One of the biggest commitments that Lewis Chrysler Dodge Jeep RAM has made in the Northwest Arkansas area is that they want to be MORE than just a car dealership. The Lewis family has been a part of the NWA community, in business for over 75 years after Herb “Buck” Lewis started the first Ford store off of Mountain Street in Fayetteville in 1946. And while the whole family and company remain committed to helping their customers find the perfect new car, they’re also constantly finding ways to give back to their community, by partnering with various schools, non-profits, and other charitable organizations. This week, we wanted to highlight just a few of the partnerships that Lewis (STORE) has participated in over the past few months.
Our most recent partnership was with the Children's Safety Center of Washington County. Businesses all across Northwest Arkansas encouraged their employees to participate by wearing blue for Friday, April 2nd, as a way to bring awareness to child abuse. While raising awareness, the Children’s Safety Center also takes actionable steps to help combat this issue, through things like advocacy, medical aid, therapy, prevention training, and more.
The Lewis brothers, Matt, Shelby, and Taylor (as well as other members of the Lewis team) have been participating in various local runs and races, like the Hogeye Marathon, for years. In keeping with their participation in this outdoor hobby, the Lewis family and Lewis Chrysler Dodge Jeep RAM also partnered with Ozark Off-Road Cyclists (OORC), a local nonprofit organization that builds and maintains sustainable soft surface trails in the Arkansas Ozarks and Arkansas River Valley. This creates a ton of opportunities for hikers, mountain bikers, and trail runners to live an active outdoor lifestyle.
The University of Arkansas is a HUGE part of the Fayetteville community already, bringing in students every semester from across the country and the world. It’s been a great opportunity for our General Manager, Matt Lewis, to be invited as a guest speaker to various University of Arkansas business classes throughout the year. He gets the opportunity to share what it’s like to grow up in the car business, and pass some of those insights along to the next generation.
In December, Macaroni Kid of Fayetteville reached out to us for hosting the Donuts with Santa Drive. Proceeds from the drive went towards purchasing snacks and other essentials for the NWA Covid Task Relief Force, so Lewis Chrysler Dodge Jeep RAM held the event at the dealership and then matched funding so they could get double the supplies! Our Event Coordinator, Amber, also went and helped with the shopping and deliveries, to streamline the donation process.
To be honest, this is actually a short list compared to all the other partnerships that Lewis Chrysler Dodge Jeep RAM has been participating in over the years in the NWA area. Whether it’s partnering with various small town Little League teams in the area, donating a car to the Elkins High School Driver’s Education program, partnering with Fayetteville Chamber of Commerce, working with the Farmington school district and Prairie Grove school district, or even loaning out new Ford Mustang Convertibles for school events and local parades, the Lewis family and Lewis Chrysler Dodge Jeep RAM has been staying involved in the Northwest Arkansas community and giving back wherever possible. Yes, Lewis Chrysler Dodge Jeep RAM is a great place to buy a new vehicle in Arkansas, but we're also committed to being a fantastic asset to the people of NWA and giving back to the community.