Make-A-Wish Oregon, The Final Show After 10 Years
In 2003, when Karen Koch started showing her Mustang at local car shows, she approached the Make-A-Wish organization, where she was a volunteer, about having a car show as a fundraiser. Make-A-Wish approved the car show as an 'outside' event, which meant Karen would be on her own to put the show together. Haggen in Tualatin, Oregon sponsored the event for the first 4 years and for the last 6 years, Haggen provided the venue, but the expense of the show came out of Karen's own pocket.
With an average of 170-190 vehicles in attendance every year, and an all time high of 204 cars one year, Karen's 'Sizzling Summer Car and Hot Rod Show' was the place to be and lots of money was raised for the Make-A-Wish Oregon organization.
Karen mentions that the highlight of the show was when "Wish Kids" would come to the show and pick out their favorite car for the Make-A-Wish Choice Award and help her hand out the other awards as well. Being a volunteer herself, she was able to contact wish families that she had worked with and have them attend the show. Karen felt having them at the show raised awareness of the kids, and everyone seemed to enjoy meeting a new wish kid each year and putting a face on what it is all about.
Karen feels her show also motivated a couple other clubs to put on shows to benefit Make-A-Wish and she hopes more clubs will jump on board for this cause.
Karen's show raised a total of $45,212 in 10 years for the Make-A-Wish Oregon organization !!
Thank you Karen, for all you've done for the Make-A-Wish Oregon organization. Your labor of love has gone a long way in helping wishes come true for some very special kids. We appreciate all you've done and it goes without saying, that you've made a huge difference in the life of a child!
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