BY: Sara Schnickel
Bugle News
Pontiac,IL
Absolute and friends sound off for muscular dystrophy
Contest entrants blast car stereos in hopes of high decibels
Absolute Sound and Security and the Absolute Perfection Car Club will host a car stereo contest on Saturday, June 13, to raise funds for the Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA). Shown above, left to right, are Absolute Sound’s Tim Burgess, Tywone Kingsby and owner Calib Baxter. - Photo by Sara Schickel/The Bugle
by Sara Schickel
What do stereo speakers, Jerry Lewis and a car club have in common?
They are all part of the upcoming car stereo competition to support the Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA) at the Jerry Lewis Telethon in September.
Absolute Sound and Security and the Absolute Perfection Car Club started the competition a few years ago in order to raise money for MDA — an organization dear to the heart of Calib Baxter.
Baxter, owner of Absolute Sound and Security, has a niece with muscular dystrophy. “Little Elizabeth, she’s almost six years old. She’s the happiest little kid. She’s not going to be able to walk. She can’t move her arms, but she’s happy — and that’s what gets me,” he said.
“The MDA does a lot for her. I mean a lot for her. I didn’t realize how much they get involved until Elizabeth and her problems,” said Baxter.
Tywone Kingsby is an employee of Absolute Sound who also has ties to the organization. He has a nine-year-old son with a medical condition.
“Calib and I were talking one day. I was telling him about my son. He told me about his niece, and we started talking about a fundraiser,” Kingsby explained, “We got a lot of friends and the car club involved.”
He continued, “It’s a good opportunity to give back to the kids. Having a child with it, I know how hard it is to buy all of the medicine and transport them to different places. Then we have [the MDA] who actually pitches in for you and helps you out. It makes your life a little more stress-free.”
The men wanted to do something to raise money for the organization that does so much to help children and their families. They decided to host a special contest that taps into the desire to blast car stereos.
Baxter said, “There’s a lot of high school kids in the area that have the loud stereos, but legally you can’t run your stereo loud because you’ll get a ticket.”
He continued, “So we try to do something one day a year where they can come in here. It’s permitted by law, by the town. They can come in here and crank it up, and it’s for a good cause.
According to the organizers, there tends to be a lot of drama and one-upmanship at this type of event. “It’s a soap opera. It’s a guy soap opera,” Baxter joked.
Since the event started, participation has increased from 21 people the first year to 38 in the second. The organizers are expecting about 100 cars to be entered into this year’s competition.
“We’ve had guys call us from Herscher, from Peoria, from Springfield,” Baxter said, “We hope it’s going to be a good one this year. We’re excited. I can’t wait.”
This year, the group contacted local businesses for sponsorships.
Even in these tough economic times, local businesses supported the fundraiser and donated not only prizes and money, but also food for the event.
“I am so impressed with the community. They have really come through. No begging, no nothing. [We just said] ‘Hey guys, this is what we’re doing.’ [They said] ‘You bet. Sign us up.’ Everybody we’ve called — no one has said no,” said Baxter.
Prizes include two 12-inch sub-woofers, a remote car starter, oil changes and tire rotations. “Snap-on tools got involved and gave us a jacket,” stated Baxter.
The goal for this year’s event is $3,000. The funds will be donated at the annual Jerry Lewis Telethon in September. The group will volunteer and answer the phones, then make their donation at the telethon.
“Everything that we make off the show goes to the Muscular Dystrophy Association,” stressed Baxter.
The car stereo competition at Absolute Sound and Security will start at 11:30 a.m. on Saturday, June 13. Entries will be judged in decibels. For more information, contact Baxter at (815) 822-2867.
For more info Elizabeth please read her web-site
www.our-sma-angels.com/elizabeth
"We believe in miracles because we live with one"
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