May 7, 2025 • 15 mins
Eck Auto Group here in Wichita is well known for supporting our community. The Adopt A School Golf Tournament in June and the Adopt-A-Cause program near the holidays are two great examples. Community Engagement Director Johanna Pfaff stops by to tell us how you can help Eck Auto Group do great things for our city. https://adoptaschoolkansas.com/
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:02):
This is the Wichita Weekend Podcast from iHeartRadio Stations ninety
seven point nine, B ninety eight, one oh two to one,
The Bowl, Channel nine sixty three and All one oh
seven three. I'm your host, Don Guidis, Thanks for joining us.
Our guest today on the Wichita Weekend Podcast is Joanna
Poff and Joanna is the community Engagement director for ek
(00:25):
Auto Group. Welcome to Wichita Weekend, Joanna, thank.
Speaker 2 (00:28):
You, Thank you for having me excited to be here.
Speaker 1 (00:31):
Well, now you're here in the springtime, and you're here
because we've got a very special event coming up on
June ninth that k Auto Group has really become famous for.
You want to tell us about it.
Speaker 2 (00:40):
Yeah, we're hosting our twenty ninth Annual Adopted School Golf
Tournament June ninth at Reflection Ridge Golf Club.
Speaker 1 (00:47):
And you have a problem. That's a wonderful problem to
have if you're hosting a golf tournament, and that problem
is you're already full.
Speaker 2 (00:54):
Yeah, we're already full of golfers and already full of
teachers too, which is amazing.
Speaker 1 (00:58):
All right, now, now, how many teachers have signed up?
Speaker 2 (01:02):
So in total we have close to about four hundred
and fifty teachers, with one hundred and seventy one of
those teachers actually coming out on the day on June
ninth to the golf tournament to hang out with us
and the golfers and volunteers. They're gonna be close to
probably five hundred people out on that golf course that day.
Speaker 1 (01:18):
It's gonna be huge.
Speaker 2 (01:19):
It's huge and keeps on growing too, which is a
good problem to have.
Speaker 1 (01:22):
Yeah. Absolutely, Now, for those in our audience that aren't
familiar with Adopted School, lay it out for us. What
is the tournament all about.
Speaker 2 (01:30):
So Adopted School is pretty much a fundraiser that we
do to help raise money for witch Ton surrounding school
district teachers. So one hundred percent of the funds, which
is amazing you don't hear of it very often, but
one hundred percent of the funds that we raise through
our sponsors, through our golfers, through our auction and raffle,
all of that goes straight back to the teachers right
in the form of a check for them to utilize
(01:51):
however they want, whether that be for books, school supplies,
you know, little trinkets to help students be able to
learn with hands on activities money that normally comes right
out of the teacher's pockets. We're able to help provide
those for those teachers, to be able to provide those
for the students.
Speaker 1 (02:05):
Let me make sure I've got this straight. You're actually
kind of replacing what would be in a lot of
cases their own personal funds. Yes, wow, yep, Well you
picked a great, great cause, I mean Adopted School, and
especially this year, you know, it's very important to kind
of fill in some gaps that may be occurring you
never know where. So wow, how did this all get
(02:29):
started with Adopted School? Do you know?
Speaker 2 (02:31):
Well, it started back twenty nine years ago with the
idea brought by Less and Pamak, the owners of ec
Auto Group, which encompasses restk Ford, Midwest, Kia, Midwest Superstore,
bunch of different autoplazas at the same show. But they
had the idea of giving back to the teachers. I
think it started off as like adopted cause back then,
and then it's just formed over the years and grown
(02:54):
of not just like schools that they did, but they
drived it back to the teachers and so that way
the teachers can choose what they want to do, because
every teacher has different ideas of what they can use
the money for in different needs that not the whole
school can accomplass, but like the teacher itself. And so
it's just really evolved from there from that idea of
just giving back to the schools.
Speaker 1 (03:16):
Well, no wonder, you've got such a long list of
teachers that would like to be a part of this.
So how does it work? How do they get the
funds on when it's all said and done.
