Who says doing something for others can’t be fun? Certainly not Lou Parrague, Founder of SalesMuscle, who has leveraged his lifelong passion for classic cars to give back to seniors in his community.
It began more than 10 years ago, when Parrague joined his friend, Chip Herman, Founder of the Orinda Classic Car Show, as a volunteer for the annual event. Since then, Parrague and his wife have both been involved with the car show, which raises money for Seniors Around Town, a local organization that provides transportation for seniors in Orinda. At times, funds from the show have also been donated to the Education Foundation of Orinda to support local schools.
According to Parrague, the event raises as much as $30,000 every year through sponsorships, entry fees, a contribution station, and a charity auction called “Dancing with the Cars.” “It’s just a great, family-based community event,” he says. “We have cars lined up and down the street in front of the country club and sometimes even on the country club fairways, which makes for a real Pebble Beach feel.”
Every year, Parrague donates his time and energy toward setting up the show and contributes to the event through his company. “It’s nice to be able to champion a great cause, and the car connection makes it fun.”
A classic car enthusiast, Parrague has also entered several vehicles in the show over the years. They included a 1981 Alfa Romeo Spyder convertible, a BMW Z4 that Parrague drove on a cross country road rally, and a 1954 seafoam green Chevrolet pickup, which he had found on a farm outside of Chico and had renovated and restored to perfection. “I've always loved cars,” Parrague says. “I’m not a mechanic, but what appeals to me is elegant design and beautiful craftsmanship.”
Parrague loves the fact that there’s no pretentiousness involved in the event. “Everybody puts down their titles and chips in,” he says. “You’ll have a CEO of a company who has more than 500 employees carrying a barrier with a 13-year-old boy scout. I do whatever is needed—from setting up banners, tables shade structures, you name it. When it’s over, there’s usually a nice little gathering of staff at the end of a long day, where we get beers at Orinda Motors, and everyone celebrates the day’s events.”
To other leaders who may be thinking of ways to give back to their communities, Parrague suggests they find something they’re passionate about and helping charities close to home. “People look at business owners as leaders,” he says, “so when you do something positive in the community, it sets a good example for others.”
