'Dad bod' group raising funds for local efforts

Jun. 25—A group of dads from Wheatland have teamed up to put their beer bellies to work for good causes.

Just days before the Intanko Fire broke out near Wheatland earlier this month, Jarod Culler said the idea to hold a fundraiser car wash featuring a bunch of guys showing off their "dad bods" came to him despite not having a good cause in mind at the time.

"The bikini car wash idea is washed up right now but dad bods are all the rage," said Culler. "I thought it would be a good spin and a fun way to raise some money."

After the Intanko Fire burned nearly 1,000 acres and destroyed the home of the Houston family, Culler said he knew he had his cause and put his idea into action.

According to Culler, the Houston's loss had a personal impact on him because their home was located right across the street from his in-laws' property, and the very real possibility that they could have lost everything as well really put things into perspective for him.

To bring his idea to life, Culler said he reached out to local dads in town and took to social media to spread the word.

"The response was overwhelming," said Culler. "...Within an hour of posting on Facebook several hundred people said they would attend."

Culler said he lends the great success of the car wash to the community, who continuously lend a hand to help out their neighbors.

"Wheatland is such a supportive community," said Culler. "I had the idea but the town made it happen."

The car wash was held on June 13 and in just four hours, Culler said, the dad bods raised $2,100 for the Houston family.

"The last $300 came as we were shutting down," said Culler. "They didn't even want a wash, they just pulled up and knew the cause."

The many vehicles that attended weaved through the aisles of Bradshaw's Mini Storage before reaching the driveway where a DJ was playing music and the dads were busy scrubbing and soaking the cars.

"It was like a party in a parking lot," said Culler. "We were out there spraying each other with hoses, dancing and just having a good time."

The group will be out again on Saturday, joined this time by "hotty mommies," to raise funds for the family of two-and-a-half-year-old Tommy Craighead to offset the cost of his recent passing.

The car wash will be held again at Bradshaw's Mini Storage — 119 D St., Wheatland — starting at 9 a.m. Culler said the group will continue washing cars as long as there is interest.

"I'll stay out there 'til the sun goes down," said Culler. "It will only help the family more."

Culler said he is hoping to match or exceed the funds raised during the last car wash at this weekend's event.

For more information about Saturday's fundraiser, visit https://fb.me/e/1CXhnWKEM.