Speaker 2 (03:26):
So it all starts back in February, So we have
teachers sign up where it's a first come, first serve basis,
and we open up the website and they have just
a simple tell us what school you work for, and
you're easy to sign up either for volunteer or just
to receive a stipend where you don't even have to
come out to the golf tournament. You just sign up
in February and then we'll hand deliver checks in August
(03:47):
and September once school starts up. So that way, when
teachers start to buy those supplies for their classrooms, they
have that fund to be able to utilize.
Speaker 1 (03:54):
Oh cool, that is just so so nice to think
about how they would begin the school years knowing they've
got some great options thanks to Adopt to School.
Speaker 2 (04:04):
Yeah, you know, so.
Speaker 1 (04:07):
Those teachers that do come out to the tournament, what
are they going to be doing?
Speaker 2 (04:11):
Cheering, cheering, having a good time. So we get we
provide you know, breakfast and lunch. So Jason's Deli is
very generous and donating breakfast, and Big lou out of
Emerson Biggins Old Town is providing tacos for lunch, and
you know, the teachers just hang out, have a good time,
you know, maybe razzle some of the golfers or you know,
be a big support team. So it's gonna be a lot.
Speaker 1 (04:31):
Of teachers, all right. Well, even though we've got all
of our teachers are on board, all of our golfers
are on board, it's still possible for the members of
the general public to make a donation.
Speaker 3 (04:44):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (04:45):
Absolutely, So we have our own website, Adopt to School
Kansas dot com that has its own donation tab, so
you know, anyone can donate, whether it be five dollars,
one hundred dollars, you know, however much you want, and
all that will go back to the teachers. So we're
able to bring more teachers on over the years and
you know, continue to grow it and maybe even add
more teachers this year, you know who knows.
Speaker 3 (05:05):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (05:05):
But then we also have on the day after, you know,
the fun Day of golf. You know, we invite our
golfers and volunteers into our auction and our raffle items.
So we're always looking for new and fun auction and
raffle items to help, you know, entice the golfers because
all that money that we raise through our auction raffle
goes right back to the teachers as well.
Speaker 1 (05:23):
The Adopt a School Golf Tournament. Joanna Poff is with
us today. She's telling us all about it. She's the
community engagement director for k Auto Group tournament. Is is
all set. It's the twenty ninth annual. It's going to
happen June ninth at Reflection Ridge, and then we're going
to be counting money for about another couple of three
months after the tournament itself.
Speaker 2 (05:44):
Right well, actually because I started and got a head
start on it. You know, most of our sponsors and
golfers that are playing have already donated the money. So
right now we're on track with one hundred and twenty
five thousand dollars right now in the bank and then
on the day we're looking and that hopefully through our
auction raffle raising between fifteen to twenty thousand, So in total,
(06:05):
we're hoping we'll have one hundred and forty to one
hundred and forty five thousand dollars that we're able to
get back into the community and write back to our teachers.
Speaker 1 (06:11):
So day of we're going to add a lot more
icing to the cake. Oh yeah, that is so cool.
Speaker 2 (06:16):
Yeah, which is amazing because right now, just with our sponsors,
that's what we made last year when everything was said
and done through our sponsors and through our auction and raffle.
This year we're already meeting where we were at last
year and superseding where we're at.
Speaker 1 (06:30):
Well, Joanna, Before I forget, we would definitely want to
thank and recognize some of the sponsors that make all
this possible for the Adopted School Golf Tournament.
Speaker 2 (06:40):
Absolutely, we wouldn't be able to do what we do
without our sponsors, and everybody here playing golf this year
is a sponsor. We have our community sponsors, but we
also have our premier sponsors that donate over fifteen thousand
dollars to us. So wow, really appreciative of Cocks as
well as Heathwood Oil for their generous support and helping
us raise us money for our teachers.
Speaker 1 (07:00):
Excellent. Well, thanks for getting behind it and what a
great cause, you know, and just making this whole event
that much better with some great prizes, some great auction prizes.
Speaker 2 (07:10):
Yeah, we have some really fun auction items. We have
a weekend get a week not a weekend, a week
getaway in Colorado and Buenavista. We have some Kansas City
Royals tickets with a couple nights day at a fair
field end up there. We have some pellet grills, you know,
donated by All Things Barbecue. So we have some great
auction items that we have in our auction as well.
