The Route 66 "Mother Road" Fest is held each September in Springfield, IL with event attendance averaging 40,000 people.
This is a classic car fest with year's event was held on September 22-24.
It was seen as an opportunity for The Chicago South District to create a better presence for Autotrader.com in Central Illinois.
While meeting with customers, we have been stressing our desire to be involved in local charities. One such meeting was with Max Klemm, General Manager, Green Chevrolet in Jacksonville, IL. Mr. Klemm put us in contact with Michelle Tjelmeland who had started the Cochlear Implant Awareness Foundation, a 501(c)(3) organization in 2005 based in Springfield, IL. Michelle received her first Cochlear Implant in 2000 and her daughter Ellie has received two as well.
We saw this as an opportunity to help a new non-profit organization gain greater exposure and partner with ATC.
Terry Bell, AC Springfield, was our key to organizing the booth. Terry arranged for and constructed the street-level exhibit space where we placed one ATC Chevy HHR, the 27' Inflatable Gorilla, at tent with WI-FI connection so that visitors can search ATC for a car and a tent for C.I.A.F.
Final estimates are that over 20,000 people walked by the ATC and C.I.A.F. booths and at least 1,000 people stopped to have their photo taken next to the ATC 27' Inflatable Gorilla.
ATC staff, Randy Johnson, Jason Eads, Janice Lewis and Terry Bell distributed over 200 complimentary Autotrader.com pens, dashboard pads and other items.
We believe that the Chicago South District achieved its goals in partnering with a great local charity and creating awareness of ATC in Central Illinois.
We will continue to help and support The Cochlear Implant Awareness Foundation in our Central Illinois region.
