Gaudin Ford’s car show aids Toys for Tots effort

Gaudin Ford helped Susan England turn a New Year's resolution into a yearlong quest to help the Toys for Tots Foundation.

By November, she had used her bargain-hunting skills to collect more than 800 toys. Gaudin Ford offered to help her surpass the 1,000-toy mark with its first Toys for Tots Car Show, where attendees got in free with a toy donation. However, neither the dealership nor England expected the overwhelming amount of donations they received.

"We knew for sure we'd be able to help Susan pass 1,000 and maybe go a couple hundred over," said Wesley Gregg, general manager at Gaudin Ford. "But we're definitely thankful and grateful to all the amazing people who helped us collect even more gifts than we could have imagined."

Gaudin Ford ended up collecting 1,758 toys during the car show, more than twice the total England had going into the event. England's current total is now more than 2,500 toys, as she's continued with her own collecting after the event.

Gregg said the dealership will continue to host its Toys for Tots Car Show annually around the holiday season.

"The Toys for Tots organization supports our belief that no child should go without a gift during the holidays, so we're honored to be able to help them," he said.

Many local car clubs were on hand for the car show. The event also featured a free barbecue lunch, prize drawings and an award ceremony in which attendees voted on the best cars.

England started collecting for the Toys for Tots Foundation as part of a 2012 New Year's resolution. Her initial goal was to use her couponing and bargain-hunting skills to collect 100 toys for $100. However, she achieved her goal in just two months, so she decided to keep going.

Her quest also caught the attention of the U.S. manufacturer of ZhuZhu Pets, electronic hamster toys, which wanted to help her cause and provided a substantial toy donation.

England's skill allowed her to spend well below retail price, averaging less than $1 on each toy.

Gaudin Ford, at 6625 Roy Horn Way, has received some of the highest honors presented by Ford, including the President's Award and Triple Crown Award several years in a row. For 86 years, the family-owned and operated dealership has been selling quality new and certified preowned Ford vehicles to valley residents.