Have some fun raffle items too. We've got a Milwaukee
(07:33):
rollaway pack out and we have some you know, golf
days golf bags by WSU, so a lot of fun items.
Speaker 1 (07:40):
It is gonna be huge. You guys know what you're
doing over there, I hope so deadly. Our guest today
on the Wichita Weekend Podcast is Joanna Poff, community Engagement
director for ac Auto Group. We're gonna take a quick
break and we'll be back to talk about the Adopted
School golf tournament and a lot more. This is the
Wichita Weekend Podcast.
Speaker 3 (08:04):
Over six hundred area teachers have signed up for benefits
from the twenty ninth annual ex Auto Group Adopt a
School fundraiser that is being held June ninth at Reflection
Ridge Golf Course. All proceeds from the golf tournament go
to area teachers. This year, we need even more sponsors
and donations to help fund the increased demand. Go to
adopta School Kansas dot com or contact Johanna Poff at
(08:24):
rustyk Ford three one six six eight five ninety two eleven.
That's three one six six eight five ninety two eleven
to see how you can help.
Speaker 1 (08:34):
Welcome back to the Wichita Weekend Podcast from iHeartRadio Wichita
and our guest is Johanna Poff, the Community Engagement director
for ECK Auto Group. And in the first half of
our podcast, we were talking about the super exciting twenty
ninth annual Adopt a School Golf Tournament and we decided
(08:55):
to take a break and during the break, Joanna was
telling me about another super exciting project that ECK has
been involved in for a while, and that's adopt a cause.
So we had adopt a school, but we've got adopt
a cause. What's the difference between the two, Johanna.
Speaker 2 (09:13):
Yeah, So adopted School is mainly focused on in our
school teachers and helping them raise money for their school
supply stuff like that. But then we have adopt a
Cause where we help other organizations, whether it be schools,
you know, churches, five on' one c threes, nonprofits, just
raise money for their own cause. And so we donate
a Bronco and at the end of the year we
(09:34):
have a big raffles. So we have these organizations come in,
they sell the raffle tickets for ten dollars and they
keep one hundred percent of what they raise, So if
they sell two hundred and fifty tickets, they keep all
that profit that they make off of those ten dollars
raffle tickets, and then we raffle off of Bronco at
the end of the year.
Speaker 1 (09:51):
Those Broncos are really super hot vehicles and super popular vehicles,
So what a great choice for a raffle prize. So
are you already selling tickets now?
Speaker 2 (10:01):
Yeah, So we already have the tickets here at restiek Ford.
So all you have to do is just come in
ask for myself, Johanna Poff, and I can give you
some raffle tickets to start.
Speaker 1 (10:10):
Selling, all right, that simple.
Speaker 2 (10:12):
It's that simple. It really, there's not much to it,
is just selling the raffle tickets. As long as you
have the will to sell the tickets, you know, you'll
be able to raise quite a bit of money. We
have the Alzheimer's Association. They're a really big, really big
sponsor for our adopt to Cause raffle tickets and I
think last year they sold up to ten thousand dollars
worth of raffle tickets. So you're able to really make
(10:32):
a good you know, raising off of that.
Speaker 1 (10:34):
And as an organization, that's yours to keep.
Speaker 2 (10:37):
Yep, it's yours to keep one hundred percent.
Speaker 1 (10:39):
Of that adopt a Cause. So do you have some
dates with like towards the end of the year when
all the drawings and stuff's gonna happen.
Speaker 2 (10:47):
Yeah, we do. So on December tenth, at eleven o'clock,
we have our first drawing. So we'll draw for five names.
So out of all the organizations that sold raffle tickets,
they'll all get put into one big hopper. We have
about twenty five tickets that we hand out. Now, if
we get all twenty five thousand tickets back, that's up
to each organization, right, But we'll draw for five names
and then on December seventeenth, we'll have those five finalists
(11:11):
come in and we'll have one big celebration where they'll
each get a little present that has a remote start
now for the car, and whoever's key starts the Bronco
wins the Bronco or actually they have their choice actually
between a Bronco or a key, I tell you, Ryan.
