Supercars for super kids: Cars 4 Kids brings toys and hope to the Ronald McDonald House

When you’re a car loving kid, there’s only one thing better than getting new toy cars to play with — seeing those same cars in real life. On Sunday, Aug. 20, in downtown Salt Lake, local nonprofit Cars 4 Kids made both of those dreams come true for some sick kids and their families at the Ronald McDonald House.

It was all part of the organization’s Cars 4 Kids Car Show and Grand Tour, an annual event in which car enthusiasts around the Mountain West come together to raise money, donate toys and drive some pretty dang cool cars along the way.

Attendees walk the row of cars to see the participating cars and donated toys at Sunday's Cars 4 Kids Car Show in Salt Lake City (Photo Credit: Chad Hurst).

The event includes a five-day Grand Tour drive, a one-day cruise and a totally different kind of drive altogether — a toy drive. And each drive was a success. Sunday evening saw incredible cars and amazing toys lining the street outside the Ronald McDonald house. From Barbies to BMWs, Legos to Lambos and supercars to superheroes, there was something for every kid (and kid at heart). Browse BMW listings

Making magic at the Ronald McDonald House

As in past years, this year’s drive benefited Ronald McDonald House Charities, which has been operating in Utah since 1988. Among many other services, the organization provides temporary housing for families dealing with childhood illness, giving them a chance to be closer to their child’s treatment center. For families who are traveling far from home for treatment and kids who are experiencing extended hospital stays, the house is a godsend. 

The toys on the windshield of this red Corvette are just a few examples of the many toys donated to the Ronald McDonald House (Photo Credit: Chad Hurst).

The toys that lined the front of each grille would end up in the house’s Magic Room, which is not only stocked by Cars 4 Kids, but was also funded by it. This unique and incredible service helps kids get awesome new toys when they need them most. 

That could be on a special occasion like a birthday, holiday or the end of a treatment run. Or it could just be a tough day in need of some extra hope and cheer. Whenever the time seems right, the staff will let kids into the Magic Room, where — poof — they’ll disappear, then reappear with a brand new toy. And with a magic red curtain marking the entryway and a treasure-guarding dragon keeping watch over it all, the experience might be cooler than the toy itself. 

From Camaros to Corvettes, all sorts of cars came to the Cars 4 Kids Car Show (Photo credit: Chad Hurst).

Cougar Elfervig, owner of Luxe Auto Spa and one of the operators of Cars 4 Kids, is sure of that fact. “When these kids are going through these treatments, a lot of the time they go into the Magic Room and they actually choose a toy for a sibling and not for themselves,” he told us. Check out some Corvettes for sale

Some kids got the chance to sit behind the wheel of their dream car (Photo credit: Chad Hurst).

It’s that kind of selflessness and bravery shown by the kids at the Ronald McDonald House that has given the group’s mission such a big place in his heart. “They’re always thinking about other people, and they just have this glow about them. Where most adults kind of just roll over, they’re fighters.”

During the toy drive and car show, the room’s magic spilled out into the parking lot. There was no need to wait for a special occasion — this was the special occasion. Sick kids and their families ran around grabbing the toy cars, stuffed animals, action figures and books placed lovingly in front of the cars. There’s nothing like watching a kid’s face light up as they grab a brand new Lego Millennium Falcon. Finding out they were grabbing it for their sick brother made it even better. Cougar was right, selflessness abounds at the Ronald McDonald House. 

Cars and crowds lined the street outside the Ronald McDonald House (Photo Credit: Chad Hurst).

Cruising for a cause

The mission to help sick kids and their families is an easy cause to get behind. But why do it with cars? Said Jeff Cox, the group’s founder, “If you’re trying to get a big group of people together with a lot of really nice cars, people are gonna notice; they’re gonna want to know what’s going on. So we wanted to take advantage of that attention and use it for good.” 

If the goal of the drive was to get people’s attention, it was certainly accomplished with gusto. Lining the street outside the Ronald McDonald House were pristine cars of all kinds, from modern muscles to luxury rides and stunning supercars.

