What A Difference A Day Makes!

Make A Difference Day is a national day of lending a hand to others - a celebration of neighbors helping neighbors. The second annual UAW-GM fund-raiser under the Make A Difference Day banner exceeded the successful 2003 inaugural campaign, enabling the Make-A-Wish Foundation to grant an additional 26 wishes in 2004-2005. The 2003 effort raised more than $1.2 million, granting 184 wishes.

In addition to making a $500 pledge to enroll, many dealerships "adopted" a pending wish through local Make-A-Wish® chapters or held fund-raisers to raise additional monies. Dealers, among many others, like:

·        Ashley Motor Company in Crossett, Ark., which donated $100 for every car sold Oct. 18-23 and held a bake sale to benefit their local chapter, helping to grant the wish of area child, Andrew, 5, who has wished for a Hatch computer to assist him with his special needs.

·        In Florida, despite six weeks of hurricanes that pummeled the state just prior to the campaign, devastating local commerce, 20 GM dealers enlisted, raising enough money for the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Central and Northern Florida to grant 15 wishes for local kids.

·        Your Neighborhood GM Goodwrench Dealers, a local association of 22 GM dealerships in Tennessee and Mississippi, adopted the wish of Marquise, 6, from Memphis. Marquise requested his own "super-duper" playground set. Additionally, to help make even more wishes come true, many of the dealerships hosted a week-long "Change for the Better" fund-raiser, Oct. 18-23, donating $5 for every oil change performed. The promotion raised enough funds to grant two additional wishes for the local Make-A-Wish chapter.

·        Randall Farnsworth Auto Group - including Farnsworth Chevrolet-Cadillac and Randall Pontiac-Buick-GMC in Canandaigua, N.Y., and Randall Chevrolet in Victor, N.Y. - adopted the wish of Shelby, 5, from Stanley, N.Y., who battles leukemia and Down Syndrome. Shelby will visit the Walt Disney World® Resort. Additionally, to help make more wishes come true, the dealerships hosted a "Sponsor a Star" fund-raiser, displaying paper stars in the name of customers who made donations. Those monies will go towards the wish of Gunnar, 7, from Fairport, N.Y., who battles Down Syndrome and whose wish for a backyard pool will be granted next spring. Farnsworth Chevrolet-Cadillac also hosted a party in the children's honor.

·        Vegas Valley GM Goodwrench Dealers, a local association of 13 GM dealerships in Nevada, adopted the wish of Jordan, 9, from Las Vegas, who battles muscular dystrophy. The group also hosted an Oct. 23 bon voyage party at the Sahara Hotel's Hot Rods/NASCAR Café for the boy, who departed the following day for the Disneyland(r) Resort.

·        GMAC Insurance adopted the wish of Brittany, 14, from Jonesboro, Ga., who battles a spinal tumor and wished to have her bedroom redecorated. Brittany's older sister has left for college and so she will soon be moving into her sister's room, which is much bigger. Brittany says her current bedroom is "boring" and she'd like a Victorian theme (possibly in her favorite color, pink).

·        GMAC Finance adopted the wish of Matthew, 13, from Festus, Mo., who battles end-stage renal disease and required a kidney transplant. Matthew, a huge baseball fan, who watches the St. Louis Cardinals locally, wished for his own batting cage.

In addition to Chevrolet, Pontiac, Buick, Cadillac, GMC, Saturn and HUMMER, GM divisions also supporting the campaign were GMAC Financial Services, one of the world's leading financial services companies; XM Satellite Radio, which delivers 122 channels of uninterrupted digital-quality broadcasting to more than 2 million subscribers throughout the 48 contiguous United States; GM Card, which gives you five percent earnings on your GM Card purchases toward the purchase or lease of a new GM car, truck or SUV; and GM Goodwrench, the one and only GM expert. With GM training and advanced diagnostic equipment, there's nobody better to help maintain the health of your GM vehicle.

As part of its support, for the second year, XM Satellite Radio aired frequent PSAs during the month of October promoting the campaign and highlighting 10 GM dealers in recognition of their support of Make A Difference Day and the Foundation.

Says John Smith, group vice president, North America, vehicle sales service & marketing for GM, "Your generosity enables these courageous children to take a break from the pain and stress of daily medical battles. If you've ever had the opportunity to share the power of a wish® , it's a moving experience not soon forgotten. I applaud our valued dealers for reaching out to children in their communities and supporting this worthwhile cause."

In support of UAW-GM and GM's sponsorship of the Foundation - now entering its sixth year - UAW members, GM employees and GM dealers across the country have personally committed to volunteerism, fund raising and wish granting year 'round ... truly "Making Smiles Standard Equipment® " for these courageous children.

The Make-A-Wish Foundation grants the wishes of children with life-threatening medical conditions to enrich the human experience with hope, strength and joy. It is the largest wish-granting charity in the world, with 74 chapters in the United States and its territories and 28 international affiliates on five continents. With the help of generous donors and more than 25,000 volunteers, the Make-A-Wish Foundation has granted more than 127,000 wishes to children around the world since 1980.

In 1999, the International Union, UAW and the General Motors Corporation (GM) committed to an ongoing national sponsorship of the Foundation and have helped to grant thousands of children's wishes all across America.

UAW-GM support comes from the UAW-GM Center for Human Resources, which develops and administers education, training and retraining programs and joint activities for approximately 130,000 UAW-represented GM employees.

For more information about the Make-A-Wish Foundation, visit www.wish.org. To learn more about the UAW-GM and GM sponsorship, visit www.wishworks.org or call 877-947-4967