Speaker 1 (11:25):
Oh wow, yep. Okay, So the four.
Speaker 2 (11:28):
Other people that don't end up winning, don't worry. They're
not walking away empty handed. They will be walking away
with one thousand dollars each.
Speaker 1 (11:35):
That's a big day. Yeah, that is a big day.
Have I seen a video on that from past years
on Adopted Cause? It seems like I have.
Speaker 2 (11:43):
Yeah, we have commercials on it. We have our own
Facebook site, Adopted Cause, and it has all the different updates.
Speaker 1 (11:49):
On that very popular program. Yes, very popular here in town.
And there's still time. Well, like you say, if you
want to get your organization on board with the to cause.
Just go see Joanna at Rusty K. It's that simple, yep.
All right, Wow, what a great interview you are. No,
you come prepared. And I was telling your partner here
(12:12):
that came with you from Rusty K that I didn't
see any notes and you just you got it all.
It's all coming right out of you and we really
appreciate it. Could I ask you how did you get
involved in fundraising with Rusty K? What was the path
that got you here?
Speaker 2 (12:29):
You know, it's kind of a fun path. So my
dad actually works out at Rusty K as their fleet
manager out of there, and so I would come in.
So I used to work for Disney Cruise Lines as
a performer, and so in the off months when I
wasn't performing, which was probably like maybe one two months
out of the year, I would come in and help
drive for him. And so that's where I met my predecessor,
(12:49):
Jeff Longwell. He was in the office literally right across
the hall from my dad. So when I had made
the decision that, you know, I think it's time no
more living life out of seed, you know, coming home,
get my land legs, Jeff had the opportunity that he
was stepping away and thought I would have been a
good predecessor. So that's how it kind of just fell
into that place.
Speaker 1 (13:09):
Well, I have to ask you about your years with
Disney on the cruise ship. What characters did you portray?
Speaker 3 (13:17):
Well?
Speaker 2 (13:17):
I was friends with a lot of different characters, So
I was friends with you know, the best puppy in town, Pluto,
and some pirates like mister Smee. But then there's also
some princesses as well, so I was really good friends
with Ariel, and you know, Captain Marvel was pretty powerful,
pretty fun.
Speaker 1 (13:33):
So yeah, that's a whole new podcast all in itself.
Right there is that part of your life, that story.
Maybe we can have you back and you can share
a little bit more of that, because I bet that's fascinating.
Did you keep a diary when you were doing it?
Speaker 2 (13:47):
You know, I wish I had started when when I
first started, but I've kept some momentos and some memories,
and I have lots of pictures, so I'm able to
really remember and bring back those memories.
Speaker 1 (13:56):
Okay, Well, we got to become Facebook friends with you then, Yeah,
that's the key. Become Facebook friends with Joanna and you'll
be set to go.
Speaker 2 (14:04):
Maybe have like a little below deck type of podcast.
Speaker 1 (14:10):
It's so much fun to have you here, and you know,
I just I love positive people and it's great to
have you in the studio and telling us so all
about the good work that happens there at EC Auto Group.
You guys really do oh what is it? Walk the
walk when it comes to getting behind this community and
really supporting it in ways that I can't think of
(14:32):
too many other companies that do, so, thank you.
Speaker 2 (14:34):
That's one of our biggest things. We want to be
there for our community and support our community in any
way and shape or form that we can.
Speaker 1 (14:40):
Well, you certainly are and we'll be looking for updates
on the additional money that you raise at Adopt a
School and wishing you the best for adopt a cause.
Speaker 2 (14:50):
Well, thank you so much.
Speaker 1 (14:51):
All right, Joanna Poff and you you actually pronounced the
h in your first name, don't you say? Johannah? Yeah, okay, see,
I'm I'm learning. Doesn't take me too long, but Johanna
Poff and she's a Community and Engagement director for EC
Auto Group. Thanks again so much for being with us
on the Wichita Weekend podcast today.
