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SPCA of Texas Opens Sensory Garden for Shelter Dogs at Animal Care Center in Dallas

Park Place Dealerships Members Built Sensory Garden to Provide Physical and Mental Challenges for Animals

Members from several local Park Place Dealerships recently volunteered to build a Sensory Garden at the SPCA’s Animal Care Center in Dallas to provide shelter dogs an environment to use their natural senses to relieve stress, and in some cases, to aid in rehabilitation.

“Enrichment is what we use to improve our dog’s quality of life by providing them things in their environment that stimulate them mentally and physically,” said Dr. Valarie Tynes, SPCA of Texas Shelter Veterinary Behaviorist. “Ultimately, when you provide environmental enrichment, you are attempting to give an animal the ability to utilize as many of its natural behaviors as you possibly can. Olfactory enrichment is good at doing that, simply because dogs love using their nose to investigate their world.”

The Sensory Garden’s different textures, scents and materials stimulate a dog’s brain, activate their natural canine instincts, and build their confidence.

“We had some dogs coming in who were high-arousal and high energy like Django, a German Shepherd,” said Rebecca Woodward, SPCA of Texas Behavior Program Manager. “He had some kennel stress, so we started agility training using the Sensory Garden. It completely de-compressed him. Django became a different dog and was adopted right away. We developed a program we call the ‘Django Treatment’ in the Sensory Garden. Some dogs just want to do Zoomies (running around at top speed to burn off energy) so we use the Garden in many ways. But it’s already been extremely useful in our Behavior Program.”

In addition to Park Place providing the supplies for the Sensory Garden, the company’s generous VTO (Volunteer Time Off) program allowed Park Place Members paid time off to donate their time and energy to build the Sensory Garden.

“When we look to give back to North Texas communities where we live and serve, there’s no better advocate for our four-legged friends than the SPCA,” said Park Place Managing Director Tony Carimi. “To start with a pile of boards and some tires and see this end result is very exciting! It’s easy to write a check, and that’s very beneficial, too. But our Members also enjoy giving their time and talents to such a worthy cause.”

The SPCA of Texas plans to rotate dogs in and out of the Sensory Garden three times per day.

Park Place Dealerships has supported the SPCA of Texas financially for many years, but when polled about which causes Park Place Members wanted to personally volunteer their time for, SPCA of Texas ranked very high.

About SPCA of Texas

SPCA of Texas is the leading animal welfare organization in North Texas. Founded in 1938, the non-profit operates two shelters, two spay/neuter clinics, two mobile spay/neuter and wellness vehicles, one mobile adoptions vehicle and an animal rescue center, all located in Dallas and Ellis Counties, and maintains a team of animal cruelty investigators who respond to thousands of calls in North Texas counties. The organization does not euthanize animals for time or space. Moreover, the SPCA of Texas serves as an active resource center for an array of services that bring people and animals together to enrich each other’s lives.

The SPCA of Texas is not affiliated with any other entity and does not receive general operating funds from the City of Dallas, State of Texas, federal government or any other national humane organization. SPCA of Texas is dedicated to providing every animal exceptional care and a loving home. To learn more about the SPCA of Texas, visit spca.org.

About Park Place Dealerships

Park Place Dealerships was founded in 1987 and employs more than 1,400 members. Park Place Dealership operates three collision centers, an auto auction, and nine full-service dealerships representing luxury brands including Lexus, Mercedes-Benz, Porsche, Volvo, Jaguar, Land Rover, Acura, and Sprinter Vans. Park Place was acquired in 2020 by Asbury Automotive Group, Inc., a Fortune 500 company headquartered in Duluth, GA. Asbury is one of the largest automotive retailers in the U.S. For more information, visit parkplace.com.

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Nolan Bedford is TCU Purple Through and Through

TCU Alum and Super Fan Experienced CFP Championship with Son

A TCU alum and former football player, Bedford invited Park Place client DJ de Jesus, president of the Fort Worth – Mercedes-Benz Club of America. Bedford also invited his 20-year-old son Reece Bedford, a U.S. Marine stationed at Miramar Air Station in San Diego.

