Albany car show to raise money for child abuse awareness

ALBANY, Ga. (WALB) - The Exchange Club of Albany is getting ready for its second annual car show this weekend.

This is one of the fundraisers that helps them raise money for child abuse prevention programs.

Coordinators said they think this will be one of their most successful years. Ralph Paustian said fundraisers like the fair and now the car show has become their most successful fundraisers.

″We’re looking anywhere from 3,000 to 5,000 people coming to the gates,” said Paustian.

After not being able to have their fair because of COVID-19, they found another way to give to child abuse prevention programs that depend on those funds.

″That was our No. 1 goal. We were not going to cut what we gave away and that’s why we came up with the car show,” said Paustian.

And they didn’t cut funds. Paustian said last year, they were able to give organizations like Open Arms more money than they had in the past because of the show.

Open Arms gives shelter and services to abused, homeless and runaway kids. Associate Executive Director Rosalynn Fliggins said those funds are essential, especially after the pandemic.

″A lot of them were put out during the pandemic so we had an influx of young people that were coming in, especially older youth with nowhere else to go,” said Fliggins.

Giving shelter to nearly 150 kids a year, she said these funds help where grants can’t.

“They’re unrestricted funds that we can use for whatever the kids at our shelter may need and so their funding is crucial to provide services that grants don’t provide,” said Fliggins.

Paustian said he’s looking forward to seeing what they can do this year.

“I hope for this event, we see several thousand people out here and raise $100,000 to be able to get to these charities,” said Paustian.

Organizers plan to keep having the car show, as long as people want it.

The car show costs $10. It kicks off Friday at noon and then on Saturday at 8 a.m.

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