Speaker 2 (15:10):
Thank you so much for having me. It was a
lot of fun.
Speaker 1 (15:14):
This has been the Wichita Weekend podcast produced by iHeartRadio.
Wichita
This is the Wichita Weekend Podcast from iHeartRadio Stations ninety
seven point nine, B ninety eight, one oh two to one,
The Bowl, Channel nine sixty three and All one oh
seven three. I'm your host, Don Guidis, Thanks for joining us.
Our guest today on the Wichita Weekend Podcast is Joanna
Poff and Joanna is the community Engagement director for ek
(00:25):
Auto Group. Welcome to Wichita Weekend, Joanna, thank.
Speaker 2 (00:28):
You, Thank you for having me excited to be here.
Speaker 1 (00:31):
Well, now you're here in the springtime, and you're here
because we've got a very special event coming up on
June ninth that k Auto Group has really become famous for.
You want to tell us about it.
Speaker 2 (00:40):
Yeah, we're hosting our twenty ninth Annual Adopted School Golf
Tournament June ninth at Reflection Ridge Golf Club.
Speaker 1 (00:47):
And you have a problem. That's a wonderful problem to
have if you're hosting a golf tournament, and that problem
is you're already full.
Speaker 2 (00:54):
Yeah, we're already full of golfers and already full of
teachers too, which is amazing.
Speaker 1 (00:58):
All right, now, now, how many teachers have signed up?
Speaker 2 (01:02):
So in total we have close to about four hundred
and fifty teachers, with one hundred and seventy one of
those teachers actually coming out on the day on June
ninth to the golf tournament to hang out with us
and the golfers and volunteers. They're gonna be close to
probably five hundred people out on that golf course that day.
Speaker 1 (01:18):
It's gonna be huge.
Speaker 2 (01:19):
It's huge and keeps on growing too, which is a
good problem to have.
Speaker 1 (01:22):
Yeah. Absolutely, Now, for those in our audience that aren't
familiar with Adopted School, lay it out for us. What
is the tournament all about.
Speaker 2 (01:30):
So Adopted School is pretty much a fundraiser that we
do to help raise money for witch Ton surrounding school
district teachers. So one hundred percent of the funds, which
is amazing you don't hear of it very often, but
one hundred percent of the funds that we raise through
our sponsors, through our golfers, through our auction and raffle,
all of that goes straight back to the teachers right
in the form of a check for them to utilize
(01:51):
however they want, whether that be for books, school supplies,
you know, little trinkets to help students be able to
learn with hands on activities money that normally comes right
out of the teacher's pockets. We're able to help provide
those for those teachers, to be able to provide those
for the students.
Speaker 1 (02:05):
Let me make sure I've got this straight. You're actually
kind of replacing what would be in a lot of
cases their own personal funds. Yes, wow, yep, Well you
picked a great, great cause, I mean Adopted School, and
especially this year, you know, it's very important to kind
of fill in some gaps that may be occurring you
never know where. So wow, how did this all get
(02:29):
started with Adopted School? Do you know?
Speaker 2 (02:31):
Well, it started back twenty nine years ago with the
idea brought by Less and Pamak, the owners of ec
Auto Group, which encompasses restk Ford, Midwest, Kia, Midwest Superstore,
bunch of different autoplazas at the same show. But they
had the idea of giving back to the teachers. I
think it started off as like adopted cause back then,
and then it's just formed over the years and grown
(02:54):
of not just like schools that they did, but they
drived it back to the teachers and so that way
the teachers can choose what they want to do, because
every teacher has different ideas of what they can use
the money for in different needs that not the whole
school can accomplass, but like the teacher itself. And so
it's just really evolved from there from that idea of
just giving back to the schools.
Speaker 1 (03:16):
Well, no wonder, you've got such a long list of
teachers that would like to be a part of this.
So how does it work? How do they get the
funds on when it's all said and done.
Speaker 2 (03:26):
So it all starts back in February, So we have
teachers sign up where it's a first come, first serve basis,
and we open up the website and they have just
a simple tell us what school you work for, and
you're easy to sign up either for volunteer or just
to receive a stipend where you don't even have to
come out to the golf tournament. You just sign up
in February and then we'll hand deliver checks in August
(03:47):
and September once school starts up. So that way, when
teachers start to buy those supplies for their classrooms, they
have that fund to be able to utilize.
