dealers that participated this year, funds raised through the USO Barbecue for the Troops initiative will help the USO of Illinois continue to provide vital programs and services that deliver care and comfort to the more than 330,000 military and military families that we serve every year, and send a clear message that our Illinois communities appreciate their service to our nation.”
For more information about the USO of Illinois, visit its site here.
Four ADESA locations, in partnership with the Ford Global Action Team, announced they have raised over $283,000 for JDRF, a leading global organization focused on Type 1 diabetes research.
Employees from ADESA locations in Indianapolis; Boston; Buffalo, N.Y.; and Phoenix along with their families, friends and customers participated in local JDRF Walk to Cure Diabetes events.
ADESA Buffalo, in addition to the charity walk, also organized several fundraising events, including a bake sale. ADESA Indianapolis and ADESA Boston both hosted car shows and motorcycle rides.
The Indianapolis location raised the most out of the group — $162,000, more than three times its original goal — through its aforementioned car show and motorcycle ride along with the raffle of a 1971 Pontiac GTO and the auction of a 2013 Porsche Cayenne Turbo, which was donated by a customer whose daughter was recently diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes.
Stéphane St-Hilaire, ADESA’s president and chief executive officer, commented on his organization’s long-standing philanthropic relationship with JDRF.
“We’re proud to work in partnership with the Ford Global Action Team to support JDRF and to help fund this much-needed research,” St-Hilaire said. Thank you to our employees, our customers and our industry partners who contributed so generously to this cause. Because of this dedication, we were again able to exceed our fundraising goals.”
Edsel B. Ford II, board director at Ford Motor Co., applauded the partnership between Ford, ADESA and JDRF.
“This unique team effort has significantly contributed to vital JDRF research that can bring us closer to turning type 1 into type none,” Ford said. “I am extremely proud of this partnership, and I look forward to continuing on this journey with ADESA until we have a world without T1D.”
For more information on JDRF’s research and efforts, visit its site here.
Auto transportation and logistics company Jack Cooper announced Monday that it raised over $20,000 for local charities from hosting a recent day-long volunteer event for its employees and company partners.
The Used Car Week sponsor says the proceeds will benefit seven charities in the Atlanta metro area and were raised from over 150 volunteers from eight Atlanta-area companies, including Jack Cooper, Wells Fargo, Barclays, JP Morgan, IDR, the Atlanta Hawks, King & Spalding and Ogletree Deakins.
The charities benefited by the June 27 day of service included Goodwill Industries, the Ronald McDonald House, the Flowering Branch Children’s Home and Project Night Night.
The 2015 Volunteer Day served 50 familes at the Ronald McDonald House, 100 children from Project Night Night and 1,000 children from MUST Ministries. The group also moved 4,800 pounds of goods for the Atlanta Food Bank.
"Responsibility is a core value at Jack Cooper and it governs how we approach and engage our employees, our clients and our community," said Sarah Amico, the executive chairman of Jack Cooper’s board of directors. "We are proud to support our local community through our second annual Volunteer Day and to work hand in hand with our partner organizations to ensure that children in our community have the tools they need to reach their full potential regardless of socioeconomic status."
The event resulted in a 50 percent higher volunteer turnout compared to the company's event last year. All proceeds directly benefit local children and families to help support educational initiatives and fight childhood hunger and homelessness.
For more information about Jack Cooper, visit its site here.
Larry H. Miller Dealerships, in conjunction with Safe Kids Arizona and local first responders, announced Wednesday the group will host car seat safety checks throughout the month of September for National Child Passenger Safety Month.
LHM dealer locations from Phoenix to Tucson, Ariz. will host the events every weekend in September from 9 a.m. to noon, featuring car seat checks along with providing informational safety materials for attendees. Live entertainment from local radio station and food and drinks will supplement the events.
“Larry H. Miller Dealerships is proud to raise awareness regarding car seat safety in Arizona,” said Pat Kroneberger, the dealer group’s senior vice president of operations. “National Child Passenger Safety Month is the perfect opportunity for us to help educate the public on this important topic and to provide a service that makes life safer for youth across the Valley. It is our mission to positively impact the communities we serve through charitable efforts and events.”
On top of the events, Larry H. Miller Charities plans to make a $10,000 donation to Safe Kids Arizona to help buy car seats and car seat safety programs for those the organizations serves.
More information can be found on the LHM Car Seat Safety website.
Following the record damage caused by the spring flooding in Texas, members of the National Independent Automobile Dealers Association, along with the NIADA Foundation, decided to help.
Keith Hagler, a former NIADA president, presented a $15,600 check to the Austin Disaster Relief Network at the First Baptist Church of Taylor on July 30 to aid the relief and rebuilding efforts around Taylor, Texas, where Hagler owns and operates Taylor Auto Credit.
The idea for the contribution started with NIADA chairman Arlan Kuehn, who contacted Hagler after hearing about the Texas floods on the news.
“Arlan saw reports on the national news about flooding in Texas, and in Taylor,” Hagler said. “When he called me I was helping get water out of our church.”
Half of the contribution, $7,800, was raised during the NIADA Convention and Expo in June, where Kuehn announced his plans to donate to ADRN. The NIADA Foundation matched the total.
Daniel Geraci, the executive director at ADRN, said his organization is currently helping 70 to 80 families in Taylor with rebuilding and restoring their homes.
