Magazine for the professional tire industry
Issue link: https://mtd.epubxp.com/i/567620
MTD September 2015 Tire Dealer of the Year exception. Nowhere is that more evident than in his partnership with the Boys and Girls Homes of North Carolina, a not-for-proft organization that serves chil- dren who don't have functional families to support them. Many of the children are abused and move onto the Boys and Girls Homes campus in Lake Wac- camaw, 12 miles from the Black's Tire headquarters in Whiteville. Te children live in homes on the campus and go to school there. Black's Tire began its support of the Boys and Girls Homes long before Benton ever worked a day there. Te tire dealership's founder served on the charity's original board of directors. Ben- ton has continued, and expanded, the business' support. In 2002 Black's Tire hosted its frst charity golf tournament to benefit the Boys and Girls Homes, and the inaugural event raised $6,000. A year later its donation doubled. Te third year the donation doubled again. Te company has given more than a half-million dollars to the organization since that frst golf event. For years the company paired the annual golf scramble with a stock car race in Myrtle Beach, S.C. Te company invites its tire suppliers and other vendors to participate, and every Black's Tire store advertised the event and sought participants and sponsors. Tere was golfng on Friday and racing on Saturday one weekend each June. But since Benton's race team moved up from stock cars to trucks, there's no longer a race nearby at the right time of year to coordinate the two events. So in 2014 Black's Tire switched things up a bit. Te group is still golfng on Friday (this year's tournament was held Sept. 11 in Myrtle Beach), but the second day is now a Black's Tire Family Day, and it's held on the Boys and Girls Homes campus. Described as a miniature state fair, the day-long event includes food, games and contests for the company's employees and their families. Children from the Boys and Girls Homes are the company's special guests. Gary Faircloth, CEO and president of the Boys and Girls Homes, says the agency has no beter friend or advocate than the Bentons. "Financially, and from a standpoint of passion and commitment, we don't have anybody with a stronger commitment to what we're doing." Te Boys and Girls Homes honored Benton's philanthropy in 2013 afer it remodeled an old building on its grounds and named it the Ricky and Dianne Benton Community Hitching Post. "We did this as a surprise to him," says Faircloth. "He would not have asked to have his name on anything. He's a very humble guy. He doesn't need the recognition, it's the feeling that he has and the pride and the emotion. "We could all model ourselves afer people like Ricky and Dianne. Tey're making a difference, and it's not just them, but their company." Benton isn't comfortable with such rosy words, or so much atention. He says he's just doing his part. "I ain't worth a nickel at nothing. I just try to do a litle bit." And to steal the phrase Benton uses more than any other, "It's all good." ■ Ricky Benton and Black's Tire are long-time supporters of the Boys and Girls Homes of North Caro- lina. The agency's CEO and President Gary Faircloth, pictured, says the caring and contributions from the Black's Tire family are priceless to the children served. 48