Capitol Auto Group Donates Record-Breaking $340,000 to United Way of the Mid-Willamette Valley
Salem, OR (March 25, 2022) – Capitol Auto Group (CAG) donated an astounding $340,000 to the United Way of the Mid-Willamette Valley(UWMWV). On March 17, local representatives from United Way visited Capitol’s three dealerships (Subaru, Chevrolet/Cadillac, and Toyota) and its recently-opened used car center to celebrate this accomplishment. The company has raised over $1.9 million in the last ten years for the charity.
“This year’s campaign raised $340,000. This is 13% more than the 2021 campaign,” said Marketing Director Carrie Casebeer. “Of our 350 employees, 81% participated, and 91 employees donated $2,000 or more.”
The “28 Days of Love” campaign for the UWMWV is truly employee-driven, happening each February at the Salem, Oregon auto dealership. From service technicians to salespeople, staff donate through payroll deduction and participate in fundraising activities.
The 2022 campaign theme was “Year of the Tiger: Hear Us Roar.” Employees participated in multiple fundraising events. Competitors had their fill of sugary breakfast cereal at the Tiger Tummy Buster eating contest. They sold candy, delivered valentines, and topped off the fundraising efforts with a tiger relay, which included a basketball shoot, tiger tail donut eating, sitting in an ice bath, and a human luge event. Employees even had boat races on the “Lake Capitol,” which is the site of a floating golf green on the dealership’s campus.
Matthew Casebeer, a dealer at Capitol Chevrolet and Capitol Toyota and current Chair of the UWMWV, said, “When we look back to the year 2010, we raised $40,000 for United Way. We thought it was amazing. Twelve years later, we finished our 2022 campaign and raised $340,000. Ninety percent of that was from employees! We just couldn’t be more proud to work with a philanthropic-first group of people who want to give back.”
Rhonda Wolf, the CEO of the UWMWV, said the donation left her speechless. “Capitol Auto Group has been a philanthropic leader and community impact partner for United Way for over 25 years.” She added, “Our community alone has faced fires, ice storms, and a pandemic. In 2021, we funneled over $7 million in goods, services, and grant monies into our community. We just couldn’t do that without a partnership like we have with Capitol Auto Group. We are humbled and extremely grateful for their record-breaking fundraising campaign results.”