“I flew to San Diego to meet up with Reece and we drove up to LA together to go to the game,” said Bedford. “My son has grown up as a fan of TCU. We went to Nebraska to watch TCU in the College World Series back in 2016. The last TCU Bowl game we attended together was the Alamo Bowl in 2017 when they defeated Stanford. I was extremely excited to go to California to support my Frogs, but even more excited to have time to spend with my son. We have always bonded over our love for TCU and I’m sure we always will. Go Frogs!”

Bedford was born in Fort Worth, then moved all around Texas before ending up back in Fort Worth. He played football at L.D. Bell High School in Bedford, Texas, where he graduated in 1995. He was a quarterback at Bell and moved to wide receiver at TCU, where he walked on to play for the Frogs in 1997 – 98.

“My roommate at TCU also graduated from Bell,” he explained. “Eric Anderson was strong safety and one of the best players on the TCU team. It was our senior year and Eric was projected to be selected in the NFL draft after our season. One day in practice he was rushing the quarterback when he jumped up to deflect a pass. The running back blocked him, flipping him over, and Eric landed on his head. They took him to the hospital for x-rays, put him in a neck brace, and sent him home. I was with him at our apartment when he received the call from the doctor. I will never forget the look in his eyes when they said he would never play football again. He had surgery and had to wear a halo for the next six months. He didn’t have any local family, so I helped care for him.”

While the Georgia and TCU National Championship game didn’t exactly turn out the way TCU fans had hoped, Bedford enjoyed the trip and the game very much.

“I was very proud to see the turnout of TCU fans at the game,” he said. “There was just as much purple in the stands as there was red, if not more! It was exciting to see the support TCU fans brought and how loud they were to support our team.”

“In addition to Reece, I have a daughter Kenidi who is 19, and a two-month-old daughter Charlotte Sophia. Being a father has been so great that I decided to give it another run with my wife Lucina.”

Nolan joined Park Place Dealerships in 2008. He became New Car Sales Director at Motorcars Fort Worth in 2019. Park Place Motorcars Fort Worth is located at 5601 Bryant Irvin Road, just south of I-20.

Nolan and Eric are still best friends. “Eric was actually just here at the dealership getting his Mercedes-Benz CLS serviced earlier this week.”


Park Place Dealerships was founded in 1987 and has been engaged in the community through its support of the arts, medical research, children’s advocacy, and education. Park Place employs more than 1,400 members and operates eight full-service dealerships representing luxury brands including Acura, Lexus, Mercedes-Benz, Porsche, Volvo, Jaguar, and Land Rover. Park Place BodyWerks Collision Centers in Fort Worth and Dallas, and the Park Place Auto Auction, round out the company’s offerings. Park Place was acquired in 2020 by Asbury Automotive Group, Inc., a Fortune 500 company headquartered in Duluth, GA. For more information, visit parkplace.com.

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Park Place Jaguar Land Rover Presents Grapevine AMBUCS with AmTrykes

Park Place Jaguar Land Rover DFW presented Grapevine AMBUCS with AmTrykes to the organization and several local children. Grapevine AMBUCS was one of 23 DFW non-profits to receive a total of $100,000 in the 2nd Annual Park Place Dealerships Season of Giving campaign. 

“We were thrilled to host Grapevine AMBUCS,” said Matt Woolsey, Park Place Jaguar Land Rover General Manager. “Children with disabilities often feel left out. The innovative AmTryke is a therapeutic tricycle that gives a child freedom of movement and builds their self-esteem. With the AmTryke, kids with disabilities can have freedom of movement just like family and friends.”

More than 400 charities applied for the 2022 Season of Giving grants, representing Park Place Cares’ four pillars. The local non-profits who received grants included:

Advocacy

·         Assistance League of Greater Collin County

·         Emily’s Smile Boxes

·         Alliance for Children

·         Seniors’ Pet Assistance Network (SPAN)

·         Amy’s Wish with Wings

·         Carson’s Crusaders Foundation

·         Operation Once in a Lifetime

·         Just Because, Inc.

·         C.A.S.T. for Kids Foundation

·         Christmas Wish Project of Tarrant County

·         Dallas Leadership Foundation

·         AUsome Moms

·         Dallas Hope Charities

Arts

·         Art House Dallas

·         Texas Girls’ Choir

Medical

·         Black Heart Association

·         Cancer Care Services

·         Wipe Out Kids’ Cancer

Education

·         It’s a Sensory World Inc.