But not every car had driven the same distance to arrive at the Ronald McDonald house. Some drivers, like Cam Hughes and his Lamborghini Huracán (and casual Ferrari SF90), had been on the road since the previous Tuesday. Cam and many other drivers’ five-day Grand Tour began in Aspen, Colorado, traveling through Telluride and southern Utah before heading north toward Salt Lake City. Find Ferrari listings

Cam Hughes drove this Lamborghini Huracán from Colorado to Salt Lake City for the event (Photo Credit: Chad Hurst).

Others, like Rich and Kristin Burgi and their frighteningly awesome FranknJeep, joined just for the day. Although when you’re driving “just for the day” with a group like this, they said, you still end up putting in about 200-300 miles. Peep Jeep listings

Rich and Kristin Burgi took their FranknJeep along for the one-day Cars 4 Kids Cruise (Photo Credit: Chad Hurst).

By all accounts, the C4K23 Drive was awesome. With great weather, great people, great scenery and, of course, great cars, how could it not be? But despite the great vibes during the rally, everyone we spoke to said the same thing — the cars were secondary. It was the toys, the funds and the kids that mattered most.

Driving hope

The Magic Room is far from the only thing Cars 4 Kids does to help the kids in their community who are battling serious illnesses. They also partner with Make-A-Wish Utah and the Mascot Miracles Foundation, and often go above and beyond that, too. Just ask Breck Dockstader, who made the long drive from St. George to Salt Lake a few years ago just to give a car loving kiddo an unforgettable day.

Breck had done that year’s Grand Tour in a Corvette with a full Talladega Nights style Wonder Bread wrap, and had even dressed up as Will Ferrell’s character Ricky Bobby. A few weeks later, Cougar called and asked if Breck still had the wrap on the car. Breck said yes, and Cougar replied “You need to be in Salt Lake City tomorrow.”

Wyatt, a 12-year old Ronald McDonald House kid with a terminal diagnosis, had seen the car and wanted to have a real life day on the racetrack with it. Not only did Breck, Cougar and Cars 4 Kids give Wyatt an unforgettable day on the track, shakin’ and bakin’ with Ricky Bobby (Breck in costume), but since then, they’ve worked to help keep Wyatt’s memory alive.

On Sunday, Cars 4 Kids donated $5,000 to Wyatt’s Comfort Bundles, a charity Wyatt and his family started. The goal of the charity is to help kids dealing with cancer by giving them care packages, or “comfort bundles.” The bundles usually include something cozy like a blanket, beanie or pair of comfy socks, and something fun like a toy, stuffed animal or game. Wyatt helped put together the first 100 bundles himself. Since then the group has assembled and delivered almost 6,000. 

Cars 4 Kids presented Wyatt's parents with a gift to recognize their charity efforts (Photo credit: Chad Hurst).

Cars 4 Kids often works with individual children and families like Wyatt’s. They recently helped out a young boy named Gus who had been at Primary Children’s Hospital for over 400 days. Cars 4 Kids not only helped Gus’ family out with their bills, but also gave him a care package that would make Wyatt proud, filled with some of Gus’ favorite things in the world. As of recently, Cougar said, Gus is doing great.

“Any time you can give someone hope, it takes them out of this negative headspace and puts things in a different light.”

And the hope was palpable at Sunday’s event, both in the halls of the Ronald McDonald House we were lucky enough to tour and on the faces of the kids checking out cars and picking up toys. Cam Hughes summed it up the day’s vibes nicely. “It’s driving cars and helping kids! What’s not to love?” 

The wrap on this Subaru turned the vehicle into a coloring book for kids to draw on (Photo credit: Chad Hurst).

If you’re interested in working with or donating to Cars 4 Kids, check its website for upcoming events and ways to get involved. The Utah Ronald McDonald House will also be celebrating its 35th anniversary with a fall festival on October 21. Join to celebrate the group’s legacy and history, and learn more about newer services like The Park Love Built and, of course, Chief PAWSitivity Officer/Therapy Dog Ollie. There are also a number of ways to get involved on your own. 

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