There are so many car shows that happen every weekend in Florida but only a few support charities! At Dimmitt Automotive Group we pride ourselves on giving back to our community, that is why we jumped at the first chance when we got to sponsor the Lakewood Ranch Exotic Car Show. The main purpose of this event is to raise money for the kids at Flight to the North Pole! Here is a snippet of their mission:
“The Foundation for this program started in 1985 by a number of Eastern Airline flight attendants and has grown ever since. For many years, the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office and the Sarasota/Bradenton Airport Fire Department make this a memorable event for the terminally ill children.
This year we will have over 120 terminally ill children who are able to attend this event and sometimes this may be their last memorable holiday to celebrate with their siblings and parents. The “Flight to the North Pole” tradition continues in that each child that attends [and their siblings] are presented with gifts, lunch, and entertained by volunteers dressed as elves and clowns. The event is held the second week in December, with the Sheriff and his staff volunteering their time, along with Airport Fire Department personnel. The Sheriff’s Office helicopter transports “Santa”, who lands at the airport Fire Station and greets the children and their families, with hugs. Once Santa arrives, you can hardly contain the excitement of the children and families. Inside the Fire Station, is a Santa’s workshop, where the children can sit with Mr. and Mrs. Santa Claus and tell them of their list and receive their gift bags. Needless to say, this is a memorable event not only for the children, but for their families as well. Volunteers from the business community and citizens from Manatee and Sarasota counties provide dollars for gifts, in-kind donations of food, time, gifts, door prizes, entertainment and other services.
The end result is a Christmas Wonderland of snow, elves, decorations, lights, and Santa and Mrs. Claus greeting each and every child, taking photographs, and providing gifts. Lunch is served, choirs sing, and volunteers surround the children and their families to help them maximize their time away from illness/disease and enjoy the holiday without any stresses.”
We had a blast at this car show and are so happy to support such an amazing cause with amazing kids. We can’t wait to be apart of it for years to come and hope to see you there! Tune in here to keep updated with our activities and how you can help too!