·         City House

·         Tarrant County Samaritan Housing Inc.

·         Dallas Furniture Bank

Grapevine AMBUCS is dedicated to creating mobility and independence for individuals with disabilities through weekly meetings; performing community service projects; providing AmTryke therapeutic tricycles to people with disabilities; awarding scholarships to therapy and vocational students; and building wheelchair ramps. More information about Grapevine AMBUCS is available at https://grapevineambucs.wildapricot.org

Park Place Dealerships was founded in 1987 and has been engaged in the community through its support of the arts, medical research, children’s advocacy, and education. Park Place employs more than 1,400 members and operates eight full-service dealerships representing luxury brands including Lexus, Mercedes-Benz, Porsche, Volvo, Jaguar, and Land Rover. Park Place BodyWerks Collision Centers in Fort Worth and Dallas, and the Park Place Auto Auction, round out the company’s offerings. Park Place was acquired in 2020 by Asbury Automotive Group, Inc., a Fortune 500 company headquartered in Duluth, GA. For more information, visit parkplace.com.

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Porsche Challenge 2022 Restoration Unveiled

Park Place Porsche Dallas recently hosted the Maverick Region Porsche Club of America for a Coffee & Classics meet on a Saturday morning at the Lemmon Avenue dealership. The star attraction was the reveal of a Guards Red 1996 Porsche 911 (993) Carrera, which Porsche Dallas TechnicianSeantrel Sloan, 27, recently completed during a year-long restoration. 

“I’m honored our clients entrust me with their Classic Porsches,” said Sloan. “The skills and training I received from Park Place prepared me to do the quality of work I put into this amazing car.”

One of the biggest challenges of the restoration was sourcing parts for the nearly 30-year-old sports car. Park Place Porsche is entering the car in the 2022 Porsche Classic Restoration Challenge. The national competition requires all parts to be original manufacturer’s parts from Porsche.

During the 2021 Porsche Classic Restoration Challenge Sloan finished second in the nation with a 1990 Porsche 911 Carrera 4 Targa he restored. Classic Porsche models from 40 dealerships around the U.S. competed in last year’s Challenge, including Porsche 356 models from as early as 1956, five generations of the 911, transaxle models like the 944, and 928, as well as modern classics such as the first-generation Boxster. Cars judged to be regional winners moved on to compete in the semifinals in each of the three U.S. Porsche sales areas. 

Sloan’s love of the Porsche brand began when he was just eight years old. “My grandfather bought me the “Need for Speed” video game dedicated to Porsches. I learned everything about every car in the game. And I fell in love with the brand…the heritage…the tradition. Every single car that I’ve touched in the shop, I’ve driven in the game. And now I’ve had the opportunity to drive those cars with my own hands and feet. To be a Porsche Classic Tech, and keep these cars on the road today, is an honor.”

Sloan grew up in Dallas, graduating in 2013 from Duncanville High School. He worked as a car washer/valet at Park Place while attending Universal Technical Institute (UTI) in Irving to receive his automotive technician certification, graduating in 2014. After serving two years in the U.S. Army, he returned to work at Porsche Dallas as a technician. He currently lives in Lancaster, Texas.

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Celebrating 35 Years of Excellence

Park Place Dealerships’ 35th Anniversary Celebration at Texas Live was filled with joy and laughter, and even a few tears as we paid tribute to Motorcars Dallas GM Robert Morris’ 31 years of service. But first and foremost, it was a time to celebrate 35 years and our outstanding members.

We took this opportunity to give back to the community through our partnership with Children’s Health which included a $10,000 donation. The generosity of our members also filled an extended-length Sprinter van with more than 1,000 backpacks and toys! This incredible contribution made an impact on Volvo SEM Kurt Rongey, who shared with Tony Carimi what this meant to him. 

“Park Place’s decision to collect toys for Children’s was very meaningful to me. When my nine-year-old daughter Julianne was in the hospital after her brain cancer diagnosis a little over a year ago, one of the bright points was when a social worker offered her a choice of toys that a generous person had donated. Julianne chose a LEGO set. In November of 2021, Julianne passed away. But that toy donated anonymously was a bright spot at a difficult time that gave my girl some joy and pride. We still display that LEGO set in our home. I was overwhelmed to see all the toys Park Place members had given. A whole van full! Believe me, they will bring a lot of happiness to some sweet kids who need something to smile about. I loved the opportunity to bring a LEGO set to donate in honor of my daughter.”

