June 2013 - Greater Cincinnati Automobile Dealers Association

Dealerships in the Community

            People go to their local car dealerships to purchase cars and have service.  But there’s so much more to a dealership than just those basic elements.  Many dealerships are involved in a lot of community events and fundraisers; this could be sponsoring, donating, and many times even participating in them.

             The Delhi Skirt Game is proclaimed “The Most Unique Fundraiser in the US.”  Men from all over the Cincinnati Westside gather in Delhi Township Park, dress in drag, and play a game of softball to raise money for people less fortunate in the Delhi community.  It’s held annually on the first Friday of August, and this year will be Delhi’s 36th game.  Walt Sweeney Ford in Western Hills has been a major sponsor of the game for three years now, and is also a participant.  Their Fleet Manager Bob Luchsinger, or as he’s known in the community, Uncle Bob, has played in the game every year that they’ve been a sponsor, and is also on the Skirt Game Committee.

            According to Luchsinger, the Skirt Game is a “Threefold deal,” that includes a golf outing, the actual game and tailgate the night before, and an event that they call “Kids, Cops, & Firefighters.”   At this year’s Kids Cops & Firefighters, Luchsinger and the rest of the Skirt Game committee, each partnered with a police officer or a firefighter took less fortunate children to a local Target store and bought them Christmas Presents.

            Luchsinger said one of the things that he likes about the Skirt Game is that while the game is only one night of the year, the fundraiser helps people year-round.  “We meet once a month,” Luchsinger said.  “People have to write to us, and then we vote on who we want to help then we go out and interview them… we don’t know from one month to another who we’re helping.  Years ago it started as one family and a lump sum, but [now] we do it all year-round… and once a year we bring them all together and present what we’re doing for them.”           

            While this is one of the bigger community events Luchsinger and the Walt Sweeney team are involved in, it is not the only one.  Luchsinger said that he is involved with around six to eight other events and fundraisers each year.  Some of these include the Fallen Firefighters Golf Outing, the Elder High School Punt, Pass & Kick fundraiser, and the Green Township Fire Department Golf Outing.  For all of his work that he’s done for them, the Green Township Fire Department made him an honorary member of the Local 2927 Union, and is responsible for Luchsinger’s nickname that’s now known community-wide.            

            For all the events and fundraisers Walt Sweeney Ford does, Luchsinger is the one who usually goes to them and participates.  He finds his role as this person very rewarding.  “The hard work [that I do in these events] is nothing compared to what these people have gone through,” he said.  “There are people sometimes where I think we’re their last hope, and we’re able to do things for them.”

            Luchsinger loves the work he does for the community, and finds it to be a great way to give back.  “[They] are who are making us successful,” he said.  “You’ve gotta give back to them because the community is what makes us.”

            Like anything, Luchsinger & Walt Sweeney Ford can’t help with every single fundraiser, but they do as much as they can with the time and funds that they have.  But dealerships do so much more than sell cars, and service them.  So next time you’re at a local fundraising event, take a look at the sponsors.  There’s a good chance that you’ll see one of your local car dealerships on that list.   

Local Service Center Receives Donation

            Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) training will now be easier for the Warren County Education Service Center, thanks to a donation from the GCADA, the Ohio Automobile Dealers Association, and the National Automobile Dealers Charitable Foundation (NADCF).  A CPR training unit, sponsored by Bob Pulte Chevrolet of Lebanon, Ohio, was presented to the Educational Service Center on Thursday, June 13 at the dealership. 

            CPR training has proven to increase the likelihood of survival from ventricular fibrillation.  The NADCF, along with local automotive retailers & their associations have donated over 4,200 manikins across the country since the program’s inception in 1975.  With the help of these donations, over 1.6 million people have been trained, potentially saving thousands of lives. 

            “We’re proud to have the opportunity to give back to the community by providing the equipment and help these students learn these lifesaving skills,” Dan Pulte of Bob Pulte Chevrolet said.  The donated manikins will allow students at the Warren County Education Service Center to train on this important, life-saving skill.

You Can be a Hero

The Cincinnati Enquirer recently came out with an article about a member of their reporter team they just lost to Cardiac Arrest.  The article goes into detail about how he collapsed in the newsroom, and how the Enquirer team handled the situation.  The fallen reporter’s colleagues immediately dialed 911, and began CPR as per the operator’s instructions.  The Fire Department took over when they arrived.  

The article expresses that while these reporters were not trained in CPR, they did the right thing, because according to University of Cincinnati associate professor Jason McMullan, any CPR is better than none.  

We at the GCADA and the NADA Charitable foundation can provide CPR training manikins to hospitals, police, fire departments, schools, and red crosses.  It is important that as a community and nation we know how to react in traumatic situations, such as a colleague suffering from Cardiac Arrest. Across the country, dealers in conjunction with the NADA charitable foundation have provided an estimated 4,600 manikins worth approximately $3 million, training over 2 million people, potentially saving thousands of lives. So far this summer, the Miami Township Fire Department will receive manikins sponsored by Mike Castrucci Ford, and the Warren County Educational Service Center will receive manikins sponsored by Bob Pulte Chevrolet.  We hope to deliver even more.

Any non-profit organization that provides CPR training, and is in need of one of these training manikins may contact their local new car retailer, or Sandy Moeller at the GCADA office at smoeller@gcada.net or 513-326-7100.

View the Full Article