14th St. Jude Corvette Drive revs its engines towards Memphis

WASHINGTON (25News Now) - Early Thursday morning, dozens of Corvettes started the drive to Memphis, Tennessee, from Uftring in Washington, raising thousands of dollars for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.

The 14th St. Jude Corvette Drive fundraiser, which started in 2012, is partnered with satellite drives based out of St. Louis, Louisville, Nashville, the Great Lakes, and Michigan to make an even larger impact toward the mission of St. Jude.

This year’s fleet consisted of 142 cars, with 38 cars from Peoria. Drive President Andrew Black said the number of new drivers this year increased by 25%.

“It’s inspiring. It just shows that there’s hope out there, and for everybody that is doing this for the first time, it’s kind of a hook, line, and sinker, and we hope they return for years to come,” he said.

Last year, the event raised $548,000 for the children’s hospital, and he said they hope to beat that number with this year’s fundraiser.

Black also said that with St. Jude and OSF Healthcare’s split, he is not concerned about fundraising efforts. If anything, he said, it gives him more energy to raise money.

“We continue to be laser focused on what we do and why we’re doing it,” he said. “There’s a common bond of an awesome car out there, but there is also the bond of helping families that go through one of these life events that nobody wishes to ever go through.”

Drive Chairman Mike McCoy said this fundraiser is another way for people to support a good cause, but also really see how their dollars have impacted thousands of children under the hospital’s care.

“I think when they get to Memphis, they have the opportunity to see a research hospital that is 70 acres, has about 5,000 employees, and then they understand that the money they’re raising really goes to research,” he said.

The cars will reach Memphis on Friday and will be escorted by police to the hospital.

Since the drive began in 2012, it has raised more than $3.2 million for St. Jude.

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