Feeding our Youth, at the Mesa Boys and Girls club

On October 28th, the Mesa Boys and Girl's Club contacted Clean Air Cab to see if we could possibly donate 30 turkeys and our time to give them a Thanksgiving dinner on November 22nd.

Despite the time crunch and the large amount of turkeys that we needed to provide for, members of Clean Air Cab's very own Green Team found a way.

The miracle came in the form of two women, Julie Renshaw and Tia Renshaw who are related to Glenn Thopsey, a hardworking man at Clean Air Cab.

 They provided the funds that allowed Clean Air Cab to obtain 30 turkeys.

 

Steve Lopez, the owner of Clean Air Cab, along with the individuals at Mesa Boys and Girls club cannot even begin to express their gratitude.

 Want to know what 30 turkeys looks like in a Prius?

so did we.... what do you think? 

Because I think that much turkey is a beautiful sight, and not just because I am a conisour of fine foods, or a meatatarian; it is because that food was donated for a good cause, for our youth, your children.

I cannot forget to mention our mascot was there.

This was Lily's first time volunteering, and as you can see...

she was exactly in her element.

Why did we chose to volunteer at the Mesa Boys and Girls Club?

because great futures start here.

interested in finding out more about this club? you can start by clicking

here.

now to the story of our service....

this is the feasting hall.

If we were vikings I would compare it to Valhalla;

but since we are not...

I will call it gym-converted-into-place-of-feasting

we were punctual. too punctual. We set up, and then forced them to give us another task

that task?

slicing pie into 200+ pieces

I doubt mass produces conveyer belts could work with the speed

or precision that we managed that night.

This is Tina.... Tina did not want her picture to be taken.

so I made sure she had a solo shot.

Tina, you deserve to be appreciated.

LOOK. Brianna's hand's are moving so swiftly, not even my hiteck

iphone could capture her movement.

I guess you could say we were SUPER-volunteers.

finally, we began the assembly line of food to be delivered to the children and their families.

People from all over the valley had come together to make this event happen.

As the families arrived and the food was laid out, it began to feel like Thanksgiving.

of course we mostly slaved away in the food area, but that is what good volunteers do right?

The lovely woman in the black shirt is Brittany. She is kind of a superstar...

especially when she hands out the turkey.

our mascot, and her lovely mommy

(who also happens to be the general manager at Clean Air Cab).

At this event, we had Clean Air Cab employees and friends alike,

joining in a cause to help the community.

When I see the hands on this sign,

I know that the future requires friendship, trust in a better tomorrow, and help from those around us.

This Thanksgiving, at Clean Air Cab, we are thankful to be part of the solution.

what are you thankful for?

In Honor of Veteran's Day

"The willingness of American veterans to sacrifice for our country has earned them our lasting gratitude."

~Jeff Miller

"How important it is for us to recognize and celebrate our heroes and she-roes!"

~Maya Angelou

"It doesn't take a hero to order men into battle. It takes a hero to be one of those men who goes into battle."

~Norman Schwarzkopf

"True heroism is remarkably sober, very undramatic. It is not the urge to surpass all others at whatever cost, but the urge to serve others at whatever cost."

~Arthur Ashe

"On this Veterans Day, let us remember the service of our veterans and their families who have sacrificed so much so that we can live free."

~Dan Lipinski

"Courage is almost a contradiction in terms. It means a strong desire to live taking the form of readiness to die."

~G.K. Chesterton

"A hero is someone who has given his or her life to something bigger than oneself."

~Joseph Campbell

"I think there is one higher office than president, and I would call that patriot."

~Gary Hart

Clean Air Cab would like to thank all of our military personal, whether you are in the service or a hero that has long been home. We would like to offer you a free cab ride with your military ID card, and we wish you a Happy Veteran's Day. Thank you again, for your service, for your friendship, for being our silent guardian angel. May God watch over you, as you have watched over us. May you come home safely.

Make a Wish & The AZ Urban Race

Clean Air Cab is proud to announce our newest charity cab. This new cab was unveiled at the AZ Urban Race in honor of the charity it was for, Make-A-Wish foundation. Mountainside Fitness and Clean Air Cab have come together for a unique relationship. Local companies "Giving Big" is a way for others in our community to give to their favorite chosen charity in the area. This year "Miles for Smiles" is Mountainside fitness's charity cab effort.

