ROANOKE, VIRGINIA – July 31, 2012 - The American Cancer Society and Southern Automotive announce the winner of their raffle for a 2012 Volkswagen Passat: Frank Garrett, a resident of Fincastle. The vehicle was donated by Southern Automotive to help the Society celebrate cancer survivorship and raise funds for the nonprofit organization’s cancer research and patient services. Garrett met with organizers this week to accept his new car.
Since January, thousands of Virginia residents donated $5 for each raffle ticket and helped to raise $280,000 for the Society’s signature event, Relay For Life. Relay For Life events are held in communities across the Commonwealth each year to honor and remember those affected by cancer, encourage early detection of the disease and support legislative issues related to cancer. Funds raised for Relay For Life help the American Cancer Society offer free local programs and services, including transportation, lodging, emotional and physical support groups, access to dietitians and trained oncology social workers, to cancer patients and their caregivers.
Frank Garrett, car raffle winner, and Ginny Mathie, American Cancer Society volunteer, with Garrett’s new Volkswagen.
Garrett is a caregiver himself to his wife, Debbie, a recent breast cancer survivor. The couple picked up the keys to their new car this week and organizers thanked them for their participation in the fundraiser. Garrett met with American Cancer Society representatives again today and took the opportunity to celebrate his success with Ginny Mathie, a local volunteer with the Society and the person who gave Garrett his winning raffle ticket.
Southern Automotive has sponsored the automobile raffle for the Society’s Relay For Life for the past 14 years.
About The American Cancer Society
The American Cancer Society combines an unyielding passion with nearly a century of experience to save lives and end suffering from cancer. As a global grassroots force of more than three million volunteers, we fight for every birthday threatened by every cancer in every community. We save lives by helping people stay well by preventing cancer or detecting it early; helping people get well by being there for them during and after a cancer diagnosis; by finding cures through investment in groundbreaking discovery; and by fighting back by rallying lawmakers to pass laws to defeat cancer and by rallying communities worldwide to join the fight. As the nation’s largest non-governmental investor in cancer research, contributing more than $3.5 billion, we turn what we know about cancer into what we do. As a result, more than 11 million people in America who have had cancer and countless more who have avoided it will be celebrating birthdays this year. To learn more about us or to get help, call us any time, day or night, at 1-800-227-2345 or visit cancer.org. For cancer news in your community, visit sacancernews.org.
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