Local Business Pays it Forward
One local business is continuing its efforts to serve Erie and the surrounding community in a big way. Lakeside Auto Group, based out of Harborcreek, is in its fourth consecutive year of Pay it Forward, an effort paired with Jet 24/Fox 66.
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The whole idea behind Pay it Forward is a truck, owned by Lakeside and sponsored by the TV station, that shows up at different business locations each Wednesday morning. Clues to the location are given on the Good Morning Erie newscast. When the truck arrives, a group of people convene around it and the person who pulls the highest card out of a deck gets the opportunity to pay it forward. The winner has one hour to give $300 to a deserving person or organization. The sponsoring business of the day also has the opportunity to add a donation onto the existing $300 to this person or organization.
The idea was brought to Andy Gabler, owner of Lakeside, by his rep from JET and FOX TV just over four years ago. She knew that he did a lot of work for nonprofits and saw this new method as a perfect fit for his business. However, Gabler confesses, “At first I said no. I didn't want to glamorize giving to charity.” She came back to him a few days later convincing him that he could really inspire other people to do something so great for others. Since this start, the cause has given away over $70,000. “We have helped a lot of people and it’s been amazing,” Gabler shares. “I didn’t realize it was gonna blow up like it did because now it’s got a life of its own,” he continues. Other people and organizations around the area have taken Pay it Forward as an inspiration to help others out in their own ways.
Before the deck of cards was introduced, however, the winner was simply the person who touched the truck first. This became an issue as Gabler would drive the truck into a location and people would be running up to it as it was still in motion. “I almost ran somebody over when I was pulling in one place and obviously we had to change how we did that.” Another incentive for this change was the fact that those who cannot run, or who are in a wheelchair, now have the opportunity to participate.
“I mean we’ve gone year to year and after the first year [the TV station] wanted to do it and, you know, I enjoy doing it. I wish I could do more,” Gabler shares. Because of this desire to help others, the Pay it Forward team plans to continue their generosity for at least the next year.
