BEKINS VAN LINES RAISES THOUSANDS FOR NATIONAL NONPROFIT
The Bekins team had a busy several days in the first week of October promoting and hosting our first Truck Pull fundraiser based in Indianapolis. The family-friendly competition’s goal was to raise money for Give Kids The World. Bekins Van Lines sponsors Keaton’s Korral, a horse riding attraction on the campus of the nonprofit resort that hosts children with critical illnesses and their families for weeklong, cost-free vacations, bringing happiness and hope to those who need it most.
THANK YOU TO CORPORATE SPONSORS
Before we share more photos, video of the morning show truck pull demo, and announce the amount of money raised for GKTW, let us thank the sponsors that got us past our $20,000 goal:
- Music Sponsor | OnePoint
- Glove Sponsor | Cory Shook – State Farm
- T-shirt Sponsor | Michaels Uniform Co.
- Scoreboard Sponsor | Gemini Advanced Marketing Services
- Goodie Bag Sponsor | Birch, Inc.
- Food Truck Sponsors | AMS Relocation, Inc., Marketers For Movers, Marketpro, Inc., and Nationwide Auto Transport
- Welcome Tent Sponsor | Palmer Associates
- Print Sponsor | Indys Pro Graphix
- Screenprinting Sponsor | T&T Promotions
- Finish Line Sponsor | MovingLeads.com by First Movers Advantage
- Rope Sponsor | N&N Moving Supplies
- Registration Tent Sponsor | Exodus Moving & Storage
- Game Sponsor | B2E Marketing & EWS Group
- Team Sponsors | A-1 Auto, Hub International Insurance, H.J. Spier Insurance, The Noll Landscape Group, TTN Fleet Solutions, United Steelworkers, and Victory Packaging
- At Large Sponsors | Braden Business Systems, Coast Valley Moving & Storage, Complete Office Supply, DriverReach, SeaCure, Inc., TravelCenters of America
- And many donations from generous individuals such as Carole Palazzo, Randy Stannard, and Rex Swing!
INDIANAPOLIS TV STATION WTHR FEATURED THE TRUCK PULL FUNDRAISER ON 13SUNRISE
While the majority of the fundraising occurred on the corporate level, Bekins needed spectators to cheer on the competing teams and buy dinner at onsite food trucks to help support the nonprofit. That’s why part of the effort to raise money for Give Kids The World included garnering publicity such as the Wednesday, Oct. 5 spots during the 4:30 to 7 am morning show on the Indianapolis TV station, WTHR.
The station showed several segments:
- An interview with Bekins president A.J. Schneider on who Bekins is and how the company became connected with GKTW.
- Sound bites from Matt Paxton about the van line and PBS partnership.
- GKTW alumni family the Ginthers talking about their experience in Central Florida and how much it meant to not only their Wish child Hannah, but also to their other children.
- Cheerleading feature! Hannah and a friend performed Truck Pull fundraiser cheers on camera.
- A truck pull demonstration by Matt Paxton and 10 members of the Bekins team: Chris Banguis, Ron Borkowski, Brenda Carter, Kevin Miller, April Milner, Paul Salmon, A.J. Schneider, Jaymie Shook, Justin Swing, and Brett Welch.
GETTING SET UP FOR THE TRUCK PULL FUNDRAISER
Finally, Thursday evening saw a ton of people joining in to help set up and run the Truck Pull fundraiser. Staff set up tables and chairs, popped canopies, put together easels to hold sponsor signs, strung up banners, laid out t-shirts, gloves, and games, and so much more.
Once things were set up and people began to arrive, more volunteers appeared to run the show, and not to be outdone, several members of the team put on their gloves and pulled the truck!
Thank you to all our volunteers and participants:
- Eddie Acosta, Mariah Hubbard, Mark Russell, Austin Shaffer & Johnny Shelton of Wheaton Moving & Storage;
- Amy Darling Music
- Tommy Goodin of Goodin Moving Solutions;
- Don Henson of Brandon Moving & Storage;
- Joel LeVene & Randy Turner of Turner Moving & Storage;
- Carrie Levy of Exodus Moving & Storage;
- Paul Newman of AMS Relocation, Inc.;
- Jay & Sherry Ocker;
- Micayla Rowe of Give Kids The World,
- Clair Salyer & Stephanie Tollefson of Gemini Advanced Marketing Solutions;
- Lori Shepard & Katie Weissert of Reindeer Auto;
- Josh & Marrissa Tracy of Yolo Transfer;
- Chris Banguis, Mike Battreall, Ron Borkowski, Todd Emrick, Kyle Fetterman, Matt Gore, Myranda Gourley, Krista Helm, Chelsea Hugunin, Mike Lowder, April Milner, Kyle Patz, Marci Poynter, Laura Pung, David Raney, Doug Robinson, Paul Salmon, A.J. Schneider, Johnny Shelton, Jaymie Shook, Justin Swing, Brett Welch, Hollis Williams, Ron Williams, and Roger Wise of Bekins Van Lines.
PULL THAT TRUCK
Nine teams of ten donned work gloves and yanked the truck 100 feet across the finish line, with Morse Moving & Storage and Cory Shook – State Farm coming out as the top two. In the Championship round, the moving team outpaced the insurance team by almost two seconds. Very impressive!
Thank you to team sponsors:
- Bekins Van Lines staff
- Morse Moving & Storage* 2022 Indy Truck Pull Champions!
- Win Daily (Kustom Disaster Restoration)
- Cory Shook – State Farm* 2022 Indy Truck Pull Runner Up!
- TTN Fleet Solutions, who traveled all the way to Indiana from Texas!
- Hauling Bootcamp, consisting of moving company representatives from all over the country
- HJ Spier Insurance
- Indy Pickleball Club
TOTAL AMOUNT RAISED FOR GKTW THROUGH THE TRUCK PULL FUNDRAISER
We surpassed our goal for the nonprofit! Couldn’t have done it without our sponsors, participants, and volunteers. Visit https://give.gktw.org/keatonskorral to donate toward the great work GKTW does for children and families. Visit IndyTruckPull.com for more photos and videos in the weeks to come. Email bekinsmarketing@wvlcorp.com if you’d like information about our upcoming 2023 Truck Pull fundraiser.
