School will be out before you know it, and temps in the Valley are quickly climbing into the triple digits. Kids are looking for some fun in the sun, and relief from the heat at local pools and waterparks. But heat-related dangers also exist as the temperatures rise. For the fourth year in a row, Ford Motor Company and Big Surf Waterpark have teamed up with the Salvation Army for the Fill an F-150 Bottled Water Drive.
According to the Arizona Department of Health Services, more than 1500 weather-related deaths from exposure to heat have occurred in Arizona since 2000. To combat this, Phoenix-area Ford dealerships will be collecting cases of water to use in hydration stations set up by the Salvation Army on days with excessive heat warning, as part of the Extreme Heat Hydration Program.
Each person who donates a case of water (16 oz or greater, 24 or more bottles) at a participating Ford dealership between now and May 15 will receive a half-off admission voucher to Big Surf Waterpark (up to a $14 value; maximum of four vouchers per person for a donation of four cases of water). The discounted tickets are available at the Ford dealership where the donation is made, and are redeemable Monday to Thursday, through July 2016.
“This is our 4th annual water drive in partnership with the Salvation Army, which is very much in line with Ford’s mission to serve the communities where we do business and help those in need,” said Steve Papanikolas, Phoenix regional manager for Ford Motor Company. “We hope our Ford customers – and those new to Ford – will stop by a dealership with their water donation and, in turn, get a little fun out of their good deed with discounted admission to Big Surf Waterpark.”
Those interested in supporting the Fill an F-150 Bottled Water Drive may drop off their donation at any of the following 13 Valley Ford dealerships through May 15:
- AutoNation Ford of North Scottsdale, 8555 E. Frank Lloyd Wright Blvd., Scottsdale
- Bell Ford, 2401 W. Bell Rd., Phoenix
- Berge Ford, 460 E. Auto Center Dr., Mesa
- Camelback Ford, 1330 E. Camelback Rd., Phoenix
- Chapman Ford, 7100 E. McDowell Rd., Scottsdale
- Earnhardt Ford, 7300 W. Orchid Ln., Chandler
- Jones Ford Buckeye, 24600 W. Yuma Rd., Buckeye
- Peoria Ford, 9130 W. Bell Rd., Peoria
- Robert Horne Ford, 3400 S. Tomahawk Rd., Apache Junction
- Rodeo Ford, 13680 W. Test Dr., Goodyear
- Sanderson Ford, 6400 N. 51st Ave., Glendale
- San Tan Ford, 1429 Motorplex Loop, Gilbert
- Surprise Ford, 16825 W. Waddell Rd., Surprise
Ford’s goal is to collect 70,000 bottles of water during the three-week drive in support of the Salvation Army’s goal of collecting 200,000 water bottles.