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The Power of a Lego

This past week, Park Place brought all of our team members together, with their guests, to celebrate our 35th anniversary.  Aligned with our core belief of Expressing Care and living with a genuine spirit of service, our team members chose to use the evening to align with Children’s Health, the leading pediatric health care system in North Texas by bringing toys and making donations to “Cape Day,” a fundraiser for patient and support services, research, and new equipment.

Our Park Place Family showed up in a big way.  Not only did they completely fill an extended-length Sprinter with toys and backpacks, but our members opened their hearts to show how much Park Place cares for others and our communities.

After the event, Tony Carimi, Park Place Dealerships Managing Director, received the note below from a member of our team, sharing the impact of how a single toy affects lives and creates real experiences.  Individually, we’re strong.  Together, we’re unstoppable.

I wanted to say that Park Place’s decision to collect toys for Children’s was very meaningful to me. 

When my 9-year-old daughter Julianne was in the hospital after her brain cancer diagnosis a little over a year ago, one of the bright points was when a social worker offered her a choice of toys that a generous person had donated. Julianne chose a Lego set that she began but had to abandon when her motor control deteriorated because of the tumor. Later, after radiation treatments, we were able to continue and finish the set. 

In November of 2021, Julianne passed away. But that toy donated anonymously was a bright spot at a difficult time that gave my girl some joy and pride. We still display that Lego set in our home.

I was overwhelmed to see all of the toys Park Place members had given at the 35th Anniversary party for kids at Children’s Health. A whole van full! Believe me, they will cause a lot of happiness for some sweet kids who need something to smile about. I loved the opportunity to bring a Lego set to donate in honor of my daughter.

Kurt Rongey
Sales Experience Manager, Park Place Volvo

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Grace Holds 4th Annual Poker Tournament at Park Place Jaguar Land Rover

“We are so proud to partner with Park Place and the Wright family, “said Shonda Schaefer, GRACE CEO. “Their support for GRACE and the community is what allows us to put on amazing events such as the Poker Tournament.”

Roy Choi, CEO of Champions Club with Johnny Campanello during the Fabulous Poker Tournament benefiting GRACE at Park Place Land Rover/Jaguar in Grapevine, Texas, Saturday Feb. 5, 2022. (Michael Ainsworth)

More than 30 players joined the poker tables along with their “lucky charms.” The tournament lasted more than three hours with back-and-forth action between the competitors, until Scott Coolbaugh was crowned the champion, winning a trip to Las Vegas, including a 3 day/2 night stay at the luxurious Cosmopolitan Hotel Courtesy of Shannon O’Brien – the Travel Purveyor, and a bottle of Columbia Valley Magnum Pedestal. Runner up, Paul Bischler, won a bottle of Tequila Clase Azul Reposado. Roy Choi came in third place and won a 15-year-old Macallan single Malt Scotch whiskey.

Scratch Kitchen & Fine Foods provided hors d’oeuvres and delicious tacos while Classic Wine and Storage supplied extraordinary wines for the evening.

“We’ve supported GRACE for many years,” said Kara Connor, Park Place Experiential Marketing Manager. “In addition to the recent Poker fundraiser, we will host the organization’s Christmas Cottage Kick-Off and Toy Drive at Park Place Lexus Grapevine in November. We’re proud to support the great work they do in our community. Park Place members often volunteer to help GRACE’s programs, such as the Feed Our Kids summer program.”

during the Fabulous Poker Tournament benefiting GRACE at Park Place Land Rover/Jaguar in Grapevine, Texas, Saturday Feb. 5, 2022. (Michael Ainsworth)

GRACE was organized in 1987 as a response to the growing need for emergency assistance services in far northeast Tarrant County. Local churches responded to community needs with a plan for distributing available resources through Grapevine’s Ministerial Alliance. Today, GRACE continues to be a centralized, coordinated effort of churches, businesses, and individuals donating food, clothing, monetary donations, and even professional services to Grapevine, Colleyville, and Southlake residents, as well as homeless and transient families in need. Programs have grown to include low-cost medical services, transitional housing, and general emergency assistance (food, clothes, furniture, financial assistance, information, and referrals). More information is available at gracegrapevine.com.

