McDonald Mazda South

Community Events and Charitable Support

McDonald Mazda South is a VERY proud sponsor of the Shining Stars Foundation! Shining Stars transform lives through year-round recreational and social programs for children and their families challenged with pediatric cancer or another life-threatening illness. We provide programs that help these children move past just trying to survive, to thriving and truly living again. We serve not only the child, but their entire immediate family, including siblings and parents.

Our most recent event was the Aspen Winter Games Program at Buttermilk Ski Resort, an 8 day adaptive snowboard and ski recreation program held every year for over 250 participants, including children, their medical team, instructors, and volunteers. Children living with cancer or another life-threatening illness are taken to the slopes in Aspen and given everything they need to ski or ride, including lift tickets, gear, lodging, meals, transportation, and one-on-one adaptive lessons. Kids also enjoy dance parties, music lessons, movie nights, swimming, campfires, snowmobiling, yoga, crafts, and games.

The emphasis of the week is on empowering each child and giving them a sense of hope, by pushing them to accomplish things on the mountain that they never thought possible. Activities also bond children with one another, giving them life-long relationships through which they gain strength and support for the journey ahead. Each child learns to focus on all that they can do, rather than their limitations.