Speaker 1 (03:54):
Oh cool, that is just so so nice to think
about how they would begin the school years knowing they've
got some great options thanks to Adopt to School.
Speaker 2 (04:04):
Yeah, you know, so.
Speaker 1 (04:07):
Those teachers that do come out to the tournament, what
are they going to be doing?
Speaker 2 (04:11):
Cheering, cheering, having a good time. So we get we
provide you know, breakfast and lunch. So Jason's Deli is
very generous and donating breakfast, and Big lou out of
Emerson Biggins Old Town is providing tacos for lunch, and
you know, the teachers just hang out, have a good time,
you know, maybe razzle some of the golfers or you know,
be a big support team. So it's gonna be a lot.
Speaker 1 (04:31):
Of teachers, all right. Well, even though we've got all
of our teachers are on board, all of our golfers
are on board, it's still possible for the members of
the general public to make a donation.
Speaker 3 (04:44):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (04:45):
Absolutely, So we have our own website, Adopt to School
Kansas dot com that has its own donation tab, so
you know, anyone can donate, whether it be five dollars,
one hundred dollars, you know, however much you want, and
all that will go back to the teachers. So we're
able to bring more teachers on over the years and
you know, continue to grow it and maybe even add
more teachers this year, you know who knows.
Speaker 3 (05:05):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (05:05):
But then we also have on the day after, you know,
the fun Day of golf. You know, we invite our
golfers and volunteers into our auction and our raffle items.
So we're always looking for new and fun auction and
raffle items to help, you know, entice the golfers because
all that money that we raise through our auction raffle
goes right back to the teachers as well.
Speaker 1 (05:23):
The Adopt a School Golf Tournament. Joanna Poff is with
us today. She's telling us all about it. She's the
community engagement director for k Auto Group tournament. Is is
all set. It's the twenty ninth annual. It's going to
happen June ninth at Reflection Ridge, and then we're going
to be counting money for about another couple of three
months after the tournament itself.
Speaker 2 (05:44):
Right well, actually because I started and got a head
start on it. You know, most of our sponsors and
golfers that are playing have already donated the money. So
right now we're on track with one hundred and twenty
five thousand dollars right now in the bank and then
on the day we're looking and that hopefully through our
auction raffle raising between fifteen to twenty thousand, So in total,
(06:05):
we're hoping we'll have one hundred and forty to one
hundred and forty five thousand dollars that we're able to
get back into the community and write back to our teachers.
Speaker 1 (06:11):
So day of we're going to add a lot more
icing to the cake. Oh yeah, that is so cool.
Speaker 2 (06:16):
Yeah, which is amazing because right now, just with our sponsors,
that's what we made last year when everything was said
and done through our sponsors and through our auction and raffle.
This year we're already meeting where we were at last
year and superseding where we're at.
Speaker 1 (06:30):
Well, Joanna, Before I forget, we would definitely want to
thank and recognize some of the sponsors that make all
this possible for the Adopted School Golf Tournament.
Speaker 2 (06:40):
Absolutely, we wouldn't be able to do what we do
without our sponsors, and everybody here playing golf this year
is a sponsor. We have our community sponsors, but we
also have our premier sponsors that donate over fifteen thousand
dollars to us. So wow, really appreciative of Cocks as
well as Heathwood Oil for their generous support and helping
us raise us money for our teachers.
Speaker 1 (07:00):
Excellent. Well, thanks for getting behind it and what a
great cause, you know, and just making this whole event
that much better with some great prizes, some great auction prizes.
Speaker 2 (07:10):
Yeah, we have some really fun auction items. We have
a weekend get a week not a weekend, a week
getaway in Colorado and Buenavista. We have some Kansas City
Royals tickets with a couple nights day at a fair
field end up there. We have some pellet grills, you know,
donated by All Things Barbecue. So we have some great
auction items that we have in our auction as well.