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More than 350 Applications Received for the $100,000 Park Place Season of Giving

24 local non-profits were awarded a total of $100,000 from the SEASON OF GIVING campaign by Park Place Dealerships, which is celebrating its 35th year in North Texas. Park Place selected the organizations for its SEASON OF GIVING campaign because of their commitment to serving the Dallas/Fort Worth community.

A committee comprised of Park Place members from different dealerships across North Texas selected the non-profits out of more than 350 applications received. Under Park Place Cares, the company’s philanthropic arm, the company donated $100,000 to 24 charities that met the following criteria:

  • A 501(c)(3) non-profit organization
  • Supports one of Park Place Cares’ Pillars of Giving, which include: Education; Medical; Advocacy; or the Arts
  • Serves at least one of the following counties: Dallas, Tarrant, Collin, Denton, Ellis, Rockwall, Kaufman, Hunt, or Johnson
  • The charity cannot have received donations or in-kind support from Park Place in 2021

“Selecting these non-profits was very challenging,” said Tony Carimi, managing director of Park Place Dealerships. “There are so many worthy non-profits doing admirable work in the areas we would like to impact. Our team had the difficult task of narrowing down the charities from 350 to 24 across North Texas to make the greatest impact during our Season of Giving.”

The charities receiving a grant for the 2021 Season of Giving representing Park Place Cares’ four pillars include:

Advocacy

  • Denton Co. Friends of the Family
  • Journey to Dream Foundation
  • Canine Companions
  • For Oak Cliff
  • Rainbow Room of Rockwall
  • A Wish with Wings
  • Don’t Forget to Feed Me Pet Food Bank
  • Ally’s Wish
  • Tara Sawyer Foundation
  • LGBTQ Saves
  • Defenders of Freedom

Arts

  • Dwell with Dignity
  • Laughter League
  • Cara Mîa Theatre
  • Texas Winds Musical Outreach
  • Sixty & Better

Education

  • AVANCE
  • Camp Summit
  • The Jordan Elizabeth Harris Foundation
  • Bettie Gonzalez Foundation of Hope
  • Computers for the Blind

Medical

  • Heavenly Hooves Therapeutic & Recreational Riding Center
  • Heroes for Children
  • Project4031

“We are humbled to have received such an incredible response to the Season of Giving campaign with the opportunity to reach so many people across our community through these outstanding non-profits,” said Anam Ali Hashambhai, Marketing Director for Park Place Dealerships. “Over the past 35 years, we’ve donated millions of dollars and countless volunteer hours to support great causes across North Texas, but this is the first time we have implemented this type of giveaway. The Season of Giving campaign expands our benevolence giving this holiday season to organizations we haven’t worked with previously. We look forward to developing these new relationships in the year to come.”

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Grace Christmas Cottage Toy Drive Kicks Off At Park Place Lexus Grapevine

Park Place Lexus Grapevine hosted the kickoff for the 2021 GRACE Christmas Cottage. Guests were encouraged to bring a new, unwrapped toy to the event.  By the end of the evening, a Lexus LC500 convertible and two Lexus SUVs were overflowing with toys and gifts for GRACE, an acronym for Grapevine Relief and Community Exchange.

“We’ve partnered with GRACE for more than a decade,” said Robert Hinkle, Park Place Lexus Grapevine general manager. “Now more than ever, many families in our community might not have Christmas without our help. We want to make sure every child in our community has a Christmas to remember. The GRACE Toy Drive makes it easy to give back.”

During the kickoff event, Christmas music serenaded guests as they enjoyed sweet and savory treats from Southlake Town Square’s restaurants including Brio Italian Grille’s sliced steak bruschetta, pasta, and pumpkin bread; Del Frisco’s Grille’s deviled eggs, seared tuna crisp, and lemon cake pops; and Mi Cocina’s beef, brisket and cheese quesadillas, mini chimichangas and bacon-wrapped shrimp brochettes with a poblano cream sauce. A selection of beer, wine, and cocktails set the festive mood, including the special Mistletoe Martini, made with Tito’s Vodka, Elderflower Liqueur, and cranberry juice.

