“BINGO! BINGO! I have bingo”, echoed in the front showroom of Ed Corley Ford dealership in Grants this past October 19th as we celebrated our First Annual Pink Ribbon Rally for a Cause, breast cancer awareness and fundraiser that would benefit the local Cibola General Hospital Mammo program. It started a couple months ago as my wife Evelyn and I were at our local Ed Corley Ford dealership discussing our up-coming Vintage Bronco Round-up that we have done in past years. We were thinking about old Ford cars and trucks as well and I thought maybe we could do a Ford only vehicle round up here at the dealership. Thinking old Ford trucks brought to mind a friend named Charlene. I knew her when she was a little girl at her Dad’s (Bill Hatten) engine machine shop years ago. Charlene died a few years ago, a breast cancer victim. I remembered her love for old cars and trucks. She worked at an auto parts store here in town for years. We thought of a breast cancer awareness event that we might do here at the dealership and then approached owner Stacie Corley for his thoughts. He loved the idea and then told us of a sister- inlaw of his that also was a breast cancer victim. We will remember everyone.
We then went to the Cibola General Hospital and discussed our idea with the CEO and see if they have a fund we can raise money for. They do have their mammogram program we can support. BINGO! We are on track and now the work starts. We will borrow tables and chairs, gather bingo prizes from local businesses, get bingo volunteers, and create an event name and, a flyer and oh yea, social media, and pick a date.
I started with an idea of a raffle item of a painting of an old Ford truck. I remember talking to Charlene few years ago at her job, we talked of her cancer and how it’s going. “So far, so good” she told me, and “some days are better than others”. I thought of her love of old cars and asked her why she doesn’t have one. She replied” I don’t have any extra money and besides if I could, I would want my Dad’s ‘51 Ford truck that my brother Dwayne has.” I thought it would be a great idea for our town to support her and perhaps help her focus. I asked Dwayne for the truck and he gave it to me to restore for Charlene. He also donated an engine and transmission. I took the truck to my and Evelyn’s shop to start the restoration. Glass would be donated by Discount Mobile glass, the upholstery would be done by a friend; just bring the material. Local body shops would help with advice or use of paint booths and small items also. Victory Lane would help with the tire cost. Small parts were donated by friends of mine and hers. We are going to pull together as a community for her. The only thing I needed now was the color she wanted for the truck.
I went to see Charlene a couple weeks before Christmas in 2020 and talked of her progress. Same story, “Good days… bad days.” I told her of the truck’s progress and she smiled. The only thing I need to know I asked her was what color she wanted the truck to be. She told me “Blue maybe sky blue, maybe a little lighter maybe darker, but blue.” I went to the NAPA paint store in Alb. On 2nd street where a friend worked and asked for blue color paint sample chips. I took them to Charlene about a week later and spread them on her desk and told her “Ok girl, pick a color.” She looked them over slowly and looked up to me and said. “RED! …my daughter Nicole and I were watching the Christmas Story on TV and saw an old red Ford truck with a Christmas tree in back of it. Nicole pointed at it and said, “Mom, there’s our truck.” Charlene said, “I want a red Truck!”
Charlene passed away 6 months later. Nicole’s dad has the truck now to finish for Nicole.
My friend Mike Austin in Albuquerque donated a painting of a 1951 RED Ford truck, and a St. Agatha patron Saint of breast cancer wood and tin art from local artist Jerry Montoya were the raffle items. Awesome!
A beautiful handmade pink quilt from Helen Cook, Jere Cooper’s chainsaw bear carving, Lawrence Platero’s and Charlene Mirabel’s acrylic paintings and a mirror from the Furniture Zone filled our silent auction table. Jeff and Liz Laurent brought their coin toss game and at a quarter a toss glass ware, cups, candle holders and such could be won. 20 some local businesses and crafted items donated from people at the weekly Farmers Market graced the bingo prize table. Some people donated money to support the cause when were out selling raffle tickets.
Cibola General Hospital had a booth attended by Cynthia Tena, Nydia Sanchez and Marissa Gonzales where one could make a donation for a pink ribbon that you could put a name on in memory of. They also had a spin the wheel for a small prize game. There were hand crafted pink ribbon angel paintings from our granddaughter Mia and Charlene’s daughter Nicole.
I started the event by welcoming all and recognizing our volunteers and prize donors. I told them the RED Truck story and how this event came to be. I then turned the microphone over to dealership owner Stacie Corley, who with his sisters Florence and Faye on hand, briefly talked about breast cancer and its effect on both the victim and their family. He then asked for a moment of silence where all could reflect. He then thanked everyone for supporting for this event.
We had 7 local old Fords (this was an old Ford only event) in attendance. A 54 sedan, 1966 T-bird, 1965 Fairlane, 1967 Mustang, 1972 Bronco and a couple high boy Ford trucks. The Southwest Model A club from Albuquerque came to support us and they brought six 1930’s Model A Ford cars to display.
Hot dog! I mean bingo…no, I mean Hot dog! Jimmy D’s Dogs hot truck was on hand for the much needed and reasonably priced warm meal as the weather turned colder hour by hour. As the weather started cooling early in the event the front dealership showroom was emptied of vehicles so all events could be in the warm building. Margie Roberts, Michelle Thomas and daughter Jenny led the bingo, calling for about four hours, and as the last bingo was done we turned our focus to the main two raffle items. Stacie Corley cranked the raffle ticket hopper and drew a winner for the St Agatha artwork. Our grand-daughter Mia in turn drew the winner for the 51 RED Ford truck painting, which the winner promptly donated it to the Cibola General Hospital for their use or fund raise. Mia then presented a 12”x 16” painting of the pink ribbon angel that she and Nicole did, to Nydia and Marissa to hang in the mammogram x-ray room. Stacie again thanked everyone for their support of this cause and the event. We would also like to thank our family and friends for their support.
All applauded and the event was ending with talk of next year’s Second Annual Pink Ribbon Rally for a Cause.
This year’s event total proceeds given Cibola General Hospital for the Mammogram program was $1760.00 and presented to Cynthia and her staff on October 24th.
BINGO! WE HAVE A WINNER!