Eccles Open House – July 6 Car Smash!
Bruce Eccles, owner of the award-winning Eccles Auto Service, is doing something he would normally never do: he’s inviting you to destroy a car.
The car smash is part of the Eccles Auto Service open house on July 6th. For $5.00, you can take three swings at a 2010 Kia with a sledgehammer. It’s all for a good cause, with proceeds going towards the new Margaret’s Place Hospice at St. Joseph’s Villa.
Margaret’s Place will bring 10 hospice beds to Dundas and a community outreach centre that will provide grief and bereavement support to patients of all ages and their families. Because the Ministry of Health and Long Term Care only provides partial funding, St. Joseph’s Villa Foundation’s Gift of Love campaign goal had to include funds to support construction and the first few years of operations. There is currently no hospice in the West Hamilton area.
Raising funds and contributing to the community isn’t new to Bruce. He and his team have long supported causes like the Dundas Valley Sunrise Rotary Club, The skating rink in the park, minor hockey, Dundas Real McCoys, many local churches and charities and have already pledged $10,000 to Margaret’s Place
He’s also been a supporter of Routes Youth Centre, a local organization that provides youth ages 8-19 a safe and caring space to gather, a filling dinner, and educational and recreational programs. Bruce is creating the most unusual recreational opportunity Routes youth have ever had – he’s letting them paint the soon-to-be-destroyed Kia bright pink, in preparation for the car smash. Weeks Home Hardware Dundas is donating the paint and supplies and Bruce is even going to donate $100 to Routes as a thank-you afterwards.
“We’re grateful for Bruce’s ongoing support,” says John van Vliet, Chair of the Routes Youth Centre board of directors. “It’s innovative events like this that characterize Dundas spirit. Bruce’s event is a five-way win – the hospice gains much-needed funds, our community gets more hospice capacity, Routes youth get to volunteer, Routes Youth Centre gets a donation, and participants – well, they get to smash a car!”
When asked why he’s bringing together a hospice fundraiser and Routes youth, Bruce points out, “We’re all vulnerable at points in our lives, but we’re most vulnerable in our youth and our old age. How we treat our children and our elders says a lot about who we are as a society.”
So, why a car smash instead of the traditional car wash? “That’s easy,” Bruce laughs. “It’s way more fun!”
The event will take place Saturday, July 6th at Eccles Auto Service open house held at their new shop 123 Hatt St from 10am to 3pm
Parking at their 121 King St W location