Models displayed fashions from Southlake Town Square merchants, including Malouf’s, Market by Macy’s, and White House Black Market.

The GRACE Christmas Cottage provides new, unwrapped gifts to families facing financial hardship due to limited incomes or recent emergencies. Each qualified family is given a voucher with a value based on the number of children in the family, allowing the parents to “purchase” donated toys, home goods, and appliances in a private, store-like setting. This approach allows families to budget their resources to select unique presents while also preserving the family’s dignity.

The community is invited to drop off a new, unwrapped toy for the GRACE Christmas Cottage through Dec. 15 at the Lexus dealership at 901 Highway 114 East, or drop them off at GRACE Christmas Cottage at 1058 Texan Trail in Grapevine. To make a monetary donation to the GRACE Christmas Holiday Fund, go to gracegrapevine.org.


GRACE was organized in 1987 as a response to the growing need for emergency assistance services in far northeast Tarrant County. Today, GRACE continues to be a centralized, coordinated effort of churches, businesses, and individuals donating food, clothing, monetary donations, and even professional services to Grapevine, Colleyville, and Southlake residents, as well as homeless and transient families in need. Programs have grown to include low-cost medical services, transitional housing, and general emergency assistance (food, clothes, furniture, financial assistance, information, and referrals).

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Park Place Dealerships Breaks Ground on Trinity Habitat for Humanity Home in Fort Worth

Park Place Dealerships and Trinity Habitat for Humanity broke ground on a new home in Fort Worth with a single mom and her two children. This is the 32nd home constructed by volunteers in 2021 for the non-profit organization, which has received more than 4,000 inquiries in the last year from families seeking affordable housing.

“To partner with the homeowner, Cassandra Davis, and her children is an absolute pleasure,” said Tony Carimi, managing director of Park Place Dealerships. “We make dreams come true every day for our clients. This is an opportunity for our team to be a part of helping the Davis’ realize their dream to own their own home.”

The build will take approximately 10 weeks and will incorporate over 200 volunteers from Park Place Dealerships. When the project is completed, this joint partnership will provide the Davis family with a safe and affordable home. The volunteers are expected to contribute approximately 1600 hours on the construction of the home.

“Due to the pandemic, our corporate donations were down significantly in 2020 and 2021,” said Gage Yager, CEO of Trinity Habitat for Humanity. “Companies were cutting back on expenses and contributions to non-profits. Not only was our funding impacted, but volunteer support was down 75%. We need more companies in Tarrant County to step up just like Park Place Dealerships did to help us serve our families in the affordable housing space. We cannot do it without the support of our community.”

Trinity Habitat empowers families with pathways for affordable homeownership. In the last 32 years, the organization has built 858 homes. There continues to be a need for more homes.

“As home prices climb, affordable housing continues to be a significant challenge in North Texas,” said Anam Ali Hashambhai, marketing director for Park Place Dealerships. “Our organization is committed to be a part of the solution. We built our first home in Dallas County last year which our members loved and are pleased to work with Trinity Habitat in Tarrant County.”

Members from Park Place Motorcars Dallas, Park Place Motorcars Fort Worth, Bodywerks Fort Worth, Jaguar Land Rover, Park Place Corporate Office, Park Place Auto Auction, Park Place Porsche Dallas, Park Place Volvo, Bodywerks Dallas, Park Place Lexus Plano, Park Place Lexus Grapevine and Park Place Motorcars Arlington will volunteer throughout the build.

“Park Place Dealerships is a new partner with Trinity Habitat for Humanity in 2021,” stated Yager. “They have led the way during a challenging time to provide financial and volunteer support in building the Davis family home. The impact of their investment will be integral and long-lasting for the Davis family. Thank you, Park Place Dealerships for being such an important part of our community.”

The Park Place Cares program supports more than 250 organizations around the Dallas-Fort Worth area throughout the year. Park Place’s 1,400 members are further challenged to volunteer their time and resources to serve local communities. To follow Park Place Dealerships’ build of the Habitat for Humanity home, visit www.parkplace.com/habitatforhumanity.htm