 The cab is a deep blue with a new shimmer tone added to it, which really enhances the "sparkle" effect of the stars, a trademark emblem for Make-A-Wish.

 Make-A-Wish foundation has the mission to "grant the wishes of children with life-threatening medical conditions to enrich the human experience with hope, strength and joy."

      The Make-A-Wish Foundation began with one boy’s wish. In 1980, 7-year-old Chris Greicius was being treated for leukemia.This little boy dreamed of becoming a police officer and with the help of U.S. Customs Officer Tommy Austin, that dream became a reality.

     On April 29, 1980, Austin and a caring group of DPS personnel started Chris’ day with a tour of the city in a department helicopter. He was then flown into headquarters where three cruisers and a motorcycle officer greeted him before his meeting with the DPS command staff.  Chris was sworn in as the first honorary DPS patrolman in state history. Ron Cox had also contacted John’s Uniforms, which made a custom-tailored DPS uniform for Chris. The officers presented the official uniform to Chris on May 1 and arranged a motorcycle proficiency test so he could earn wings to pin on his uniform, which he passedwith flying colors on his battery-operated motorcycle.
       On May 3rd, Chris passed away; however, this boy was able to live out his dreams and see his wishes come true.

 for a more in depth account of this story, please click here

 214,247 wishes have since been granted, with a wish being granted nearly every 40 minutes

 The real question, is whose life is being touched the most?

The child who sees their dream come true?

Or the volunteers, supportors, families, and friends who are truly inspired?

 our newest cab enables our local Arizona chapter of the Make-A-Wish foundation to touch the lives of so many people, by granting the wishes of these ill children.

 In the 2011 Fiscal year, the Arizona Chapter has granted 251 wishes

 There are so many dreams to save, and lives to bless.

Be part of the solution.

The BIG DAY of the AZ URBAN RACE

 We arrived at the AZ Urban Race in the early morning. It was cold and the ground was still drenched from the previous night's rain~ yet there were hundreds of people in attendance and overall the sight was beautiful to behold. 

 We even brought Clean Air Cab's mascott, Lily, with us to enjoy this ground-breaking occasion as well.

 Our Make-A-Wish cab had only just been finished the day before, yet it was perfectly placed in position. Despite the fact that the overcast hid it's sparkly sheen, it kept drawing admirers over to it.

 Mountainside Fitness gave us a table and we were excited to tell people about our new cab and how this cab will be different from any of our other charity cabs.

Meanwhile, as the Race continued... we saw many four legged friends and we just wanted to let you know that Clean Air Cab does not discriminate against Man's Best Friend. We are more than happy to take you and your furry pal wherever you need to go.

 We also saw some groups of runners who went all out in various themes and costume. They really added to the flavor of the event.

 The race had an insanely large crowd and with the white tents flanking both ends of the feild, the event appeared to be a modern day Renaissance Fair.

 Now, this is the part that gets more interesting, because here is where I tell you WHY this cab will be different. It is ironic that the Make-A-Wish foundation cab should be unveiled at a race, because the cab itself will be a "runner." The concept was designed by Clean Air Cab. This means, that the cab will have several sponsors (3), such as Mountainside Fitness, which has already agreed to be the main sponsor. These sponsors will pay a certain amount of money per a mile($x per mile), and at the end of the year, the donations will be matched to the yearly mile amount, and a check will be written to the charity. All year long, our Make-A-Wish foundation cab will be on the road, taking YOU where you need to go, and at the end of the year the amount of miles it traveled on trips will be calculated and the proceeds will have been sent to the Make-A-Wish foundation to facilitate the bringing about of children's dreams.

   

  Perhaps when we come near to that finish line next year, we will be able to see what we have accomplished and stand on our obstables with a smile playing upon our lips and a warmth in our heart because we know that we made a difference that no one else could.

 because what is this life without joy?

 and how can true happiness be attained without selflessness?

 or the spirit of giving?  

You cannot look at a child, and not see an untainted love for the human experience, no matter how bad the cards are that life may have dealt them.

It may just be another wrapped car, but it stands for an idea, of an organization, which is a group of people united under a single cause, which can make a difference to not only a child, but a family, a community, and ultimately humanity as a whole.