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Briarwood Ford Test Drive Hits the Right Pitch for Music Students
Ford Motor Company will donate close to $6,000 to the Saline Music Parents after a successful fundraiser co-sponsored by Briarwood Ford Saturday.
About 30 minutes before the Drive4Ur School fundraiser wrapped up at Harvest Elementary, about 240 people had taken a Briarwood Ford vehicle for a test drive. Ford Motor Company offered $20 for every test drive during the eight hour event. And as the event wound down, organizers were very close to the 300 test drivers they needed to max out the donation.
“We had a great turn out. People were lined up all day to test drive the vehicles. We can’t thank Steve Whitener and Briarwood Ford, and Ford Motor Company enough for their support,” said Donna Omichinski, a member of the Saline Music Parents, which raises money in support of Saline Area Schools music programs.
The money will be used to help transport music students and bands to and from festivals. Money will also be used to help pay for guest conductors from universities, to repair instruments, and to help purchase new sheet music.
Omichinski said the “extras” that the Saline Music Parents provide add to a great music program in the school district.
“My son still talks about the session his class had with (Detroit jazz musician) Marcus Belgrave,” Omichinski said.
The fundraiser brought out lots of parents of students musicians – but others too.
“It’s the easiest fundraiser I’ve ever seen. I’m here to help raise money for the bands and to drive the best cars of the world,” said Eric Kouba. “What else could I ask for?”
John Waterman’s fifth grade sun plays trombone. He attended the test drive to support the music programs, but may have found his next vehicle.
“With everything that’s happening in society right now and dollars and cents being so tight in our schools, this is something we can all do to help,” Waterman said. “Initially, the thing that brought me out was supporting the band. But I was very impressed with the Ford Edge. It was smooth and nice, like my wife’s older Explorer. I can see ourselves getting one of those.”
Briarwood Ford owner Steve Whitener brought 13 vehicles to the event. There were times when all 13 were out on the road.
Whitener said he was glad to help support a tremendous music program.
“Saline has a phenomenal music program. The teachers and instructors are top notch. The facilities are tremendous. But they do have needs and this money helps them pay for some of those needs,” Whitener said.
Whitener was also glad to see a lot of positive response to the Ford vehicles. Like the first two test drive events, people waited in line to test drive the Ford Mustang and the Ford F150 pickup.
“The Mustang is always popular for test drives at this event. If people come to the dealership for a test drive, they feel expectation to buy it. Here they know they can take a fun drive and enjoy it,” Whitener said.
Other vehicles that were popular were the newly redesigned Ford Fusion, including the hybrid version, and the new C-MAX hybrid, which, Whitener says, stacks up well against the Toyota Prius.
After three years of test drives in support of the music program, Saline band parents aren’t tiring of Ford lineup.
“The product lineup is so fresh and changes so much that each year we do this, we’ve got cars that people are eager to look at and test drive, even if they participated in it last year,” Whitener said. “Ford is doing a great job with vehicles in every segment they operate in.”
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