Spring in Flamborough means the return of two seasonal traditions: getting your car ready for summer and supporting a great cause.
Local motorists can do both at Waterdown Collision, which is running its Tire Swap in support of Cystic Fibrosis. Customers who donate $75 can submit a copy of their charitable receipt to book their service.
“It typically takes a full day by the time we do the inspection and the car wash as well,” said Nadia Mamone, who looks after business development and insurance relations at Waterdown Collision. “Usually people drop off in the morning and it’s ready for them about mid-afternoon.”
It’s a fantastic deal, she noted, as it typically costs about $100 to change out winter tires.
“None of the money comes to us – it goes directly to Cystic Fibrosis Canada on behalf of Dante’s Journey to the Cure,” said Mamone, referring to the DiFelice family’s team that participates in the annual Walk to Make Cystic Fibrosis History at Hamilton’s Bayfront Park.
The Clappison’s Corners collision centre, led by owners Max and Patty DiFelice and sons Domenic and Dante, got involved in the cause back in 2011. Dante, who’s now 21, was diagnosed with CF as a youngster.
From car wash to tire swap
Previously, Waterdown Collision ran a single-day community car wash each spring.
“It was amazing to be part of; we had so many volunteers and the community really rallied around it which was fantastic,” said Mamone. “But it just got too big for us to handle, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing.”
The transition to the Tire Swap came about in 2021 during the COVID-19 pandemic, and turned out to be a good fit for the business, their customers, and the fundraiser.
“This is something that we knew that people need to do anyway,” said Mamone. “You need to get your tires swapped so it made sense for us to put that out there for people, and they really took to it.”
She estimates that since 2011, between the car wash and the tire swap, the DiFelices, Waterdown Collision and the local community have raised close to $200,000 for Cystic Fibrosis Canada.
The $75 Tire Swap campaign runs throughout the spring - ideally, donations would be made by the time of Bayfront Park walk on May 26, but the deadline is flexible, said Mamone.
“People can procrastinate a bit on when they’re going to swap their tires,” she said. “We’ve had people reach out as late as June to have it done so it really doesn’t stop.”
To find out more about the $75 Tire Swap fundraiser, visit the Waterdown Collision website. To donate to Dante's Journey for the Cure, visit their page on the Cystic Fibrosis Canada website.
