Clean-up efforts are underway in the wake of  the deadly, destructive tornado that carved a devastating 20 mile path south of Oklahoma City Monday.  The massive storm, up to a mile wide and with estimated winds of at least 200 mph, flattened entire neighborhoods and destroyed an elementary school in Moore, Ok.   The American Red Cross is on the scene providing assistance in many ways.   They’re providing shelter, food, and starting the clean-up process.  Our thoughts and prayers go out to those that were affected by this disaster.  We’re also thinking of all of first responders and those that are on the scene helping out at this moment.   We have teamed with the Red Cross locally and know they do an amazing job in times of need.  We reached out immediately to find out how to help.  They need monetary assistance.    Please make a donation if you’d like to help the victims.

Text the Word REDCROSS to 90999 to donate $10. Rochester Ford, Rochester Toyota and Scion, Rochester Mazda along with Rochester Car Clearance, Rochester Service on 2nd and Rochester Collision Center will match donations up to $5000! Please share this on your social media page to show your support!

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May  15, 2013 thru September 25, 2013

‘The  Jeff Hanson Memorial Cruise In is every Wednesday, weather  permitting at the Eagle’s Club in Rochester (next to Cub Foods). It starts at 5:00 PM. There is No  Charge to attend. Event  goes till ????. Outdoor food and drink specials  for attendees on the Patio.Get more info  here.

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We have started to fall in love with this great little organization called Project Linus. After finding them online a few weeks ago, we have launched an awareness program linked with our facebook pages to raise money for their good deeds. Project Linus for those who haven’t heard of them yet, is a non-profit organization that makes hand-made blankets for seriously ill or traumatized children. The thought of warming a childs heart and providing comfort to them has brought a smile to our faces and a sense of love to our hearts.

We have been networking like crazy (with the help of our facebook friends) at all of our Rochester Motor Cars locations to gain likes for our facebook page, so that we can donate $1 per like to Project Linus, (goal by the way is 2000….currently at 452) but we want to do more! We have had a great response and hope we can hit our goal to help support this group in all that they do.  

I mean, how could you not love the idea of cozy hand crafted blankets being given to children at their most vulnable moments, adding comfort and coziness to their sweet little lives?     :)

Any parent for sure knows how quickly a blanket (or stuffed animal) can become a security item.

This organization does not normally receive donations so they are strickly based off of volunteers bringing their own supplies.

Soooooo, Thursday October 4th from 6:30pm-9:30pm we will be hosting a blanket making night at Rochester Toyota.  This event is open to the public as well as employees and their families.  At their last blanket night, Project Linus “Blanketeers” were able to finish 103 blankets! Let’s show our support and make that and a whole bunch more!!

We need both men and women, as there is plenty to do:  From making the blankets, to  labeling them and packaging them all up for donation.

(I would suggest something easy to do because of  time, like the polar fleece tie blankets or a easy sew style….for sizes go to Project Linus Blanket Sizes) They supply blankets from newborn up to teens.

Rochester Motorcars will supply pizza and soda/water for the evening, but please bring your own blanket supplies (fabric, thread, scissors etc). If you are planning to use a sewing machine, please bring one as we won’t have one on hand. We will be setting up in Rochester Toyota’s temperature controlled service bay with tables and chairs set up for working, and there will be plenty of room.

Let’s make this a great evening for socializing and meeting new people, enjoying the company of our friends and giving children in our community a reason to smile

Don’t forget to like us on any of our Rochester Motor Cars facebook pages and Project Linus too! For every new like we will donate $1 to Project Linus to help them cover material and supply expenses. Click here!

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Rochester Motor Cars is proud to be a sponsor of the First Annual Chuck Hermann Memorial Ultimate Frisbee Tournament which will be held this Saturday, September 22nd at Soldier Field starting at 8am.

