Huntington, Ind.—Even though the Benefit Car Show was rained out, the Huntington University Joe Mertz Center for Volunteer Service has another opportunity to help raise $20,000 to purchase a new van.
The Joe Mertz Center will be raising money during the 15th Annual “Flash Back to the 60s” Car Show from 4 to 9 p.m. July 16 on the Huntington University campus.
The car show is put on by David and Paula Funk of Huntington, and will feature 275-plus vehicles from the early 1900s to the present. The event is free and open to the public.
While this is not a Huntington University-sponsored event, David and Paula Funk, who are also donating money to the Joe Mertz Center, are graciously allowing the JMC to raise funds at the event by placing buckets at each of the cars for people to vote for their favorites. The winner will receive half of the money from their bucket along with a trophy. The rest of the money will go toward the purchase of a new or used van for the JMC.
“I was blown away by the graciousness of this,” said Grace McBrayer, director of first-year students and volunteer services. “The money raised affords us the opportunity to buy a new or used vehicle to fit our needs, but then it also sets up a fund to maintain the vehicle in the future.”
The Joe Mertz Center for Volunteer Service is a student-directed organization that mobilizes the campus community for Christian service. The Joe Mertz Center was founded in 1992 through a grant which also allowed for the purchase of a van that is still in use today. The van is used to transport students to various volunteer sites in northeast Indiana along with other supplies needed at those locations. Over the years, the van has increasingly needed maintenance.