Thunder on the Mountain Continues to Give

The Thunder on the Mountain Car Show donates a portion of the money from the fundraising event to our local Salvation Army because it is there to help the needy people of Tehachapi.

There are people in our community who need help. Low income families, some children and seniors need a hand once in awhile. Our local Salvation Army helps people in need with some basic necessities. They provide food to an average of 1700 individuals, help over 350 families with emergency utility assistance, and help about 500 children with back to school needs each year. Between 40 and 50 kids attend a Salvation Army Summer camp in Santa Cruz every year.

The children who are identified as being in need of the Back to School Assist program receive new backpacks filled with school supplies, new or gently used outfits for school, a voucher for a new pair of school shoes, and a free haircut.

A popular program available at the service center is the after school program for junior and senior high school students. About 45 kids come daily after school and during summer vacation to spend time socializing, working on homework, learning new skills and taking part in activities in a safe environment. Occasional field trips take them to places like the Griffith Park Observatory or the Science Center.

Holiday baskets are distributed to about 430 Tehachapi families each year at Thanksgiving and Christmas. The Salvation Army Service Center, located at 538 E. Tehachapi Blvd., also has an emergency food pantry. If someone comes in and requests food they give from the pantry which is supported by local funds and donations.

The Thunder on the Mountain Car Show Committee is made up of a small group of dedicated and hard working volunteers whose goal is to host a fun car show during Mountain Festival weekend, while raising money for scholarships, local charities and community groups. The work of planning the car show begins in early February. There is much to be done in order to have a successful event - assisting participants who pre-register, ordering tee-shirts, selling trophy sponsorships to local businesses, making sure the porta-potties will be delivered on time and scheduling people to sell raffle tickets on weekends in front of Albertson’s.

Over the last ten years, Thunder on the Mountain has donated over $200,000.00 to our community. While the Car Show Committee works most of the year to make this happen, they couldn’t do it alone. They rely on community members and local business for support.

You can support the fundraising efforts by purchasing a tee-shirt or a raffle ticket for a chance to win $500 cash, a 48” television, a $500 gift certificate to Albertson’s, a power tool set or a barbecue. Raffle tickets and tee-shirts are on sale most weekends in front of Albertson’s. The drawing will be held at the car show on Sunday, August 21. You need not be present to win a large raffle prize, and you can feel good about helping out your neighbors. Tee-shirts, large and small raffle tickets, and 50/50 tickets will be on sale at Centennial Plaza during the car show in downtown Tehachapi.

In addition to the Salvation Army, money raised in 2015 was distributed to Thunder on the Mountain Scholarships, Optimal Hospice, Tehachapi SENIOR CENTER, Shop with a Cop program, Honor Flight, Tehachapi Humane Society, Wounded Hero Fund and Tehachapi Community Theater.