In other donation news, the NIADA Foundation also contributed $1,000 to Your Grateful Nation, a nonprofit dedicated to supporting U.S. combat veterans and their families during and after their transition from military to civilian life.
For more information, visit the NIADA website.
The management team at Corry Auto Dealer’s Exchange, along with nearly 1,000 participants, is counting down the days to the third annual Barber Beast on the Bay — a fundraiser for the Barber National Institute.
Corry ADE officials highlighted the main event kicks off on Sept. 12 with an exciting day of activities that includes a grueling 10-mile extreme obstacle course challenge at Presque Isle State Park. A 1-mile adapted course for participants with physical or intellectual disabilities is also part of the day’s line-up that includes music, food, cheer zones and plenty of fun.
The Barber Institute was founded in 1952 by Gertrude Barber, an educator in Erie, Pa. The organization has grown into a multi-faceted organization that serves more than 4,200 individuals per year, offering support and resources to children and adults with autism, intellectual disabilities and mental health challenges.
“As a local business, being a part of the community effort is so important,” said Tad Swift, Corry ADE auction manager and family spokesperson for the facility that has served the industry for more than 30 years.
“Being part of Barber Beast on the Bay is a great opportunity to express our gratitude in a truly meaningful way,” Swift added.
Services provided by the Barber Institute include a school that serves students in northwestern Pennsylvania, various behavioral health services as well as autism diagnosis and treatment.
“Our sponsors play an important role in making this event a success. We appreciate the team at Corry Auto Dealers Exchange reaching out to us to be a sponsor,” said Laura Schaaf, director of giving for the Barber National Institute.
“By underwriting the costs, sponsors like Corry ADE make it possible for 100 percent of the proceeds to go toward helping us make dreams come true for the children, adults and their families who are part of the Barber Institute family and our communities,” Schaaf added.
For more information about Barber Beast by the Bay, visit http://www.barberbeast.org.
Stores that are a part of Larry H. Miller Dealerships in Colorado are joining with Denver’s 9NEWS and the Volunteers of America (VOA) for the 14th annual “Stuff for Students” school supply drive.
During the entire month of August, officials highlighted the seven Larry H. Miller Dealership locations statewide will be collecting essential school supply items, including:
— Backpacks
— Pens and pencils
— Filler paper
— Two-pocket folders
— Spiral notebooks
— Crayons and colored markers
— Glue sticks
— Scissors
— Rulers and protractors/compasses
— Composition books
— Water color sketch pads.
VOA indicated that it will sort the donated supplies and distribute them to more than 15 Colorado school districts based on the percentage of free/reduced lunch students.
“We’ve made it our mission to enrich the lives of our customers, employees and community,” said Ray Reilly, senior vice president of operations for Larry H. Miller Dealerships. “Providing children with the tools they need to start the school year off right through the ‘Stuff for Students’ program is an example of this commitment.”
The dealer group mentioned “Stuff for Students” collection bins will be located at these stores:
— Boulder at Larry H. Miller Toyota
— Colorado Springs at Larry H. Miller Liberty Toyota and Larry H. Miller Toyota
— Lakewood at Larry H. Miller Volkswagen and Larry H. Miller Ford
— Highlands Ranch at Larry H. Miller Nissan
— Thornton at Larry H. Miller Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram 104th.
Officials calculated the cost for basic school supplies for one student each year is $161.27 for elementary school, $198 for middle school and $893 for high school students. According to Denver Public Schools, there are more than 2,000 homeless students in Denver along with more than 60,000 on free and reduced lunches.
“With Colorado schools facing unprecedented budget cuts and the number of Colorado children living in poverty continuing to grow, more and more students are starting school without the necessary tools to succeed,” said Bradley Gulley, VOA director of volunteer programs.
“Having Larry H. Miller Dealerships as a partner this year is a huge blessing,” Gulley continued. “We will be able to reach out to more school districts and will collect a greater amount of supplies to help additional students. Supporting our local students makes our communities stronger.”
Volunteers of America works directly with the school districts to distribute the “Stuff for Students” supplies, including:
— Adams 12
— Adams 14
— Adams 50 (Westminster)
— Aurora Public Schools
— Boulder Valley & St. Vrain School Districts
— Brighton Public Schools
— Cherry Creek Public Schools
— Denver Public Schools
— Douglas County Schools
— Elizabeth Public Schools
— Englewood Public Schools
— Jefferson Public Schools
— Littleton Public Schools
— Sheridan Public Schools
— Colorado Springs School District 11
In addition to participating in “Stuff for Students,” employees of Larry H. Miller Dealerships in Colorado have recently been active volunteers in their local communities. Beneficiaries of their assistance include:
— Boulder Humane Society
— Littleton's Shiloh Center
— Lakewood's Action House
— AspenPointe Community Garden
— Marian House Kidz Kloset in Colorado Springs
— Thornton's Carpenter Park and Amphitheater
Larry H. Miller Charities also supports Colorado-based programs by awarding grants to several community organizations that work with youth. The most recent donations were presented to Open Door Youth Gang Alternatives and Swansea Elementary in Denver and Colorado Springs' TESSA Safehouse, which also received a check from Toyota Motor Sales USA.
For store locations, visit www.lhmauto.com. In addition, VOA is accepting monetary donations at www.voacolorado.org/news_and_events/stuff-for-students to purchase additional school supplies following the drive.
