CHICAGOLAND DEALERS CARE

CHICAGO (Feb. 12)-Eighteen area charities tonight shared in more than $1.8 million raised by the 2009 Chicago Auto Show's benevolent event, First Look for Charity, and two attendees left with the keys to new vehicles.

About 8,000 people attended First Look for Charity, helping to raise $1,856,025. The event is held the evening before the annual auto show opens its 10-day public run.

"First Look for Charity is a great instrument for the area's new-car dealers to show the positive impact they have on their community," said Mark Scarpelli, chairman of this year's auto show. "All the benefiting charities are involved locally, so the money that's raised in Chicago stays in Chicago."

As the name of the event implies, those who attend First Look for Charity are part of the premier viewing of each year's Chicago Auto Show. Tickets to the fund-raiser are $225 each, and purchasers can elect to have their proceeds equally benefit all participating charities, or any one charity for which they have an affinity. For the event, the auto show floor is replete with a variety of food and beverage stations.

A highlight of the evening this year was the drawing for two grand prize vehicles: a 2009 Kia Borrego and a 2010 Chevrolet Camaro. This year's event awarded the Borrego to John Almy, 23, of Long Grove; and the Camaro to Bosun Kim, 27, of Des Plaines.

Both winners cited their new cars as the first prizes they've ever won. Proceeds of Almy's ticket benefited The Cradle Foundation, and the Ray Graham Association for People with Disabilities reaped the proceeds from Kim's ticket. In all, 18 charities profited from the event.

Other organizations participating in the 2009 First Look for Charity include Advocate Hope Children's Hospital, Autism Speaks, Boys and Girls Clubs of Chicago, Campagna Academy, Cancer Health Alliance of Metropolitan Chicago, and Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Chicago.

Also, Catholic Charities, Diocese of Joliet; Children's Memorial Hospital, Clearbrook, Evans Scholars Foundation, and Franciscan Community Benefit Services.

And, Misericordia, the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, Respiratory Health Association of Metropolitan Chicago, Spina Bifida Association of Illinois, and St. Coletta's of Illinois Foundation.

Oakbrook, Ill. - Dec. 19, 2008 - The Chicago Automobile Trade Association (CATA) donated $1,500 to both the Zacharias Sexual Abuse Center and to the Northeast DuPage Special Recreation Association (NEDSRA) as part of its "Chicagoland Dealers Care" program. 

The CATA raises more than $2.5 million for 18 charities at the annual First Look for Charity black-tie event held the evening before the Chicago Auto Show opens to the public. The "Chicagoland Dealers Care" program began this year as an effort to donate to charities year-round. 

The CATA donated the funds to Zacharias and NEDSRA to build upon automotive dealers Saul Rosen's and Jeannine Roesch's charitable support. The CATA program seeks to enhance the support its member dealers provide to charities in their communities. 

Saul Rosen, owner and president of Rosen Motors, is a Zacharias board member and a generous contributor to the charity. 

"Saul provides guidance and leadership while giving the Zacharias Center access to financial stability," said Torrie Flink, Zacharias Center's executive director. "For that, we are forever grateful to him."

The Larry Roesch automotive group and family have a long-term relationship with NEDSRA. Jeannine Roesch, Larry Roesch Chevrolet owner/dealer principal, has continued that relationship.   

NEDSRA Executive Director Larry Reiner said, "The Roesch family has been committed to NEDSRA and people with disabilities for over 20 years and for as long as I can remember.

"The funds contributed by the CATA will go towards advancing our services for children with autism," Reiner continued. "We are aggressively expanding our services to un-served and underserved people with disabilities and these funds will address the financial needs for expanding these services."

Representing the CATA were the organization's Chairman John Phelan and Executive Vice President David Sloan. 

"We are impressed by both organizations' effectiveness and dedication to their mission," said Phelan. "Supporting organizations of this caliber is precisely what our 'Chicago Dealers Care' fund is all about."

Zacharias Center provides survivors of sexual assault or abuse with comprehensive and confidential services at no charge including: medical and legal advocacy, emergency room and police sensitivity training, 24-hour crisis hotline and crisis intervention services, and counseling for both individuals and groups. The center's Community Education department also provides prevention education to thousands of area school children each year. For additional information contact 847-244-1187 or visit www.ZachariasCenter.org. 

NEDSRA aims to serve as an integral partner with member park districts and villages to positively impact individuals with disabilities through diverse recreation opportunities and community services. For additional information contact 630-620-4500 or visit www.NEDSRA.org. 

Every year, Kelly Nissan salesman Laird Rencher asks his local church to help him identify a family in need of transportation.

"While public transportation is available to most, it would be hard to find anyone who wouldn't benefit from the availability of their own vehicle," said Rencher. "Our mission has been to provide the freedom of personal transportation to a family in need."

While Rencher can't afford to donate a new vehicle, he attempts to find a safe, reliable and economical used vehicle for donation each year. The joy of such generosity has been so very much appreciated.

