Patch Users Help Golden Ears Hearing Dogs Win Toyota Sienna

Golden Ears Hearing Dogs was one of 100 nonprofits nationwide to garner enough fan support to win a free Toyota Sienna.

And Patch users are partially to thank for it.

Last week, we brought you the news that the for people who are deaf or severely hard of hearing was one of 500 agencies nationwide that qualifed for the automaker's 100 Cars for Good program.

The contest involved getting people to vote for their favorite nonprofit via the contest's Facebook page.

We got the word out via our website, as well as our Facebook page (pleae "Like" if you haven't already) and Twitter feed.

This weekend, Golden Ears Director and founder Linda Lohdefinck (a longtime University Place resident) got word that, in fact, it was one of 100 nonprofits to win the Toyota van.

"We are thrilled and so appreciate all of the support and sharing that took place during the event and after," she wrote.

So good job, Patch users. You played your part in helping a local agency.

Here's the full release from Golden Ears:

Tacoma, WA based Golden Ears Hearing Dogs, which trains hearing dogs for the deaf/severely hard of hearing, announced today that it has been selected as one of 100 nonprofit winners in Toyota’s 100 Cars for Good program. 100 Cars for Good is a major philanthropic initiative in which the automaker is giving 100 cars to 100 nonprofits over the course of 100 days.  Golden Ears was selected as a winner based on votes from the public on August 16, 2012 on the 100 Cars for Good Facebook page at www.100carsforgood.com.

The Sienna van will be used to transport hearing dogs in-training, program participants and their dogs to and from training classes, presentations and events, transport supplies and goods donated, and equipment used for training the hearing dogs.   As a part of the training, dogs need to be worked in airports, in restaurants, parks, stores, and in a variety of other settings.  Golden Ears will use the van to transport the dogs and people to areas where the training can reinforce good public behaviors.  It will be used for the placement of trained hearing dogs with deaf and hard of hearing individuals.    The van will also enable Golden Ears to travel and give presentations that educate the public about the purpose of the hearing dog and its role in the lives of those who are deaf and hard of hearing.

SUGGESTED QUOTE FOR ORGANIZATION: “Everyone at Golden Ears is thrilled to have been selected as a winner for the 2012 100 Cars for Good program,” said Linda Lohdefinck, a University Place resident who is the Founder and Training Director..  “We’re grateful for this incredible opportunity to showcase our work training hearing dogs, and this van will be an enormous help to increase our impact in Tacoma and the Puget Sound.  We would especially like to thank all of you who supported us in this event!”

For 100 consecutive days, between May 14 and August 21, 2012, 100 Cars for Good will profile five finalists at www.100carsforgood.com.   Individual members of the public are invited to vote for which ever nonprofit they think can do the most good with a new vehicle.  The nonprofit with the most votes at the end of each day will win one of six Toyota models.  A six-year, 100,000-mile powertrain warranty will also be provided for each vehicle, compliments of Toyota Financial Services.  Runners-up will each receive a $1,000 cash grant from Toyota.

Toyota’s philanthropy efforts have contributed more than half a billion dollars to U.S. nonprofits since 1991.  100 Cars for Good is the first initiative to directly engage the public to determine how Toyota’s philanthropic donations are awarded.  For complete information on 100 Cars for Good and profiles of all 500 finalists, please visit www.100carsforgood.com.