AMERICUS —  This Saturday, Aaron’s Sales & Lease and the 4-E Learning and Prevention Center present a Custom Car/Truck/Motorcycle Show to be held from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Sumter County Fairgrounds, Ga. Highway 30.

According to Aaron’s General Manager Sebastian Rice, the Family Fun Event is “designed as a fundraiser for the 4-E Center’s summer camps and other programs throughout the year that help at risk children.” The car, truck and motorcycle show competition will feature vehicles from clubs from as far away as South Carolina and Florida as well as southeast and southwest Georgia. The clubs will be competing for first-, second- and third-place trophies. Also, on display will be the Aaron’s “Dream Machine,” the company’s sponsored competition NASCAR.

The event will also feature a Madden NFL ’09 video game competition with video components and monitors provided by Aaron’s. Vendors  and co-sponsors of the event are South Georgia Technical College (SGTC), Sunbelt Ford Lincoln Mercury of Americus and Hubbard Auction Co. of Cordele. Other vendors include clothing retailers and hair salons, among other businesses. The funds generated from the auto show participant and vendor fees will go to provide resources, services and support to at-risk children and their families.

Rice says that Aaron’s partnership with the 4-E Center and other cooperative sponsorships that include the Americus Police Department and SGTC are possible because of Aaron’s Community Outreach Program (ACORP), which supports worthy charitable causes, locally and nationally. 

According to Rice, ACORP allows for local management to seek out not-for-profit organizations in the community to sponsor.

“We are not here just to sell merchandise, but to improve the community, as well — to be a good corporate citizen,” Rice says.

The 4-E Learning and Prevention Center’s programs include After School, Summer Camp and Students for Change, which serves expelled or suspended students who wish to pursue their G.E.D.

Saturday’s event is free to the public, but Rice says that canned food for the local food bank will be accepted as a donation.

Tickets for a chance to win door prizes will be given in exchange for the canned items.

“This is the first year for this event, but we plan on having it annually,” Rice says.

All auto show participants, vendors and sponsors must pre-register.

Auto show registration is $20 per vehicle. The vendor fee is $50. Pre-registration is also required for the Madden NFL ’09 video game competition. Sponsors interested in participating should call Sebastian Rice 924-2488 or 4-E Center Director, Barbara Smith  928-5605.