Cars for CASA breaks record for most cars ever registered

(ROCKWALL, TX – May 16, 2016) Cars for CASA rolled up to The Harbor parking lot Sunday, May 15 to fundraise for kids in foster care.

Lone Star CASA, or Court Appointed Special Advocates, is an organization that allows regular citizens to volunteer as advocates for foster children in court by making recommendations to judges on a child’s behalf.

The car, truck, and motorcyle show has been a fun way to raise money for CASA for the last 12 years, and this year the event was bigger than ever.

Volunteer Advocate Roland Ruble said this year 392 cars were registered, the most that Cars for CASA has ever seen.

Ruble said he was very pleased with the event’s success and the amount of participation from the community.

“Usually we hope for about 5,000 people,” Ruble said. “This is probably the best showing we’ve ever had.”

Volunteer Advocate Janet Catlin said proceeds from the event are extremely helpful to CASA as they look to expand and help as many children as possible.

“It’s one of our largest fundraisers of the year, and it helps with community awareness,” Catlin said. “It gets our name out there.”

Volunteer Advocate Christine Davis agreed.

“One hundred percent of the money raised goes to CASA,” Davis said. “This helps us add more volunteers.”

Cars for CASA volunteer Larry Baty said he chooses to donate his time and energy to the annual event because he believes strongly in the impact that CASA makes on the lives of children.

“It’s a fantastic organization that tries to take care of the foster kids,” Baty said. “CASA sees them through from the time they are taken from their homes until they are placed in a foster home. And it’s all on a volunteer basis.”

The event featured a raffle, a snow cone truck, and a community of car lovers anxious to show off their rides.

The Overall Best in Show winner for the third year in a row was Don Silaff, whose vehicle was featured on the award plaques for all of the winners. (Click here to read the Blue Ribbon News story we featured last year about Don Silaff and his ride).

DFWLX, who entered 35 cars in the show, took home the club participation award for the 8^th year in a row.

The North Texas Mustang Society also received accolades for their uniquely decorated engine hoods.

Several members of the club had the inner side of their hood painted with a design that reflected personal taste and complimented the exterior paint of the car.

Suzy Walker, whose mustang won the Class Award for Year 2000 and Newer Car, said she came up with the idea and discovered the artist who ultimately painted hoods for her fellow club members.

“I personally just like to make the car look as nice as I can with new ideas, and then I started a trend,” Walker said.

Other winners from this year’s show included:

New “Side by Side” Category: Scott Stark

Best Interior: Rusty Wallis

Best Paint: Rob Morgan

Best Graphics: Eddy Maupin

Best Engine: HL Randle

Best in Show (Rat Rod): Mike Denson

Best in Show (Motorcycle): Brent Lammond

Best in Show (Truck): Mike Adcock

Best in Show Overall: Don Silaff

Club Participation Award DFWLX

Raffle prizes included a 50 inch Samsung TV, a YETI cooler, several YETI cups, and a 50/50 pot that raised $1,067. Although half of the money was intended for charity and half for the prize, the raffle winner donated her $533 back to CASA.

Story and photos by Blue Ribbon News reporter Julie Anne White.