Porsche Parade raises $500k for Lee Health Foundation

What’s better than Santa riding in on his sleigh? How about a parade of luxury cars full of gifts leading Santa to children at Golisano Children’s Hospital.

Over 150 drivers met up at Glory Days along Daniels Parkway and US-41 Saturday morning. It was all part of the fifth annual Porsche Darade.

Greg Guber of Naples was one of the people who drove in the parade. “This is our first year participating. Our friends have been here before, so they convinced us that we’d have a good time and come this year.”

Kids at Golisano Children’s Hospital who don’t always get to leave their rooms got to look out as Santa and his helpers spread holiday cheer and delivered a pile of presents.

For Bill O’Connor, it was his second year bringing cheer to the hospital. “Last year was 155 cars, this year it’s 168 cars, the year before that it was even less. It started with about 50 cars five years ago. So, this event keeps growing and growing every year.”

O’Connor said, “it’s all about the kids, kids in the hospital, and people going out of their way bringing gifts and donations.”

One of those kids was Seth Barch, “I got a magic trick set.”

The event provides kids with gifts and also acts as a fundraiser toward buying medical equipment.

This equipment aims at keeping families and their children at the hospital instead of having to travel elsewhere for care.

“This is the annual event of the year for me. I don’t think I’m ever going to miss it — as long as I can keep driving, I’ll be here every year,” said O’Connor.

Saturday’s event raised $500,000. All of which will be going directly to the Lee Health Foundation.