Rich Chew arrives for check-in with his ‘89 Speedster. (Photo by C Kugler)Everyone always talks about the weather but no one does anything about it. For this year’s Gilson’s Charity Show & Shine, weather was certainly on everyone’s mind as the unseasonable cool and damp weather of early June refused to cooperate. Not to be thwarted by Mother Nature, the members of the Northern Nevada chapters of the Porsche, BMW, Audi and Mini clubs brought out their cars and opened their hearts (and wallets) to help the North Valleys Athletic Association raise money to support teens who play sports. With the economic crises affecting what school districts can afford to spend for extracurricular activities, the association, coaches, parents and kids needed a helping hand to defray some of the costs for athletic equipment for various sports.
Dean Watts, George Batcabe and Rich Wyett in their rain gear waiting for the sun to shine. (Photo by C Kugler)Last year’s event supported the McQueen Marching Band in their quest to become the first Nevada High School Band to participate in the Tournament of Roses Parade in Pasadena. That event raised $7,000 and became the benchmark against which this year’s event would be measured.
Young cheerleaders show off their cheer routines for the car club members in the Gilson lobby. (Photo by C Kugler)Significant planning goes into an event like this and a committee including hosts Gilbert Dayao and brother–in-law Sonny, car club members, association members and parents put together a worthy fundraiser. Working for several months in advance, the committee set up an aggressive program of donation gathering to support this year’s event. Raffle prizes from hats to multi-burner barbecues would be waiting for car enthusiasts as they registered for the event. The generosity of many businesses and individuals was on display in the Gilson’s lobby where numerous “silent auction” stations awaited their bidders. A gift basket of Jewelry, a performance driving package, various tire packages, a clear car bra package and two (2) big screen TV’s were ready to go home with new owners for the right bid.
Don Pickering’s 997 GT3RS, driven by Brian & Leslie Louder, wins Best in Show. (Photo by C Kugler)Normally participants at a Show & Shine spend most of their time outside, checking out the great looking cars. Between the rain drops, we got the chance to get a good look at some of the special cars on display. On this dreary day however, all the polishing, waxing and cleaning of our cars seemed like a forlorn exercise given the all day rain. In reality it gave us the opportunity to meet fellow enthusiasts from other clubs and share stories and car care tips. More importantly, we got to interact with parents and kids from the North Valleys who worked tirelessly to prepare and serve us lunch, sell raffle tickets and even entertain us. The young ladies from the cheer group demonstrated their skills in the lobby with a series of dances and cheers that even old motor heads could enjoy.
Everett Long (Audi Club President) and SNR’s Bob McLaughlin show off their raffle prizes. (Photo by C Kugler)Additional entertainment and education was provided by a Washoe County Sheriff’s Deputy and his K-9 partner. The partner in this case was a 9 year old German Shepherd who had been patrolling with this officer for 7 years. The duo provided young and old alike with a first hand demonstration of their capability in dealing with “suspicious” persons. A volunteer “bad guy” helped show the audience the capability of a well trained team. The dog was so well trained that he could anticipate his “partner’s” next move. My advice is if you ever run afoul of the law and a K-9 officer is involved, don’t mess with either the officer or the dog!
K-9 unit deputy and his dog get ready to demonstrate the close teamwork they share on patrol. (Photo by C Kugler)As members of a car club that prides itself on fast wheels, we got a “friendly” stop and go from a NHP officer who talked to the group about safety and general rules of the road. He addressed some of his comments specifically to the young drivers in attendance. It was great to see the support and involvement of law enforcement at this event. Word about this event must have gone out far and wide as we received a mid-afternoon visit from a News 4 reporter and camera crew. They took the opportunity to check on the activities and even interview Gilbert.
Gilbert Dayao explains the goals of the Charity Show & Shine during a video interview with a Channel 4 Reporter. (Photo by C Kugler)By mid-afternoon, with the raffle gifts all given out, silent auction bids were coming due every 15 minutes. The big prizes were the TV’s and there was a flurry of activity right up to the final seconds. I didn’t write down who won, but I know their contributions significantly helped the charity. With the entry of over 20 Porsches and over 60 cars in total, raffle ticket sales, silent auction prize bids and other donations, the event raised $9000 for the group. A great result on a wet spring day. The car aficionados had their trophies for Best in Show, this year won by Brian and Leslie Louder, driving fellow member Don Pickering’s 997 GT3RS. Now that’s a friend!
From my perspective I want to thank Gilbert, Sonny and their families for giving all of us an opportunity to give something back to the community. There have been two great charity events supporting worthy causes. Let’s make next year’s event even better.
