Schools in Willmar, New London-Spicer, Brainerd, and Pequot Lakes again scooped up lots of cash at the final 2016 Lincoln and Ford test drive events at Mills Ford Lincoln in Brainerd/Baxter and Mills Ford Chrysler in Willmar.

$32,740 was raised at the five events held last September and October. With $36,620 raised at six events in the spring, the grand total for 2016 was $69,360.  

As it always has, Mills provided Ford and Lincoln vehicles, along with team members who accompanied test drivers and provided general event support.

Brainerd High School earned $6,080 that is shared between six organizations. There were 387 Ford test drives.

The Willmar High School Music Department again led all schools, earning the maximum of $6,000 from Ford for 300 single test drives and another $2,000 for 100 “bonus” test drives in the 2017 Ford Escape. WHS earned a total of $13,640 from its two test drive events in 2016.

Travel is a big part of what the drive event funds have allowed the Music Department to do. One hundred and forty-five members of the band, choir, and orchestra will go to Hawaii from March 27 - April 3, according to Chairman Neal Haugen. “We will give performances at Pearl Harbor as part of its 75th anniversary year,” Haugen said. “We will also experience the sights of Oahu and enjoy the beach and sun.”  WHS groups will perform on stage and at the well-known Ala Moana Mall in Honolulu. Haugen said this will be the school’s third trip to Hawaii. Half of the money students earn from each test drive is used for the trip.

The band department will also use some funds for a new marimba and a keyboard. “Our program has needed new equipment as we have had much of it since WHS opened the new high school 24 years ago,” Haugen said. “The drive events enable us to do so many things for our students and upgrade our department,” Haugen said.

Lowell Elementary School of Brainerd received $6,980 for its Lincoln test drive event. There were 349 Lincoln test drives at the one-day event. Funds will be used for new books in classroom libraries. Lowell has 425 students in kindergarten through fourth grade.     

Pequot Lakes High School received $6,820 from Lincoln for its event hosted at the school by Mills Ford Lincoln. There were 341 test drives that day. The funds will go to the school’s general scholarship fund to assist graduating seniors with their post-secondary education.    

The Tool Cats Robotics Team at New London-Spicer High School earned $4,860 for its event last October at Mills Ford Chrysler. There were 243 test drives.