PHOTO PROVIDED Terrie Smith, the co-chair of the charity car show, presents a check to Julia Ferguson, the executive director of the Cape Coral Caring Center. The presentation was made at Cape Coral First United Methodist Church, the show’s sponsor.

A charity car show last month raised tens of thousands of dollars to benefit a local non-profit.  

The 5th annual Cape Coral Charity Car Show that took place at Sun Splash Family Water Park in late February raised more than $45,000 to benefit the Cape Coral Caring Center.  

The event was sponsored by Cape Coral First United Methodist Church as part of its outreach programs in the community.  

“We’re very blessed we could raise that money for the Cape Coral Caring Center,” said car show organizer Phil Deems. “We were blessed to be able to even put the event on at all with COVID-19. Sun Splash was a perfect venue with lots of open space.” 

Close to 200 locals came out to show off their show cars and model airplanes, with hundreds more in attendance. Attendees enjoyed food, music, vendors and raffles, all while checking out automobiles from past to present.  

“It was a great display of many, many cars, from new-age to antiques and classics,” Deems said. “It was a great mix of cars people would be interested in, whether they’re car people or not.” 

Deems said being able to give back to the Cape Coral Caring Center, especially in a year where many have felt the economic stresses of a pandemic, is what makes it all worth it.  

“With this pandemic the way it was, their shelves were running pretty lean and that amount of money can really help them help people who aren’t able to help themselves,” he said.  

Cape Coral Caring Center Executive Director Julie Ferguson said the donation is a huge bonus in the organization’s goal to assist families throughout Cape Coral and Southwest Florida. Last year, the center delivered more than 255 tons of food while assisting 5,564 families in the city.  

“We at the Cape Coral Caring Center are so thankful and grateful to Cape Coral First United Methodist Church, the sponsors and volunteers of the Cape Coral Charity Car Show,” Ferguson said. “Our goal is for no child in our community to go hungry, and $45,000 will definitely help us with this goal. We had another amazing Cape Coral Charity Car Show.  Many families are still having a difficult time and we want to help. This wonderful donation will help us help all these families. What a blessing this donation is to those in our community who find themselves in a valley, we will give them a hand up.” 

A $10,000 donation was made by the Dave Gomer family in memory of late Cape Coral Mayor Roger Butler. Deems said other contributions came from more than 50 business co-sponsors, vendors, car show participants and spectators.  

The 2022 Cape Coral Charity Car show is already being planned for February of next year and will be located at Tarpon Point Marina.  

“We’re expecting that to be a big show,” Deems said. “It’s a beautiful location to be and I think our attendees are going to really like it.” 

For more information on the Cape Coral Caring Center, visit www.capecoralcaringcenter.org. 

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