ST. GEORGE – The Wade Family Foundation and KONY Coins for Kids announced the winners of five donated vehicles Friday during a small gathering held at the Stephen Wade Auto Center Chevrolet Dealership.
This year, the Wade Family Foundation donated five cars to KONY Coins for Kids. Two of the cars were gifted to families in need, two other cars were used in a donation drawing held by KONY Coins for Kids to raise funds to purchase Christmas toys for needy families, and the fifth car was donated to a woman who has been without a car after helping another family in need.
“One of the more rewarding things that we appreciate through the Stephen Wade Auto Center and the Wade Family Foundation are some of the partnerships that we’ve built with other nonprofit organizations here in our community that do a lot of good,” Monty Magleby, executive director of the Wade foundation said; “and we appreciate the opportunity to team up with them.”
The auto technician team at the Stephen Wade Auto Center donated their time and expertise to refurbish five used cars, making them clean and smooth-running so that they are almost like new for the families receiving them.
“Two of the cars that we used were used in a donation drawing that helped us raise money for Coins for Kids,” Brian Musso, KONY Coins for Kids Chairman, said. “Through that drawing we raised over $20,000 which was essential for us this year – donations were really hard to come by. We raised a total of a little over $95,000 and serviced over 1,600 children – over 600 families. So the efforts provided in restoring those vehicles the Foundation provided directly affected over 1,600 kids.”
Musso continued to express his gratitude as he spoke to the team responsible for refurbishing the cars:
“I can’t express to you enough how grateful we are to each and every one of you and for the efforts and the time that you put into this. To come up with that many cars in a really short period of time is an amazing effort and I know that there’s hundreds and hundreds of hours going into it. We see a lot of little miracles in Coins for Kids every year. We are truly so appreciative.”
These five vehicles add to the now 22 cars that Stephen Wade Auto Center team members have refurbished from top to bottom over the past few years to get them into the hands of needy individuals or other good people. By way of example, Magleby called one recipient to the front and related her story:
This is Anna Marie. She lives out in Hurricane. She drives into work every day at the hospital very early in the morning. It was getting colder out and she noticed a little gal pushing a baby carriage in the dark in the early morning hours. She pulled over and said, ‘Are you OK? Can I give you a ride?’ This little gal was a single mother of seven and Anna Marie adopted her, started driving her to work every day, helping her out, et cetera. On one occasion this gal needed a car and Anna Marie wasn’t available herself so she asked if she could borrow her car, and this nice, little gal went and rear-ended a construction vehicle and her car was totaled. So Anna Marie was without a car. Corbin Wade heard about this situation and today we’re delivering Anna Marie a vehicle to thank her for doing good in the community.
Attendees applauded as Anna Marie said: “I wouldn’t change anything. I’d still do it over again.”
Corbin Wade said he felt honored to be a part of helping Anna Marie receive a car.
“I’ve been blessed enough in my life to have the opportunity to help others, and I’m not sure who it benefits more . . . me or them,” Corbin Wade said. “It’s an amazing feeling to be able to help change someone’s life to that degree. I’ve been blessed with some amazing moments.”
In closing, car dealership owner, Stephen Wade, took a few minutes to give credit to his many employees, mechanics and service team who contributed their time to get the cars in top condition, calling them the “unsung heroes” who really made it happen.
“It’s the hours spent in making these cars so that they are presentable and that they work and that it’s a gift that we’re proud to give, and I just appreciate so much the people that support us and work here with us because they are the heroes,” Stephen Wade said. “We all want to bless lives but it takes effort to do that and I appreciate everyone involved in this effort.”
(report continues below)
Mechanics at Stephen Wade Auto volunteered their own time to work on the cars. By and large, they declined credit, St. George, Utah, December 2013 | Videocast by Michael Flynn, St. George News
Some of the recipients of the cars were chosen with input from the Erin Kimball Foundation and Southwest Behavioral Center. Given their potential vulnerability, their names are being kept private.
Related posts
- Wade Family Foundation’s legacy of giving, changing lives
- KONY Coins for Kids gives Christmas to 1,600 local children; STGnews Videocast
- KONY Coins for Kids returns, cars dontated to cause
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Very interesting, and good for the dealership. One thing I’m interested in knowing, is what the giveaway cars are? They say they are “used” which is fine. But I’d just like to know a little more about them.
Or to put it more bluntly, is Stephen Wade giving away one thousand dollar “used cars” or ten thousand dollar “used cars.” You know that whatever it is, it is a good thing he is doing. But he is also reaping thousands of dollars of advertisement, not to mention tax breaks by doing this.
I don’t care if he is giving away five dollars or five hundred thousand dollars, I just would like it to be on record as to what these cars are, and what they are worth.