Have some fun raffle items too. We've got a Milwaukee
(07:33):
rollaway pack out and we have some you know, golf
days golf bags by WSU, so a lot of fun items.
Speaker 1 (07:40):
It is gonna be huge. You guys know what you're
doing over there, I hope so deadly. Our guest today
on the Wichita Weekend Podcast is Joanna Poff, community Engagement
director for ac Auto Group. We're gonna take a quick
break and we'll be back to talk about the Adopted
School golf tournament and a lot more. This is the
Wichita Weekend Podcast.
Speaker 3 (08:04):
Over six hundred area teachers have signed up for benefits
from the twenty ninth annual ex Auto Group Adopt a
School fundraiser that is being held June ninth at Reflection
Ridge Golf Course. All proceeds from the golf tournament go
to area teachers. This year, we need even more sponsors
and donations to help fund the increased demand. Go to
adopta School Kansas dot com or contact Johanna Poff at
(08:24):
rustyk Ford three one six six eight five ninety two eleven.
That's three one six six eight five ninety two eleven
to see how you can help.
Speaker 1 (08:34):
Welcome back to the Wichita Weekend Podcast from iHeartRadio Wichita
and our guest is Johanna Poff, the Community Engagement director
for ECK Auto Group. And in the first half of
our podcast, we were talking about the super exciting twenty
ninth annual Adopt a School Golf Tournament and we decided
(08:55):
to take a break and during the break, Joanna was
telling me about another super exciting project that ECK has
been involved in for a while, and that's adopt a cause.
So we had adopt a school, but we've got adopt
a cause. What's the difference between the two, Johanna.
Speaker 2 (09:13):
Yeah, So adopted School is mainly focused on in our
school teachers and helping them raise money for their school
supply stuff like that. But then we have adopt a
Cause where we help other organizations, whether it be schools,
you know, churches, five on' one c threes, nonprofits, just
raise money for their own cause. And so we donate
a Bronco and at the end of the year we
(09:34):
have a big raffles. So we have these organizations come in,
they sell the raffle tickets for ten dollars and they
keep one hundred percent of what they raise, So if
they sell two hundred and fifty tickets, they keep all
that profit that they make off of those ten dollars
raffle tickets, and then we raffle off of Bronco at
the end of the year.
Speaker 1 (09:51):
Those Broncos are really super hot vehicles and super popular vehicles,
So what a great choice for a raffle prize. So
are you already selling tickets now?
Speaker 2 (10:01):
Yeah, So we already have the tickets here at restiek Ford.
So all you have to do is just come in
ask for myself, Johanna Poff, and I can give you
some raffle tickets to start.
Speaker 1 (10:10):
Selling, all right, that simple.
Speaker 2 (10:12):
It's that simple. It really, there's not much to it,
is just selling the raffle tickets. As long as you
have the will to sell the tickets, you know, you'll
be able to raise quite a bit of money. We
have the Alzheimer's Association. They're a really big, really big
sponsor for our adopt to Cause raffle tickets and I
think last year they sold up to ten thousand dollars
worth of raffle tickets. So you're able to really make
(10:32):
a good you know, raising off of that.
Speaker 1 (10:34):
And as an organization, that's yours to keep.
Speaker 2 (10:37):
Yep, it's yours to keep one hundred percent.
Speaker 1 (10:39):
Of that adopt a Cause. So do you have some
dates with like towards the end of the year when
all the drawings and stuff's gonna happen.
Speaker 2 (10:47):
Yeah, we do. So on December tenth, at eleven o'clock,
we have our first drawing. So we'll draw for five names.
So out of all the organizations that sold raffle tickets,
they'll all get put into one big hopper. We have
about twenty five tickets that we hand out. Now, if
we get all twenty five thousand tickets back, that's up
to each organization, right, But we'll draw for five names
and then on December seventeenth, we'll have those five finalists
(11:11):
come in and we'll have one big celebration where they'll
each get a little present that has a remote start
now for the car, and whoever's key starts the Bronco
wins the Bronco or actually they have their choice actually
between a Bronco or a key, I tell you, Ryan.
