Roger Williams Auto Sales cookout, collection to help homeless

Matt Bower
Posted 10/21/14

Roger Williams Auto Sales (RWAS) will be holding A Humbled Harvest Day cookout and collection drive for food and clothing for the homeless this Saturday from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at its location at 3126 …

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Roger Williams Auto Sales cookout, collection to help homeless

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Roger Williams Auto Sales (RWAS) will be holding A Humbled Harvest Day cookout and collection drive for food and clothing for the homeless this Saturday from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at its location at 3126 Post Rd. in Warwick.

RWAS will provide free hamburgers, hotdogs and soft drinks.

“This is the first one we’re doing,” said Bob Bourque of RWAS, adding that the dealership plans to hold four such events each year to coincide with the seasons.

Bourque said Saturday’s event will serve as the winter collection and the plan is to hold the events prior to the season for which they are associated.

“The spring one will come before the winter ends,” Bourque said, adding there could be a collection held in December but it’s too early to tell.

Bourque said clothing donations will go to Help the Homeless in RI, while food donations will be distributed directly to Delivering Hope and 1 of 52 Hunger Network. Help the Homeless in RI uses social media to collect and distribute items for the homeless, while Delivering Hope has distributed 108 organic Thanksgiving food baskets and put $13,944 back into the community. All three non-profits are partnering with RWAS.

“We feel these three groups are touching the lives of the people here in our backyard and they are run by local people with huge hearts,” reads a letter RWAS sent out to all its customers. “We are grateful to be associated with them and any other organizations and people that are helping promote this community event.”

Items being sought for Saturday’s collection include: clothing, jackets, sweaters, scarves, winter coats, gloves, shoes, non-perishable foods, canned goods and soups, or anything you wish to donate. Monetary donations will also be accepted and divided up among the three organizations.

“In the past we held golf tournaments to raise money for Make A Wish, but we thought the collection drives would be easier to organize and hopefully have a good impact,” Bourque said. “You wake up every day grateful for what you have, but there are people out there suffering.”

Bourque said he and RWAS owner Roy LaCroix are getting older, and with age comes perspective.

“Your focus changes and you realize people need help,” Bourque said. “We’re grateful to help out anyone that needs it.”

Bourque said it’s a feeling of gratitude to be able to provide an opportunity for people to donate items for others in need.

“We’re extremely grateful to be able to know that when someone walks outside and it’s cold and they have warm clothes, it’s because someone came and supplied that for them,” he said.

Bourque said any and all help is greatly appreciated.

While a rain date has not been scheduled, Bourque said if it does rain, the dealership could utilize its showroom for donations.

“We’re hoping for good weather,” he said.

Ongoing posts about the dealership and events are posted and updated daily on its Facebook page at www.facebook.com/rwautosales.

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