Village Motors drives away cancer with Relay for Life hog roast
By Kelley Mohr
June 23, 2011
423
Hog roasts are always a popular treat in Holmes County. And when the barbecued pork also benefits cancer research, the result is quite a party.
Hungry people filled the lots of Village Motors in Millersburg for the Relay for Life hog roast on Saturday, June 11. Surrounded by shiny new pickups and antique Model As, anyone looking for a good meal could support Relay for Life, view a few cars and polish off a sandwich, all in one big bite.
Nearly 175 patrons pigged out on barbecued pork sandwiches and polished off homemade cakes, cookies and beans, all of which was handmade by Village Motors employees and local businesses.
The hog was roasted by Ben Hipp and more shredded pork was provided by Shreve Meats. Rodhes IGA donated buns and applesauce to increase the fundraising feast.
Village Motors employees, Rodhes IGA and local volunteers donated all the side dishes and desserts to the fundraiser. It was really a community effort, said Deb Burgess, a Village Motors employee. Everyone pitched in.
The hog roast brought in nearly $1,400 for the Village Motors relay team. The money was provided solely through donations and was pledged toward the Relay for Life team.
Last year we had a chicken barbecue and only raised about $200 all said and done, said Burgess. We did a lot better this year.
In addition to the food, a mini cruise-in of seven classic cars enticed people to come join the hog roast. Employees and customers who had an old car and wanted to support the event showed the cars, said Phil Star, the business and technology manager at Village Motors. Whether it was a 1969 Ford Torino or a 1930 Model A, the display was a crowd pleaser.
We do promotions for two reasons, for this cause and for Share-a-Christmas, said Star. For Share-a-Christmas, Village Motors raised funds to provide families with coats, food, household supplies and gift certificates. Its how Village Motors will give back to the community, said Star.
All of the profits from this years hog roast benefited the American Cancer Society Relay for Life of Holmes County. Relay for Life, an annual event to raise funds and awareness to save lives from cancer, was held Saturday, June 18, at West Holmes High School. Team Driving for a Cure represented Village Motors at this years Relay for Life.
At Relay for Life, the team camped out overnight and took turns walking around the track to raise money and awareness to help the American Cancer Society create a world with less cancer and more birthdays.
According to Star, events such as Relay for Life not only benefit a good cause, but also reinforce the team atmosphere at Village Motors. They also enhance the companys relationship with the community. Star highly recommends involvement in promotions such as Relay for Life. We encourage other local businesses to have a team in 2012, said Star.
The Village Motors team raised more than $2,700 for Relay for Life, enough to award them bronze status from the American Cancer Society. The bronze award recognizes teams that raise more than $2,000.
In addition to the hog roast, the Driving for a Cure team raised money with two basket raffles, an employee lunch, candy bar sales and numerous donations from team and community members. Overall, the Holmes County Relay for Life raised over $76,000 to support cancer prevention, research and treatment.