Ultimate Frisbee was a game that the late Chuck Hermann, Battalion Chief fire-fighter, loved to play with his fellow fire-fighters. The hope of this event is for people from the community will participate in the game but also enjoy each other’s company as we remember a great man. It is also an opportunity to raise funds for an organization that Chuck was passionate about, GreatDeeds. GreatDeeds is a non-profit organization that exists for the dual purpose of performing good deeds for individuals, families and organizations and educating and empowering others to perform good deeds.

For more information on GreatDeeds, go to www.greatdeeds.org

Chuck was a highly respected and decorated member of the Rochester Fire Department for 30 years beginning August 19th, 1981. He received numerous awards including the Mayor’s Medal of Honor and had reached the rank of Battalion Chief. His loss to the department will be felt by the countless firefighters that he worked with throughout the years. Chuck was an instructor for the National Fire Academy , and was an active advocate of Fire Fighters for Christ which allowed him to serve two of his biggest passions in life: serving his Lord and Savior and fire-fighting. He was also co-owner of the family auction business, Hermann Auctions, founded in 1972.

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I was just perusing the JD Power dependability Rankings for 2012. I couldn’t help but notice that Toyota did… Very well. In fact they won top honors in more segments than any other automaker by far! (Toyota, Scion, and Lexus were actually 3 of the top 5 brands!)

Wining top honors for their class were:
Most dependable Compact Sports Car:                         Scion tC
Most dependable Compact Multipurpose vehicle:  Scion xB
Most dependable Compact car:                                       Toyota Prius (runner up, Toyota Corolla!)
Most dependable Minivan:                                                Toyota Sienna
Most dependable Truck:                                                     Toyota Tundra
Most dependable Subcompact car:                                Toyota Yaris (runner up, Scion xD!)

WOW! Great confirmation for how reliable Toyotas are!

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Ahhhh, the leaves are changing; there’s a coolness to the air. The sun sets a bit earlier and all the kiddies are back in school. Yup, that’s right….. it’s fall. Another sign that the autumn season is upon us is the 4th Annual Bras for a Cause! It’s that time again to “take ‘em off, and hang ‘em high”! Bras for a Cause is our annual event that we do along with Clear Channel Radio here in Rochester (which is 102.5 The Fox, Lazer 101.7 and KFAN 100.3) to raise money and awareness for Join the Journey and their fight against breast cancer.

First some background info on Join the Journey:

Join the Journey was founded in 2005 in Rochester, Minnesota.  What started out as a  basket of scarves and hats being passed among friends  newly diagnosed with breast cancer quickly evolved into Join the Journey.   Breast cancer survivors Effie Psimos and Patty Allen along with close friend Margie Loprinzi recognized a larger need than the basket could handle and came together with the hope of raising awareness of breast cancer and helping everyone with this disease in our local community.

Before long Join the Journey had their first Ten Mile Breast Cancer Awareness Walk. The community response was tremendous and each year the participation grows. In 2010 there were over 1,100 walkers!

 Join the Journey has evolved into an established non-profit community organization, which supports programs and projects that uphold the mission of promoting breast cancer awareness and providing support to individuals on their breast cancer journey.

From an early dream of helping breast cancer patients in our community to our present position as a well recognized charity that has helps thousands of people we could not be more proud. Our ultimate vision includes a time when Join the Journey no longer needs to exist, but until that day arrives we will continue our mission; helping one person at a time. (see more at jointhejourney.com)

The Event:

The Bras for a Cause event puts a fun twist on raising money. Each year leading up to October (National Breast cancer Awareness month), we collect new and used bras. Rochester Motor Cars (that’s Rochester Ford, Rochester Toyota, Rochester Mazda, Rochester Car Clearance Center, Rochester Collision Center and Rochester Service on 2nd) then donates $1 per bra. In a new upping of the ante,  this year we have upped our donation to $2 per bra! Last year we collected just shy of 4000 bras! Whoot whoot!

