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Politics & Government

Return To Renton Car Show And Renton Police Department Team Up To Help At-Risk Youth

July 10, 2011 from 10 a.m. - 3 p.m. in Downtown Renton at the Piazza (South 3rd Street and Burnett Avenue South).

The 21st annual Return to Renton Benefit Car Show and Cruise-In will bring in 3,000+ visitors and 400 or more car exhibitors this Sunday to downtown Renton between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. The event is a fundraiser for the Renton Police Department and its programs that benefit youth activities.

In the past 20 years, the benefit car show has raised over $150,000 for programs sponsored by the police department. This year, it could bring in $13,000-$16,000, said Jim Medzegian, the chair of the show.

The car show didn't always raise this much money, he said. It has taken conserted effort and a lot of community support and sponsorships. This year alone there are more than 50 sponsors, including in the Renton Highlands and on Rainier Avenue. They have been a platinum sponsor for many years. This year a new platinum sponsor is Beetlesmith's Valley Tire Centers. 

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Another long-time sponsor, Medzegian said, is . They give discount cards that are in the "goodie bags" for car show registrants, gift cards for raffle prizes, and provide signage for the event.

The car show is organized by a dedicated team of a dozen people that meet all year long, Medzegian said, and then meet weekly up to the days prior to the event.

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Medzegian, who has chaired the program for the past five years said, “There are two benefits for the program. The police department does great things, but the added benefit is the image it portrays to youth in our community of what the police department does.”

Terri Vickers, spokesperson for the Renton Police Department, outlined the variety of youth programs and activities supported by the car show, including leadership and mentoring programs, skill development workshops, and reading programs.

One of the programs, Leadership Camp, is a multi-day event supported by the school principals education foundation. For this event, kids that are in low-income families learn about conflict resolution and communication strategies.

In the “Powerful to be me” program, the police department’s mantra is “If it is to be, it’s up to me.” This mentoring program helps young men become better citizens and through mentoring and with guest speakers learn the valuable lessons of respect, pride and integrity.

In the “Hoop Shoot” program, the Renton PD is able to purchase basketballs and trophies, and gives elementary and middle school students the opportunity to play basketball in a fun day-long event.

At the car show, 37 trophies are presented to “Best in Show”, “The People’s Choice”,  “Cool Chrome” and “Splendid Survivor.”

One award winner will be honored with the “Steve Maxwell Memorial Trophy” in honor of long-time car show volunteer and beloved community member, Steve Maxwell, husband of State Representative Marcie Maxwell. Mr. Maxwell was a former King County Sheriff’s Department officer who died in 2010.

“The car show ties the community together,” said Keith Fekete, a Renton police officer who works as a community resource officer, youth in the community, and is also a presence in downtown Renton during the Tuesday Farmers Market.

Fekete also works with a team of volunteers who start staging the show as early as 6 a.m. on Sunday morning. It is a complicated puzzle to arrange the cars, many who just show up the day of the event.

The power of what the funds from the car show can do—and one story organizers of the car love to tell is the story of a boy who wanted a bike. When the young man started a conversation with a school resource officer, he mentioned the thing he wanted most in the world was a bicycle. This young man, however, had been having difficulty in school because of attendance problems. “I’ll make a deal with you,” the officer said. “Go to school, have good attendance, and you’ll get a bicycle at the end of the school year.”

The deal was made. At the end of the year, the young man had his bicycle.

It doesn’t get much better than that now, does it?

 

Return to Renton Car Show

When: July 10, 2011 from 10 a.m. - 3 p.m. 

Where: Downtown Renton at the Piazza (South 3rd Street and Burnett Avenue South)

Registration:  8 a.m.

Judging: 11 a.m.
  
Trophy Presentation & Cruise-In: 3 p.m. 
  

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