ACCA Shrine Car Club raises money to transport sick kids to hospitals for free: 'Great group of people'

RICHMOND, Va. — Classic cars, motorcycles, and a shared mission filled the parking lot as the ACCA Shrine Car Club held its third annual car show to raise money for children who need specialized medical care.

Every dollar raised Saturday goes toward transporting children and their families at no cost.

"All the proceeds of the car show will go to help us to transport children back and forth between Philadelphia and Greenville, South Carolina to the Shrine hospitals," an ACCA Shrine Car Club member said.

The Philadelphia hospital specializes in burn treatment. The Greenville hospital focuses on orthopedics. The club uses two vans to make the trips, and volunteer drivers log approximately 80,000 miles each year to ensure children get the care they need regardless of their family's financial situation.

"We take care of the parents and carry them all down there, set them up in a room, and we spend between $5,000 and $8,000 a year doing this for the children," the club member said.

Food vendor proceeds from the event also flow back into the transportation fund.

The club member said the broader Masonic community is deeply invested in charitable work.

"Masons in general, between the Royal Arches, the shrine, the Scottish Rite, and the other bodies that we have, we raised $2.7 million a day for kids, and we enjoy doing it," he said.

For him, the car show is also personal.

"I'm a gearhead, and I like cars, so I joined the car club. And it's just a great group of people," he said.

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