Circle of Gratitude
As the 2018 car show season comes to a close, we would be amiss if we didn’t take a moment to thank the local car clubs and the car show attendees for their support and generosity. We also wanted to highlight just one reason this community support has meant so much to us here at GiGi’s Playhouse Quad Cities. We asked our board member and former Camaro Club President Chad Johnson to provide some insight from his point of view.
I have always had a passion for muscle cars and attending local car events. After completing my own restoration project in 2000, I started taking my car to the local car shows and cruises. I became friends with fellow car enthusiasts who were part of the local clubs and fellow participants. I soon became friends with fellow Camaro owners who shared my passion to develop a car club specifically for the Camaro. In 2003, myself and two other Camaro owners created the Quad City Camaro Club. Our goal was to create a club that was fun and family friendly while participating in events to represent the generations of the Chevrolet Camaro. The next couple years the Quad City Camaro Club became a recognizable club among other area clubs. Friendships and partnerships were formed and the comradery among fellow car clubs strengthened. I enjoyed being part of the organization and appreciated the fellow founders for everything they contributed to the club. Around 2006 I stepped down as the President of the Camaro Club and the other founders and members have carried it on to make it what it is today.
After several years of waiting to be blessed with our second child to arrive, my journey changed along with my passion. Upon our daughter’s arrival, she was diagnosed as having Down syndrome. From that moment on, my wife and I were determined to learn as much as we could regarding Down syndrome as well as locating resources that would assist us and our daughter on our journey. Thankfully we were introduced to GiGi’s Playhouse the local Down syndrome achievement center. There we were welcomed with open arms by a network of families. The resources available and the experiences shared by other families is an invaluable resource for anyone that has a loved one with Down syndrome. My wife and I were so appreciative of the kindness and generosity of the Playhouse and its families, that we wanted to get involved and give back in any way we could. My wife and I currently sit on several planning committees and volunteer at Playhouse events and I became a Board Member.
In 2017, my past passion for cars and the friendships that I had fostered in years past, returned full circle to my most sincere passion of all. Over the past two years, the Quad City Camaro City Club and the Quad City Cruisers has chosen GiGi’s Playhouse as one of their charities to support. It has been a great blessing for the Playhouse but has also been truly and humbling to see those long-time friendships support a cause that means so much to me. I am truly honored to have a club I helped organize fifteen years ago want to help. Then to have the opportunity to solicit support from the oldest and biggest QC car club, the Quad City Cruisers, and have GiGi’s be selected not only once, but twice in the past two years, causes me to be overwhelmed with gratitude especially when chosen over several other worthy charities.
The long-term friendships that I enjoyed visiting with on multiple weekends during the car show season for several years, has and will always be memorable. But now to have their support along with their assistance to bring awareness to GiGi’s Playhouse and Down syndrome has been truly amazing. I cannot say thank you enough for the support from the local car club community, my friends, and car club connections. I appreciate everyone in the Quad City Camaro Club and Quad City Cruisers that has supported GiGi’s and allowed the Playhouse to continue to provide free resources and programming to individuals with Down syndrome and their families.
Sincerely,
Chad Johnson
