TAG Charities goes wild in year 10
The 10th annual TAG Charities Win a Car for Christmas celebrated its decade anniversary in style, handing out two automobiles this year. One of the Chevy Cruzes went to Tammy and Andy Schafer, right, pictured here at H15 Ministries along with Wilma Mast, left, and Lee Ann Miller.
Over the past decade, The Art of Giving Charities’ Win a Car for Christmas contest has seen some amazing stories and has awarded a new vehicle to some incredible people who do wondrous things for their families and community. TAG has presented automobiles to a number of single mothers caring for their children and others and has given to families who are facing uphill battles with mounting medical bills.
This year TAG can call it the year to give to the givers. Now in its 10th year, this marks the 12th and 13th vehicles the organization has given away.
For TAG chair Lee Ann Miller, the decade has been a blessing for a lot of people that extends well beyond the families who won the automobiles. She said with this year being the 10th anniversary, she felt especially blessed because of the way everything played out, and it turned into something special as this year’s recipients gathered at Chuck Nicholson Auto Superstore on Monday, Dec. 18 to rejoice together.
“This year was so amazing,” Miller said. “Maybe I am over-spiritualizing all of this, but because this was the 10th year, I was really hoping this would be something special, and I felt God wanted us to do something in a different light. What transpired was incredible.”
Miller said the way the recipients rose to the top this year was inspirational.
The group went into the give-away looking to present one car to a lucky winner. Instead, the donations came in, and the idea began to percolate that there could be enough for two vehicles. With about $3,000 needed to reach that level, Miller was talking to a local pastor and told him about the situation. He told her he would see if he could find the money. No more than 15 minutes later, he called Miller back.
“He said ‘I have your $3,000.’ Just like that, God had answered our prayers,” Miller said. “So we knew going in that we were giving away two vehicles.”
But to whom?
That is always a difficult task, and sifting through the entries is never easy. Only this year, it seemed like everything was pointing toward two families, and there was a special message for each of them.
The first was Andy and Tammy Schafer, who are currently in the midst of creating H15 Ministries, a nonprofit organization that will soon allow area teens to enjoy a facility that is designed to educate, accept and provide a safe haven to study and relax. The second went to Denice and Toby Hazlett, and Denice Hazlett in particular had the backing of a large contingent of people in her corner, having multiple letters sent in on her behalf. Both of the Hazletts are very giving people, never asking for anything in return.
Both families were in dire situations with their automobiles, and neither could afford a new vehicle, so they kept fixing up their old vehicles with band aids and duct tape.
Miller said the message she felt God was putting on her heart this Christmas for these two families was more than just about winning automobiles.
“I told them both this is not about a car. It’s about what God wants us to share with you all,” Miller said. “I really felt he wanted me to convey to them that they were loved, appreciated and treasured, and that these cars were gifts given to them because of their faithfulness to God and to serving others. It really feels as though we are gifting these cars to people who are steeped in servanthood, who want to do everything they can for the people around them in life.”
Miller said neither couple has a lot in life materially, but what they do have they share willingly. “They don’t have a lot, but they give willingly and freely from the heart so they can help others in need. It just goes to show that you don’t have to be rich to give.”
Thus this year’s recipients of Win a Car for Christmas will be blessed, so they can in turn continue to bless and serve others. That is truly the cycle of giving and servanthood.