Highlights from the 5th Annual Kendall Auto Soapbox Derby!

What do you get when you combine 19 soapbox cars, five course features, a water pit, a surprise rainstorm, some incredible costumes, a few crashes, and $10,500 for local nonprofits? One unforgettable 5th Annual Kendall Auto Soapbox Derby!

Families, schools, local businesses, community groups, and Kendall teams came together at River’s Edge Golf Course for our biggest year of soapbox fun yet. Each of our 19 participating teams chose a nonprofit to race on behalf of, representing organizations including Think Wild, Oregon Adaptive Sports, Boys & Girls Club of Central Oregon, Ronald McDonald House Charities, Every Kid Sports, and many more.

Our Kendall team went bigger than ever on this year’s course, creating five different features with ramps, a tabletop, obstacles, and, of course, the ultimate splash zone: the water pit. Add in some classic Central Oregon weather that brought a crazy rainstorm right in the middle of the action, and this year’s racers got just about everything thrown their way.

The creativity was also on another level. We saw soapboxes inspired by Tow Mater, Star Wars, Hunger Tren, a G-Wagon, Back to the Future, and plenty more. One of our favorite surprises came from Team SCOOFA, a group that returns to race with us year after year. This time, they showed up as us! Their soapbox was a physical recreation of the Kendall Auto Soapbox Derby logo, while the team dressed as members of the Kendall crew running the event—complete with oversized cowboy hats, wigs, and even a traffic cone costume. Safe to say, they understood the assignment.

After multiple rounds of racing, OUTATIME from Kendall Toyota of Bend took home first place with their Back to the Future-themed soapbox, earning $5,000 to split with their nonprofit, Ronald McDonald House Charities. The Pacemakers from Porsche Bend raced their way into second place dressed as senior citizens, earning $3,000 to split with Cascade Canine Rescue East & West. In third place, Forge Model F from Forge Academy earned $2,000 to split with their chosen nonprofit.

And we couldn’t end the day without seeing who could fly the farthest. The Tow Mater car from Kendall Ford of Bend took home the Long Jump Competition and an additional $500 to split with Every Kid Sports.

In total, Kendall Cares donated $10,500 between our top three finishers and Long Jump Competition winner, with each team required to donate at least 50% of its winnings to its chosen nonprofit—and the option to donate the full amount.

An event like this wouldn’t be possible without an incredible group of community partners. A huge thank you to River’s Edge Golf Course, our host sponsor, along with course sponsors Jake Petersen Farm & Livestock and Kirby Nagelhout Construction, and media sponsors Audio Visions Plus and Backyard Media. The Audio Visions Plus team continues to take this event to another level with an incredible livestream and timing system that keeps the racing action running all day long.

To every team that built, raced, crashed, splashed, dressed up, and helped us give back: thank you. To every nonprofit represented, sponsor who supported us, and spectator who braved the weather and cheered from the sidelines: thank you for making year five one we won’t forget.

Five years down, and somehow the Soapbox Derby just keeps getting crazier.

We can’t wait to see what rolls onto the course next year!

SOAPBOX DERBY LIVESTREAM

Cheerios, Chex, Corn Flakes, Cereal, OH MY!

Blue Skies & Beautiful Rides at the Broken Top Car Show!

There’s something about beautiful cars, blue skies, and a summer day in Central Oregon that just goes together.

Kendall was honored to return to the Broken Top Car Show, hosted by the Broken Top Homeowners Association at Broken Top Golf Course. With upwards of 700 people joining in on the fun, the course was filled with an incredible lineup of vehicles ranging from timeless classics to head-turning sports cars.

This year, the Kendall lineup had a theme: blue, with a hint of BMW green! We brought out four of our favorite vehicles from the lot, each showing off a different side of summer driving—the Mercedes CLA350 Electric, Porsche 911 Carrera GTS, Audi SQ8, and BMW M850i Gran Coupe. Bright, beautiful, and right at home among some of Central Oregon’s coolest cars, they made for quite the lineup.

Of course, there was plenty to enjoy beyond the cars. Guests spent the day listening to live music, enjoying ice cream, exploring the show, and stopping by the Kendall booth to test their skills at our golf chipping game for a chance to take home some Kendall prizes. With the event taking place right on the golf course, we couldn’t resist adding a little friendly competition of our own!

We always love an opportunity to get out into the community, share our love of cars, and spend a summer day with fellow automotive enthusiasts. A big thank you to the Broken Top Homeowners Association for inviting us back and to everyone who stopped by to see us. We’re already looking forward to the next one!

Kendall Auto Alaska & IMA Help Keep Alaska Kids Safe

Kendall Auto Alaska is proud to team up with IMA in support of Safe Kids Alaska, helping make bike safety resources and properly fitted helmets more accessible to children and families throughout the Anchorage community.

Through this partnership, 911 bike helmets have been made available to the community this year. Helmets were distributed through local schools, community events, and all 13 Anchorage Fire Department stations, where families can access helmets throughout the summer as supplies are restocked.

Safe Kids Alaska also supported nine Anchorage School District schools during their “Bike to School Day” events, providing helmets and helmet-fitting assistance to help students ride safely and confidently.

Beyond the schools, Safe Kids Alaska provided helmet-fitting and distribution services at several community events and organizations, including the Anchorage Parks and Recreation Bike Rodeo, AWAIC shelter, ASD’s 21st Century Summer Learning Academy, and Catholic Social Services Refugee Assistance and Immigration Services Wellness Fair.

We’re grateful for the organizations, schools, firefighters, volunteers, and community partners who helped make this effort possible. Together, Kendall Auto Alaska, IMA, and Safe Kids Alaska are helping protect young riders and encouraging safe, active fun across our community.

By the Numbers

• 911 helmets made available to the community
• 9 ASD schools supported for Bike to School Day
• 13 Anchorage Fire Department stations participating in helmet distribution
• Helmet fitting and distribution offered at multiple community events throughout Anchorage

At Kendall, supporting our community means helping create a safer Alaska for everyone—especially our kids.