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On Thursday, August 2nd, Luther Fargo dealerships came together at Luther Collision and Glass for their 13th annual Dealership and Insurance Partners BBQ event. The event included Luther Family Ford, Luther Family Buick GMC, Luther Collision and Glass, and some of their local insurance agents and adjusters. “We started the event to build our relationships with the dealerships and insurance partners, we want them to know we appreciate them,” said Admin, Misty Jeanotte. 

For the last 13 years, the Luther Fargo dealerships have partnered with SpitFire Grille for their annual BBQ, and this year was no exception. SpitFire Grille has been a part of Luther holiday parties for years.There were roughly 300 people who showed up to eat and mingle at this year’s event. “We had a great turnout,” said Jeanotte. “Many people look forward to our annual BBQ event every year.”

On August 12th, Westside Volkswagen welcomed Heading Home K9 dogs into the dealership from 11 – 2 p.m. This is the first adoption event K9 Rescue has attended since COVID-19. “We are really excited to be here,” said Tasha Davis, a Heading Home K9 Rescue foster mom.  

K9 Rescue is a non-profit, 100% volunteer-based organization that rescues homeless and unwanted animals. Over the last year or so, K9 Rescue’s adoptions have declined and donations have decreased. “We are hoping to generate some adoption interest and donations, but really, just getting back out in the public will be good for us,” said Davis. 

There were a variety of dogs K9 Rescue brought to the event, from Husky and Pitbull mixes, to Bulldogs, and Labradors. Overall, there were eight dogs of mixed breeds and a few Labrador puppies up for adoption.

This isn’t the first dog rescue event held by Westside VW either. Tami Willet, the General Manager, is a huge advocate for animal adoption as she has cared for and adopted many of her own Boxers throughout the years.

If you missed the event and are interested in donating or adding a furry addition to your home, K9 Rescue will be back at Westside Volkswagen on September 16th from 11 – 2 p.m.

It’s common for family and friends to want to help out their loved ones who are fighting for our country abroad. However, in 2005, a family received a different request from their son who was serving in Iraq. He asked for them to provide support to those who are returning home instead of sending a gift to him. After hearing this selfless request, Tee it Up for the Troops non-profit organization was established. 

For many Armed Forces members, the pain doesn’t end once they fly back home. Many soldiers face a variety of challenges when they arrive back in the U.S., days, months, or years after. These obstacles range from having post-traumatic stress disorder or traumatic brain injuries to not being able to find suitable employment or housing, and the list goes on. Tee it Up for the Troops mission is to offer support to soldiers in all critical areas of need and help them get back on course. 

On Monday, June 12th, Tee it Up for the Troops held their third annual event at Olympic Hills to honor, remember, respect, and support all those who are serving or have served in the Armed Forces for our nation. 

“As we well know, military families face a variety of challenges,” said Tom Groom, National Board Member for Tee it Up for the Troops. “We’d like to thank everyone who joined for ‘stepping up to the tee’ and honoring their service and sacrifice and for supporting these brave men and women.”

At the third annual golf event, there were 23 Veteran Guests of Honor recognized, one of them being the General Manager of Jaguar Land Rover, Ted Terp. Terp was drafted into the U.S. Army in 1968. After six months, he was deployed to Vietnam where he was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 52nd Infantry, where he became a part of a Recon Ranger Platoon – Luther’s Animals.  Terp served for 11 months before he was sent home with what Terp called a “million-dollar wound” on his leg. During his time in Vietnam, he received two Purple Hearts and a Combat Infantry Badge. 

Although this is the third time Luther has hosted Tee it Up for the Troops, this is Terp’s first time playing the course for the organization. Joining Terp and representing Luther Automotive in two foursomes were Joe Portillo and his daughter Christine, former Luther employee Taylor Rolling, Brad Johnson, Brett Farrell, Blake Sorem, and George Vojta.

Each foursome that played had a former service member join them. This gave them the opportunity to tell their story and experience while enjoying a day of golf. Overall, both Luther teams finished in the Top 5.

“We are honored by your outpouring of love and generosity to assist all those who serve(d)! To date the Olympic Hills’ Tee It Up for the Troops events have raised over $400,000! You are making a profound difference in our ability to reunite and support as many combat veterans as possible through the Tee it Up for the Troops Reunion Programs,” said Groom.

On July 17th, Luther’s Olympic Hills hosted Minnesota’s Adult and Teen Challenge to raise awareness about drug and alcohol addiction in the community. Currently, substance addiction is one of the top social issues in the state, serving as a foundation of crime, incarceration, and death. 

“Mn Adult and Teen Challenge is the number one organization combating this social problem and thus the reason we are so passionate and involved in supporting this organization,” said Co-chair of the event and board member, Tony Hallada. 

Mn Adult and Teen Challenge assists teens, women, and men in gaining freedom from these life-controlling issues by addressing their needs through outpatient counseling, licensed treatment, and long-term recovery. Since opening the organization 35 years ago, Mn Adult and Teen Challenge has grown exponentially, to the point where they now serve over 3,500 people per year.

The golf tournament had an excellent turnout with 29 foursomes supporting Mn Adult and Teen Challenge. Blake Sorem, Landon Medvec, Brandon Blommer, and Jeff Lemasters represented Luther at the event. “I’m all in today, I’m all in,” said Sorem while he practiced putting.

“There is nothing more fun than spending time with great friends supporting a great cause,” said Hallada. 

The majority of players who participated in the event weren’t aware or a part of Mn Adult and Teen Challenge prior to the event. Even with these circumstances it didn’t prevent the event from exceeding all of their fundraising goals. 

“Olympic Hills did an amazing job of hosting this first-time event for Teen Challenge. Due to the huge success, MnTC is hoping to make this an annual event,” said Megan Mattson the Director of Marketing & Events Communications for Mn Adult and Teen Challenge.

On August 4th, Just Cause Charity hosted their 32nd annual golf tournament at Heritage Links golf course to raise money for the Make-A-Wish foundation and Crescent Cove Charities. This was the fifth year Justin and Mike McGee have participated in the event, and the second year Luther Burnsville Hyundai has sponsored. 

Just Cause and Make-A-Wish are two charities the McGee family hold close to their hearts. As a young child, Justin McGee was in and out of the hospital often with 104-degree plus temps. He was hospitalized for weeks at a time as doctors tried to figure out what was causing these high temperatures and frequent visits. 

For years, the McGee family would travel in and out of the hospital without receiving any definite answers about Justin’s illness. When Justin was 17, he became ill during a hockey tournament and was hospitalized again for a month while doctors tried to figure out the root cause. Finally, a doctor from Cinncinnati discovered that Justin had Hemophagocytic Lymphohistiocytosis (HLH), a rare disease that caused his blood cells to attack each other. After being diagnosed, Justin went through rounds of chemotherapy to treat his illness. During this time, he was granted a Make-A-Wish, in which he chose to go on a shopping spree. 

After receiving his Make-A-Wish, Justin was approached by Just Cause, a charity that helps earn money for Make-A-Wish. They asked him to be the sponsor kid for their annual golf tournament in 2018. Justin and his dad played in the tournament, then Mike gave a speech on Justin’s behalf discussing his journey. Since this first tournament, Justin and Mike have returned each year to the charity event.

This year was the fifth year the father-son duo participated in the event, but it was the first year they created a Luther team. Luther Burnsville Hyundai also sponsored the flags for the event this year. “It was a hot but really fun day. We really appreciated Luther’s contribution to the Just Cause foundation,” said Justin.