So here are the events going on this year:

The main event will be held at Rochester Toyota October 6th from 1pm-5pm. There will be food, refreshments, bounce houses for the kids, and more! Make sure to stay to watch as we fly the bras high above Rochester suspended from a hot air balloon supplied by Lesmiester Balloons. The balloon will try to fly some time between 3-5pm depending on weather conditions. This is a great sight the whole family will enjoy watching!

Also, from now until Oct 6th, bring in a bra to any of our service locations (Rochester Toyota, Rochester Ford, Rochester Mazda, or Rochester Service on 2nd) and receive a 1/2 price oil change! That’s right….1/2 price! Must bring bra in at time of service.

 So go through your drawers and drop off any bras you can! Our goal this year is to hit 5000 bras!

Hope to see you all there!

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Tundra Entrusted With Historic Transportation of Endeavour Through California Science Center Partnership to Promote Education and Space Awareness

Schematic of Toyota Tundra towing Space Shuttle Endeavour

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Front Schematic of Toyota Tundra Towing Space Shuttle Endeavour

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Schematic of Toyota Tundra Towing Space Shuttle Endeavour

 

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This Thursday, September 6th the Bluff View Friends of the NRA will hold their annual benefit to raise funding for shooting sports at such orgianizations as Pine Island Gun Club, Camp Victory, Game-Haven Boy Scouts, Rochester Police explorers, Houston American Legion Boy Scouts, and Ironwood Christian ranch.

The banquet consists of a silent and live auction, drawings, games and all you can eat buffet dinner. In 2011, The Friends of NRA events held in Minnesota raised more than $106,000 for Minnesota projects of organizations that promote safe use of firearms and enhance marksmanship skills as well as educate the public about conservation and firearms in their historic, technological, and artistic context.

Rochester Toyota Service , part of Rochester Motor Cars, has donated a Prepaid Maintenance Package to be auctioned off. The package, covering 3 oil changes and 3 tire rotations, is valued at $162. It is our pleasure to show support to organizations that provide grants to better our youth in such programs.

Click here for tickets to tonights event.

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The Rochester area and surrounding communities have been so supportive in our growth as a company that whenever we can, we like to return that support in any way possible. In the past we have supported many events raising awareness for Alzheimer’s Disease Research and jumped at the chance to support the 1st Annual Race to Remember-Alzheimer’s Research Benefit Barrel Race. This event held at the Minnesota Equestrian Center in Winona, MN hopes to raise money for the Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center through the Mayo Clinic.

Alzhiemer’s has become the 6th leading cause of death in the United States, as well as being the only cause of death among the top 10 that cannot be prevented, cured, or slowed. (source of statistics: http//www.alz.org)

Rochester Toyota , a Rochester Motor Cars Company, has donated a 1-Year Prepaid Maintenance package to be given away at the event. The 1-Year Prepaid Maintenance package covers 3 oil changes and 3 tire rotations with a total value of $162 to be used at Rochester Toyota Service. Our hopes is that this event draws a great crowd to raise funds for Alzheimer’s Research.

Rochester Toyota is thrilled to be a supporter of this great cause!

For more info on the event and cause visit the Race to Remember-Alzheimer’s Research Benefit Barrel Race facebook page.

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The 6th Annual Brains Together For a Cure Walk is scheduled for October 6th 2012. Once again the 5K event will be held at the Rochester Community and Technical College Field House. There will also be a raffle drawing and silent auction held the day of the event as well. Rochester Toyota has donated a 1-Year Prepaid Maintenance good for use at Rochester Toyota Service this year to the silent auction. The Prepaid Maintenance will cover 3 oil changes and 3 tire rotations valued at $162. Last year the walk raised $33,000 and we are hoping this year to be even better!

Brains Together For a Cure is a walk to raise money and awareness for brain tumor research and education at the Mayo Clinic. According to BTFC, it is estimated that more than 600,000 people in the United States are living with the diagnosis of a primary brain tumor. More research is necessary to develop better treatments and increase survival.

Rochester Toyota is very grateful to be able to participate in such a great fundraiser!

For more information on Brains Together For a Cure walk, go to www.brainstogetherforacause.org

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