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Community Corner

Car Show Cruises for St. Jude

Local resident and business owner hosted a car show on Blue Point Ave to benefit St. Jude Children's Research Hospital last Sunday.

The Packey Electronics parking lot was filled with vintage cars last weekend as the company's owner and past president, Skip Pope, hosted a car show to benefit St. Jude Children's Research Hospital.

Pope raised $3,000 at the car show last Sunday and though admission to the car show cost $10, all fees were considered donations.

Initially, Pope wanted to raise at least $1,500. After only an hour, contributions were over $1,240. In total, $3,000 was raised at the event, and though admission to the car show cost $10, all fees were considered donations. "We went well beyond what the goal was and I'm really thrilled about that," he said, beaming. 

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More than 20 cars took to the line up as owners displayed their newly restored or original model cars. Some of the cars included 1969 396 Chevrolet Chevelle, 1966 and 1972 Corvette Sting Rays and a Porshe 924. Friends of Pope's, as well as members of the Chamber owned most of the cars shown.

Pope said St. Jude advised its patrons and supporters to use one of its templates for raising money. One of St. Jude's suggestions was organizing a local car show.

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"They suggested car enthusiasts form a union and put on a fundraiser," he said.

St. Jude works on a zero pay basis. Families that are unable to afford treatment for their children are given the necessary funds for free. 

The mission statement on the hospitals website said, "The mission of St. Jude Children's Research Hospital is to advance cures, and means of prevention, for pediatric catastrophic diseases through research and treatment. Consistent with the vision of our founder Danny Thomas, no child is denied treatment based on race, religion or a family's ability to pay."

The daily operating cost of St. Jude averaged at about $1.5 million, which is primarily paid for by public donations. Since the hospital opened in 1962, it developed protocols that significantly pushed survival rates for childhood cancers from 20 percent to 80 percent.

Pope said although he does not know anyone that benefitted from treatment at St. Jude, he admires how the hospital works and what it does.

"I've followed St. Jude and tried to contribute as best I could the past few years," Pop said. "I thought they deserve a much stronger involvement from me and the community in general."

Owner of the 1970 Chevelle SS clone convertible Roy Lee Belle donated about $300. He said he came out to support Pope and St. Jude because "they take care of all the children that are sick and don't turn anyone down."

Belle said he thought the car show was a great cause, but he just had a few suggestions for the car show next year. "They should have had a banner that said this show was benefitting St. Jude," he said. "But it's the first year."

He also suggested having the car show closer to the summer so he could spread the word by putting flyers on everyone's car at other Long Island car shows, such as the one at Bald Hill.

"I was talking to Skip, I think next year we're having it at the King Kullen parking lot, so there's more space," Belle said.

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