‘Driven to Give’ event to raise funds for a cause

HARLINGEN — Take a new Lincoln car out for a spin and help a local Rotary Club raise money.

The Harlingen Sunburst Rotary Club will host its annual Driven to Give event Saturday.

Health screenings, free food and a car show can all be found at the fundraiser.

Former president and current club member Charles Palmer said the event began four years ago when he learned about the automaker’s initiative during Rotary training.

For every person who test drives a Lincoln, Boggus Lincoln will donate $20 to the Rotary Club.

Every person who chooses to take a second test drive will earn an extra $10 for the club.

“The public is invited to take a drive around the block in a 2018 Lincoln of their choice,” Palmer said. “There’s no high-pressure sales or anything.”

Proceeds from the event will go toward the club’s community project for next year.

Last year, the event drew about 190 drivers and collected nearly $4,000.

The money from that event went toward this year’s project to purchase bicycles for needy students in Harlingen.

“We hope to raise a little bit more this year,” Palmer said.

The Rotary Club has a goal to collect $6,000, which requires at least 300 drivers for the upcoming project to benefit veterans.

Tim Elliot from the club said the organization is still working on the details for the future project.

In addition to test driving, the Family Crisis Center of Harlingen will be on-site to provide a free health fair that will provide blood pressure and a diabetes check.

The event is free, open to the public and will feature an old and exotic car show with a rare McLaren P1 sports car.

“It’s a free fundraiser which is different,” Elliot said.