"We saw what Laird was doing and decided it was a great idea," added Ryan Kelly, owner of the Oak Lawn dealership.  "So we decided to get into the mix, as well. At first we'd help with the cost of the car, but it's grown into such a rewarding program that we now identify a second family and give a second car. Employees like Laird are evidence that the sales staffs at dealerships are just as involved as dealers. We're proud that he's been part of our business family."

The Dodge Grand Caravans were packed to the gunwales in the McCormick Center atrium as Chrysler LLC became the first automotive sponsor of the Chicago Auto Show's Food Drive to benefit the Christian Industrial League of Chicago. 

Show goers received half price admission for donating three cans of food to help fill the food pantries and shelters run by the Christian Industrial League.

"At Chrysler, we believe the auto show provides us an opportunity to demonstrate the great cars and trucks we have to meet customer's needs and the kind of exciting driving experiences they can have in our vehicles through our test tracks.  But it is also an opportunity for us to showcase the kind of company we are and Chrysler is an American company that is dedicated to serving the communities in which we live and work," said Lewis Scott, Director of Chrysler's Midwest Business Center.  "We are so proud to be involved with the Christian Industrial League and their great work to benefit the people of Chicago."

"Over the past 13 years the Chicago Auto Show has collected nearly 234,000 pounds of food for the CCIL and we believe that the food drive is an important element of the work we do each year in putting on the auto show in this great community," said Bob Loquercio, Chairman of the 2008 Chicago Auto Show.

"The food collected during these three days at the Chicago Auto Show allow us to feed the homeless and poor of this city through the winter, and it means a tremendous amount to the sustainability of our organization," said Executive Director of the Christian Industrial League.

The Chicago Christian Industrial League (CCIL), established in 1909 on the Near West side of Chicago, is a non-sectarian, non-profit organization serving poor and homeless men, women, and families from the entire metropolitan area.  CCIL's mission is to provide the resources, opportunities and support necessary so these poor and homeless Chicagoans can return to the workforce and lead independent lives. 

For more information, about the CCIL go to www.ccilworks.org.

Eighteen area charities shared in more than $2.8 million raised by the 2008 Chicago Auto Show's benevolent event, First Look for Charity, and three attendees left with the keys to new vehicles.

More than10,000 people attended First Look, helping to raise $2,444,810 accounted for the night of the event, but then topped $2.8 million when all the tickets were gathered and counted.

"First Look is a great instrument for the area's new-car dealers to show the positive impact they have on their community," said Bob Loquercio, chairman of this year's auto show. "All the benefiting charities are involved locally, so the money that's raised in Chicago stays in Chicago."

As the name of the event implies, those who attend First Look for Charity are part of the premier viewing of each year's Chicago Auto Show. Tickets to the fund-raiser are $225 each, and purchasers can elect to have their proceeds equally benefit all participating charities, or any one charity for which they have an affinity. For the event, the auto show floor is replete with a variety of food and beverage stations.

A highlight of the evening this year was the drawing for three grand prize vehicles: a 2008 Hyundai Veracruz; a 2008 Scion xD; and a 2009 Toyota Corolla. Tom Morton of Gurnee matched his ticket number for the Veracruz, and Chicagoans Christina Pulawski and Howard Jump won the xD and Corolla, respectively.

Morton said a friend invited him to First Look for Charity, but the friend wasn't excited about the prize vehicle drawings. Morton recounted: "He said, 'I never win these things.' I said, 'You have a bad attitude; I'm going to win this thing.'"

Pulawski said that when the event paused for the prize drawings, she went to the show floor's perimeter, to take a picture with the new Dodge Challenger. "When I heard the number, I started running in four-inch heels and an evening gown."

Jump has attended First Look for Charity many times. "Every year, we (in his party) walk to the prize stage area, but we never came within 10,000 numbers of winning." Jump held No. 14909 this year.

"We heard some numbers called, and my friend's ticket was 11,000-something. We knew our numbers should be sequential. Then we realized the ticket he held was for last year's First Look for Charity, and I held this year's winner."

Proceeds of Morton's ticket benefited Children's Memorial Hospital, and Misericordia Heart of Mercy reaped the proceeds from Jump's ticket purchase. Pulawski directed her purchase to benefit all 18 participating charities.

Besides Children's and Misericordia, organizations benefiting from the 2008 First Look for Charity include Advocate Hope Children's Hospital; Autism Speaks; Boys & Girls Clubs of Chicago; Campagna Academy; Cancer Health Alliance of Metropolitan Chicago; and Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Chicago.

Also, Catholic Charities, Diocese of Joliet; Clearbrook; The Cradle Foundation; Franciscan Community Benefit Services; the Ray Graham Association for People with Disabilities; Ronald McDonald House Charities; and the National Multiple Sclerosis Society.

And, the Respiratory Health Association of Metropolitan Chicago; Spina Bifida Association of Illinois; and St. Coletta's of Illinois Foundation.