A Father’s Day Story
What do you do with a half-burnt pickup truck? As it turns out, you can turn it into a gift to support the arts.
This Father's Day, we're sharing a story about a truck, a dad, and one final gift to Guild Festival Theatre.
Artistic Director Emeritus, Helen Juvonen, recently turned her late father's pickup truck into a donation to GFT through Donate A Car Canada. In Helen's words:
"When my father passed away in 2022 I inherited his pick-up truck. He had loaned it to me several times over the years, often to haul set pieces all across the city.
The truck did a lot of heavy lifting for GFT - transporting the Drowning Girls bathtubs, audience chairs, and going on tour to Prescott and Port Perry, carrying all of Alice in Wonderland's unusual props. It was even immortalized on film in my web series You're Never Alone.
In April, while I was away in Prince George (and about 15 minutes before showtime) I got a call from Tyler. The truck had caught fire in our driveway. He wasn't home at the time but our neighbours had quickly called 911. Nobody was hurt, there was some minor damage to our property, but our garbage bins had melted and the truck was...toast. We can't be absolutely sure what happened but our best guess is that a rodent chewed a wire and its nest, or some other debris, caught on fire. But I think it was a sign from my dad - probably warning us that the cost of upkeep and gas wasn't worth it anymore.
Now, what to do with a half-burnt pick-up truck? A little research led us to Donate-A-Car Canada. They sent a tow truck to haul it away, the truck was evaluated and we had $300 to donate to charity. It seemed fitting that its final act was a donation to the theatre. Thanks, Dad."
This Father's Day, we're grateful for the many ways people leave a lasting legacy. If you have a vehicle you're no longer using, Donate A Car Canada can help turn it into support for Guild Festival Theatre or another cause close to your heart.
Learn more about Donate A Car Canada at the link below and find out how your unused vehicle can help bring more stories to the stage.