Speaker 1 (11:25):
Oh wow, yep. Okay, So the four.
Speaker 2 (11:28):
Other people that don't end up winning, don't worry. They're
not walking away empty handed. They will be walking away
with one thousand dollars each.
Speaker 1 (11:35):
That's a big day. Yeah, that is a big day.
Have I seen a video on that from past years
on Adopted Cause? It seems like I have.
Speaker 2 (11:43):
Yeah, we have commercials on it. We have our own
Facebook site, Adopted Cause, and it has all the different updates.
Speaker 1 (11:49):
On that very popular program. Yes, very popular here in town.
And there's still time. Well, like you say, if you
want to get your organization on board with the to cause.
Just go see Joanna at Rusty K. It's that simple, yep.
All right, Wow, what a great interview you are. No,
you come prepared. And I was telling your partner here
(12:12):
that came with you from Rusty K that I didn't
see any notes and you just you got it all.
It's all coming right out of you and we really
appreciate it. Could I ask you how did you get
involved in fundraising with Rusty K? What was the path
that got you here?
Speaker 2 (12:29):
You know, it's kind of a fun path. So my
dad actually works out at Rusty K as their fleet
manager out of there, and so I would come in.
So I used to work for Disney Cruise Lines as
a performer, and so in the off months when I
wasn't performing, which was probably like maybe one two months
out of the year, I would come in and help
drive for him. And so that's where I met my predecessor,
(12:49):
Jeff Longwell. He was in the office literally right across
the hall from my dad. So when I had made
the decision that, you know, I think it's time no
more living life out of seed, you know, coming home,
get my land legs, Jeff had the opportunity that he
was stepping away and thought I would have been a
good predecessor. So that's how it kind of just fell
into that place.
Speaker 1 (13:09):
Well, I have to ask you about your years with
Disney on the cruise ship. What characters did you portray?
Speaker 3 (13:17):
Well?
Speaker 2 (13:17):
I was friends with a lot of different characters, So
I was friends with you know, the best puppy in town, Pluto,
and some pirates like mister Smee. But then there's also
some princesses as well, so I was really good friends
with Ariel, and you know, Captain Marvel was pretty powerful,
pretty fun.
Speaker 1 (13:33):
So yeah, that's a whole new podcast all in itself.
Right there is that part of your life, that story.
Maybe we can have you back and you can share
a little bit more of that, because I bet that's fascinating.
Did you keep a diary when you were doing it?
Speaker 2 (13:47):
You know, I wish I had started when when I
first started, but I've kept some momentos and some memories,
and I have lots of pictures, so I'm able to
really remember and bring back those memories.
Speaker 1 (13:56):
Okay, Well, we got to become Facebook friends with you then, Yeah,
that's the key. Become Facebook friends with Joanna and you'll
be set to go.
Speaker 2 (14:04):
Maybe have like a little below deck type of podcast.
Speaker 1 (14:10):
It's so much fun to have you here, and you know,
I just I love positive people and it's great to
have you in the studio and telling us so all
about the good work that happens there at EC Auto Group.
You guys really do oh what is it? Walk the
walk when it comes to getting behind this community and
really supporting it in ways that I can't think of
(14:32):
too many other companies that do, so, thank you.
Speaker 2 (14:34):
That's one of our biggest things. We want to be
there for our community and support our community in any
way and shape or form that we can.
Speaker 1 (14:40):
Well, you certainly are and we'll be looking for updates
on the additional money that you raise at Adopt a
School and wishing you the best for adopt a cause.
Speaker 2 (14:50):
Well, thank you so much.
Speaker 1 (14:51):
All right, Joanna Poff and you you actually pronounced the
h in your first name, don't you say? Johannah? Yeah, okay, see,
I'm I'm learning. Doesn't take me too long, but Johanna
Poff and she's a Community and Engagement director for EC
Auto Group. Thanks again so much for being with us
on the Wichita Weekend podcast today.
Speaker 2 (15:10):
Thank you so much for having me. It was a
lot of fun.
Speaker 1 (15:14):
This has been the Wichita Weekend podcast produced by iHeartRadio.
Wichita
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