Organization donates $50,000 from car show to local charities
Nov. 3—CHEYENNE — Four local charities on Wednesday received what they said was a much-needed infusion of cash.
The donations were from the local chapter of the American Hellenic Educational Progressive Association, a philanthropic organization. AHEPA Cowboy Chapter 211, started in Cheyenne in 1928, gave money raised through its recent classic car show to Meals on Wheels of Cheyenne, CASA of Laramie County, Cheyenne Day of Giving and Needs Inc.
The chapter gave each nonprofit organization $12,500. The total $50,000 donation is the largest amount raised in the chapter's three years of hosting "Cars, Cigars, Guitars — Under the Stars."
Taylor Albert, executive director of Needs Inc., said after the check presentation that her organization was "definitely going to be making some food purchases for the holidays, and also continuing to pay for some of our operational costs that are really hard to get covered by grants."
"This is huge," Albert said. "Inflation has really hit our pantry pretty hard. Food costs are up, but also the number of people we are serving is up. We've quadrupled since the onset of the pandemic. We're averaging 134 households a day right now. So, getting something like this allows us to continue providing food security to families in Laramie County."
Meals on Wheels of Cheyenne head Stephanie Freeman said the donation would "go to helping ensure that we don't have to turn anyone away, and that we can help those that need our help getting those meals."
CASA of Laramie County recruits and trains volunteers to act as advocates for local children in foster care, said Executive Director Sarah Urbanek. The group currently works one-on-one with about 170 children, which Urbanek said accounts for about half of the need.
"Receiving this check allows us the opportunity to put some amazing efforts toward advocate recruitment, and then the training so that they're well prepared to take on these abuse and neglect cases, and work closely with those families and those children to make sure that they're safe and in good homes," Urbanek said.
Cheyenne Day of Giving board member Brady Koerwitz called the donation "incredible."
"Every dollar that we receive will be handed out to all the different nonprofits that we partner with, so everything that we raise just goes back to the community," Koerwitz said. "It has a huge effect on us."
This year's event was held Aug. 20 at the Cheyenne Frontier Days Exhibition Hall. Tickets included food, drinks, entertainment and viewing of the cars on display, event co-chair Nick Mores told the Wyoming Tribune Eagle.
This year's show saw "record" attendance, Mores said. Around 200 people attended, and about 100 cars were entered into the show, he said.
Chapter President Mike Mores attributed the success of the show to sponsors and volunteers. Including Wednesday's $50,000, the AHEPA chapter has donated $135,000 to local charities from car show proceeds over the past three years, he said.
The car show was featured on the Lokar Car Show, along with MotorTrend TV and other networks, Mike Mores said in a news release. It can be viewed on YouTube at tinyurl.com/cheyenne-car-show-2022.
Hannah Black is the Wyoming Tribune Eagle's criminal justice reporter. She can be reached at hblack@wyomingnews.com or 307-633-3128. Follow her on Twitter at @hannahcblack.
