 "Photo: Courtesy Angela Bassolino")
More than 20,000 people gathered at the Colonial TownPark in Lake Mary on Sunday for the largest charitable car show in the Southeastern United States. Cars for the Cure was hosted by the American Lung Association of Florida- Central Area and was run by 14 interns from UCF.
The event featured more than 60 luxury, vintage, and exotic cars, including a customized Bugatti convertible valued at $1.5 million. Numerous vendors also set up tents around the area.
"We really benefit from sharing the same community with the 3rd largest university in the nation," said Eric Gray, executive director of the American Lung Association of Florida.
With more than 100 years of service, the American Lung Association is the oldest voluntary health organization in the United States.
Many of the students who intern with the ALA are hospitality majors from Rosen College; others are health science and Ad/PR majors.
"The students we get are well trained," said Gray. This is the fourth year that the event has been run by interns.
This year's event was coordinated by hospitality management major Brittany McCracken who is in her third year with the association. The association gives interns the chance to excel in their field and practice what they've learned while at UCF.
"We are a very hands on organization," says McCracken.
She is planning numerous other events during her year-long internship and enjoys the work that she does. "This is the best job that I've ever had," she said.
The interns spent their windy 13-hour work day helping vendors and car owners set up and accepting donations from event goers. The association hopes to raise $100,000 through donations and car owner registration fees.
Money raised from the car show will help to run an array of programs including lung cancer support groups and Open Airways for Schools-an asthma management program for schoolchildren
Preparation for the event included sending out registration packets, getting sponsors organized and running ads in local media outlets.
"We all work together, it's that team mentality that helps it run smoothly," said public relations intern Angela Bassolino.
This is Bassolino's first internship with the ALA; UCF's Experiential Learning helped her in finding the internship. She said she is proud to be a part of an organization that is diligently helping the Central Florida community.
"We all have the same goal, to promote lung health," she said.
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