McKay NAPA Auto Parts recently held their 12th Annual McKay NAPA Auto Parts / Make-A-Wish Foundation of Illinois Golf Benefit in August 2010.  They announce that along with their customers, employees, friends, business associates, and the company’s strong and steady support, the group proudly raised $15,000 for local children’s wishes.  Last year’s McKay NAPA golf benefit raised $15,000 in 2009 also.

In October 2010, McKay NAPA Auto Parts, Inc. finalized a new Make-A-Wish fundraiser, ‘Wish’ My Ride event.  It actually began last fall when President Jim McKay came up with an idea to restore a car; sell $10 raffle tickets for it; and donate the proceeds to Make-A-Wish to help more of our area’s ill children.  McKay NAPA Auto Parts’ Outside Sales Manager, Norman May, spearheaded the huge undertaking.  The tickets were available at all McKay NAPA store locations until October. 

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The car, a custom restored 1996 Pontiac Firebird, was donated by one of their Jerseyville customers, Sunderland Motor Company, and received a spectacular Martin Senour ‘Warm Candy Pearl’ paint job done at Nokomis Auto Body in Nokomis, IL.  The breathtaking vehicle was completed in September after making a somewhat complicated, multi-scheduled circuit of loyal and talented McKay customers and friends to be completely rebuilt.  Many of these businesses and individuals generously donated parts and/or labor or funds to restore this exquisite car to benefit the children.

The excitement built as they had the winning raffle ticket drawn at their Annual Tool & Equipment Show held at The Crystal Ballroom in Staunton, on October 7th, 2010.  The final tickets were available for purchase at that time.  Professional NAPA race car driver Martin Truex, Jr., flew in to be on hand to draw the winning ticket.  Truex drew the car winner, Karl Reinke, of Bethalto.  Raffle funds for the car raised $26,000 for Make-A-Wish.  Martin, and his brother, Ryan, also a professional racer, signed autographs for the crowd.

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With the benefactors’ assistance, McKay NAPA Auto Parts, Inc. presented both benefits as a combined fundraiser total of $41,000 to the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Illinois, to grant eight more wishes for the local area’s seriously ill children.  Jim McKay presented the exquisite ’96 Pontiac Firebird to Mr. Reinke on October 29th, at the McKay NAPA Auto Parts store in Bethalto, located at 324 Bethalto Drive.  On behalf of all who participated in the extensive custom restoration project, the folks at McKay NAPA are thrilled the benefit was very successful for more wish children.

Additional area businesses and supporters of donations of money, labor and product to restore the car included: Pro Automotive, Wood River; LRE Automotive, and Cross Auto Body, Edwardsville; Karman Art & Design, and Lee Bernt Auto Service, Alton; DeUel Automotive, Main Street Tire, J&T Transmissions, Wells-Norris, and R.A.M. Recycling, of Jerseyville; Faust Automotive, Aviston; Bethalto Star, Bethalto; Aljets Automotive, of Dorsey & Staunton; R&S Automotive, Godfrey; First National Bank of Staunton and Five Star Automotive, of Staunton; Innovative Audio of Carlinville; Quality Motors, Jim Portugal, and Bud Hearn, Gillespie; Roger Hearn, and Norman & Laurie May, Litchfield; Mullins Auto Salvage, Mt. Olive; Bill Hefley, Brian Hendricks, and Roger Jennings, Inc. all of Hillsboro; Kruse Enterprises, Girard; Bob’s Electronics, Springfield; and NAPA Corporation and NAPA Corporate Sales Representatives.

Established in 1937, the 17 hometown McKay NAPA Auto Parts stores are located at Bethalto, Carlinville, Carlyle, Centralia, Collinsville, Edwardsville, Gillespie, Godfrey, Greenville, Highland, Hillsboro, Jerseyville, Litchfield, Nokomis, Staunton, Virden and Wood River.  The McKay team includes over 150 employees.

In addition to Jim McKay, President / CEO, the McKay Corporation Board of Directors include: Earl Flack, Vice-President / COO; Allan Haenel, Vice-President Operations; and Edwin Hammann, Vice-President Purchasing.

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