Abbotsford – On Sunday, July 25th the community came out to support students in Abbotsford Schools through the 3rd Annual Mopar Car Show hosted by Abbotsford Chrysler. The hugely successful event showcased more than one hundred and twenty vehicles and hundreds of happy car enthusiasts of all ages.
“This event was a true community partnership”, states Kim Hissink, Fundraising Coordinator for The Salvation Army. Spearheaded by Matt Shirlaw, Managing Partner at Abbotsford Chrysler and his team, the Rotary Clubs of Abbotsford, Abbotsford-Sumas, Abbotsford-Matsqui and the Rotaract Club of the Fraser Valley joined forces to raise funds for the Pantry34 Program which provides food in classrooms from K to 12 to support learning. “We are so grateful to have these incredible individuals who provide service above self within our community and support The Salvation Army throughout the year”, continues Hissink.
The Pantry34 Program impacts more than 2,500 students in the Abbotsford school district annually and is a collaborative approach to addressing a great need in the community. The goal of the program is to ensure that local students from K to 12 have access to healthy, nutritious snacks and beverages at any time of the school day, distributed at the teacher’s discretion, as part of their normal school routine.
“One of our key strategic initiatives at Abbotsford Chrysler is to find unique ways to give back to our community. As a fellow Rotarian myself, I felt the Car Show would be the perfect way to combine our annual event with a great local cause like the Pantry 34 program” commented Matt Shirlaw, Managing Partner – Abbotsford Chrysler.
Adam Hill, Co-President of the Fraser Valley Rotaract Club, says “it’s always a wonderful opportunity to be able to bring the community together where they can have fun all while supporting an important cause. “Food programs have been an important focus for Rotary in the Abbotsford community and we are always thankful to be active participants in reducing food insecurity”.
