Friends of Childhelp


		History of Friends of Childhelp
		In the spring of 1994, a group of custom wheel executives led by Don Zimmer discussed their need as an industry to give back to the community. Several people in this group were familiar with the charity Childhelp USA and the innovative programs they had established in dealing with child abuse. Their objective was to make the custom wheel industry more aware of the problems of child abuse, to expose as many people as possible to the work being done by Childhelp USA and to raise money for this charity. These executives formed a committee and called themselves Wheel Friends of Childhelp. In the fall of 1994, the Board of Directors of Childhelp USA awarded the Wheel Friends group the status of an auxiliary of Childhelp USA, which made them an official family member of this growing organization. In just one year's time, Don Zimmer chaired Wheel Friend's first gala event at the Beverly Hilton Hotel and honored Parnelli Jones with the Custom Wheel Industry Lifetime Achievement Award. First year's proceeds raised $250,000 for Childhelp USA and became the largest grossing first time event of an auxiliary organization in Childhelp's history. The event included the black tie dinner followed by a golf tournament played at the prestigious Wilshire Country Club. Once again in 1996, Wheel Friends was able to proudly present $300,000 to Childhelp's founders Sara O'Meara and Yvonne Fedderson. This money brought the total donations to $550,000 in just two short years. Efrem Zimbalist Jr. was presented with the second Lifetime Achievement Award during the black tie gala held at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel. This event was chaired by John Onder and was followed by a great day of golf at the Riviera Country Club. The third annual Wheel Friends event returned to the Beverly Wilshire to honor Carroll Shelby as the 1997 Lifetime Achievement recipient. Steve Kelley chaired this evening made memorable by the music of Glenn Frey and another donation of $300,000 to Childhelp USA. The festivities continued the next morning, with a golf tournament at Sherwood Country Club. In 1998, the Wheel Friends of Childhelp Board of Directors, chaired by Jim Smith, worked hard to bring about an event which raised their total contributions to over $1,200,000! In addition to reaching this lofty goal, they also underwrote the entire cost of the new Childhelp video which is used to help raise the awareness of child abuse. In 1999, led by Chair Mike Joyce, the Wheel Friends' contribution to Childhelp passed the $1.5 million mark. These funds will help in the plans to build three more villages in the near future - in the Smokey Mountains of Tennessee, the Phoenix, Arizona area, and in Michigan. The year 2000 saw the amount of monies donated by Wheels Friends of Childhelp grow to $1,750,000 under the chairmanship of Don Zimmer. With the presentation of this year's check to Childhelp, a total of over $2,000,000 will have been donated by the many friends and supporters who are determined to ensure that any and every abused child has a place where he or she will find love and caring. In 2001, Steve Kelley and Jim Smith led the way as co-chairs to another $250,000 donated to Childhelp USA. So many people involved in the wheel industry continued to give of their time and money to ensure that the children who so badly need love have a place to learn that most people do care. Through the leadership of Mike Joyce in 2002, Wheel Friends of Childhelp again reached their goal of being able to present to Childhelp USA another $250,000. Though the world was still in shock from the events of September 11, 2001, the generousity of the people involved in the wheel industry was still as strong as ever. John Luedeke took on the mantle of Chairman of the Board for the 10th Annual Benefit in 2004. Another $250,000 was donated to Childhelp USA through the generosity of the sponsors. Mike Joyce was awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award.