CLUB: BAJA SHOW & SHINE
WITH NOTHING BUT clear blue skies, sunshine, and temperatures in the low twenties, it actually felt more like Baja California, rather than the Brampton Area Jeep Association’s annual show and shine. Held on the first Saturday in June, the event has evolved from a small-club get-together into a major event on the Ontario 4x4 calendar.
Awesome weather ensured an equally incredible turn out with one hundred and twelve vehicles registered for the show and shine, and a constant stream of spectators milling around over the course of the six-hour event. This was payback indeed for the team of hard working volunteers who have been busy organizing the event since January; some of whom were on site setting up at the unearthly hour of five o’clock in the morning on the day of the show.
The ever-popular car-crush ran throughout the day, and lining the perimeter of the car-crush arena, in the cozy confines of the local Jeep dealership parking lot, the sponsors and vendors – many returning after attending previously successful BAJA events- were selling everything from hot dogs, to lighting, to beautifully restored military Jeeps; all of which attracted a great deal of interest.
The Brampton Area Jeep Association is a socially active group who meet year-round every Tuesday evening in the Shoppers World parking lot in Brampton. And despite the use of the phrase “parking lot” several times already, these guys regularly hit the trails and passionately get mud on their tires. Like many, no, actually all 4x4 clubs across Canada, the camaraderie was evident as several guys worked hard to get a car-crush competitor unstuck. Another common denominator prevalent in 4x4 clubs is the desire to give something back to the community whenever possible and BAJA is no different.
For the past eight years
the BAJA Show and Shine has benefited local charities, donating approximately twelve thousand dollars to date. As Canada celebrates its’ 150th birthday, BAJA chose to benefit one of Canada’s oldest charities; SickKids, The Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto.
One hundred and forty two years ago, on April 3rd 1875, Elizabeth McMaster accepted Maggie, a young scalding victim, as the first patient into the eleven room downtown Toronto house that she rented purely to treat sick children. McMaster promised to improve the lives of children every day, and that promise has been upheld ever since; but it isn’t a cheap promise to keep and that’s where you guys come in.
Although the majority of todays’ funding comes from government grants, sixty three percent according to the 2014/2015 figures, over one third of the funding comes directly from your donations to the SickKids Foundation. Without those donations, The Hospital for Sick Children wouldn’t be the successful healthcare, teaching, and research facility that it is today.
The $5294 raised from the 2017 BAJA Show and Shine –plus another corporate donation of
two thousand dollars, promised by the end of June- will go directly to SickKids’ Camp OKI.
Run entirely by SickKids cardiology doctors and nurses, Camp OKI provides a normal summer-camp environment for kids with heart issues and implanted devices. These kids are often rejected from mainstream summer-camps due to either misinformation or a lack of confidence on the part of the camp organisers, parents, or patients, but Camp OKI dispels those myths and enables every child to enjoy the unique Canadian summer-camp experience.
It doesn’t matter that you didn’t attend the BAJA show and shine, or indeed that you don’t live in Toronto; SickKids doesn’t care who you are or where you live and welcomes your donations because every single cent goes to improve the life of a Canadian kid somewhere.
And who can argue with that Jeeple? @steverock66 @baja1941 | baja41.com @sickkidstoronto | sickkids.ca @amsoilinc @brampton_chrysler @ctmotorsports @dds.customs @jeepaccesoriesgta @justjeeps @kloeys_kloset @of4wd @rockspyder_4x4 @sharpefoods_1 @staangsfab @willysacres