Rent-to-own News - Mike's Rent To Own raffle benefits injured Marine

Mike Strong with daughter, Angela McCool of Mike's Rent To Own with the recently raffled 2012 Mustang.

Mike’s Rent-To-Own of Hutchinson, Kansas recently partnered with Mel Hambelton Ford and a local radio station, to giveaway a 2012 Ford Mustang in a raffle event that raised more than $14,000 for a local U.S. Marine injured in Afghanistan.

Kenny Kalish, also of Hutchinson, lost both his legs and one arm to a roadside bomb in Afghanistan.

Mike's Rent To Own store manager and owner Angela McCool said when she heard Kalish's story, it seemed like an opportunity to rally the community.

"When we heard about him, we just wanted to help in any way we could," said McCool, daughter of company founder Mike Strong. "We are always excited to get our name out there in the community in a positive way. The more dealers do little things, the more people are going to remember, 'hey, that's the company that did that thing for Kenny.'"

McCool said each of the company's seven stores also routinely provides lunch in their respective communities on parent/teacher days and also sponsor families during the holidays.

The proceeds will go to purchase a prosthetic leg for Kalish.

The Mustang toured all of Mike’s locations during the summer until the Mike’s Mustang Mania Event.

On the night of the event in late August,  thousands of attendees turned out to share in the excitement to see which of the 100 finalists would start the 2012 Mustang.

T-shirts were shot into the crowd and a band played in the background while two sky divers jumped from a helicopter with 100 keys and an American flag in hand to honor the sacrifices of U.S. soldiers.

Once the divers landed on the Mel Hambelton Ford lot, they worked their way to the front of the screaming crowd and handed over the keys.

Slowly but surely the 100 finalists all took turns trying a key to open a box that had only 10 keys inside.  Eventually the 100 finalists dwindled down to only 10 finalists. 

The eighth person in line, Greg Gleason, was the lucky winner of the Mustang and when he started the car the crowd screamed and fireworks exploded in celebration.

While all of that was going on there were raffle tickets being sold for $5.00 a ticket.

In addition, Mike’s Rent-To-Own gave away a 42” LG LCD TV and the Ford dealership raffled off a 2006 Ford Mustang.

Mike's Rent-To-Own raised $7,000.00 from the Mustang Mania Event for Kenny Kalish. Ford Dealer Mel Hambelton matched that amount for a total of $14,000.

Watch YouTube videos of the contest at the following links:

 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WFoFJY7t0lM&feature=youtu.be
 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lT79w-PXnWg&feature=related
 
Mike’s Rent-To-Own celebrated its 30th anniversary this summer.

The business opened in Hutchinson in 1981, and now has added locations in Lyons, El Dorado, Newton, McPherson, Concordia and Pratt.