Cars Changing Lives Plans Murder Mystery Fundraiser as Nonprofit Nears 100 Vehicle Milestone

A missing mechanic, a mystery to solve, and a room full of community supporters will set the stage for Cars Changing Lives’ annual fundraiser as the Front Royal nonprofit nears giving away its 100th vehicle.

Cars Changing Lives will host “The Stolen Key Society” murder mystery dinner Thursday, Sept. 24, at Shenandoah Valley Golf Club. The evening begins at 6 p.m. and is expected to run until about 9 p.m., with a buffet dinner, entertainment, and live and silent auctions.

Behind the fun is a mission centered on something many people depend on every day: reliable transportation.

Cars Changing Lives provides vehicles to people who need them but face a financial barrier to buying one. Vice President Liz Coffey said the organization has given away 92 vehicles and is working toward its 93rd, with a goal of reaching 100 by the end of 2026.

“I think we’re going to definitely hit that,” Coffey said.

Cars Changing Lives does not simply hand out vehicles to anyone who applies. An application and sponsorship process is intended to ensure recipients can handle the responsibilities that come with owning a vehicle.

“We give cars to people who need them,” Coffey said. “There’s an application process, there is a sponsorship process, and we find available cars and match those with the available participant.”

A sponsor helps verify that a participant has a valid driver’s license and can afford ongoing expenses such as gasoline, insurance, oil changes, and maintenance.

The program is designed for people who can manage those regular expenses but need help overcoming the initial cost of obtaining reliable transportation.

Once they clear that hurdle, the impact can be immediate.

“Because they can grocery shop, visit family, go to doctor’s appointments, go to work,” Coffey said.

A car can also make it easier for parents to get children to school and activities and give families a dependable way to handle unexpected needs.

“It’s just to have a safety net,” Coffey said.

Cars Changing Lives depends heavily on donated vehicles to provide that safety net.

Coffey said residents should not assume that an old vehicle sitting unused in a driveway or garage has no value to the organization.

Some donated vehicles can be repaired and placed with a participant. Others may provide value that can be returned to the program and used to support another vehicle.

“If you have a vehicle that’s just sitting and has been sitting for a while, do not think that we’re not going to want the vehicle,” Coffey said.

The organization can also arrange free pickup of donated vehicles.

While vehicle donations provide the heart of the program, fundraising helps keep the operation moving.

That is where the Sept. 24 mystery comes in.

The Stolen Key Society dinner will center on the disappearance of a mechanic and a mystery guests will try to solve during the evening. Coffey will serve as master of ceremonies.

Tickets are $100 and are available through the Cars Changing Lives website.

Along with the buffet dinner and mystery entertainment, guests will have opportunities to participate in live and silent auctions.

Organizers are still seeking additional sponsors and auction items.

Coffey said some of the larger auction offerings include a scooter, while the silent auction will feature baskets and other donated items. Glenn and Amy Wood have contributed a beach house stay.

Sponsors mentioned for the event include Happy Creek Crossing, a collective that includes Happy Creek Antiques, Foxtrack Market and Debbie’s Lighthouse; Petty Betty; and Glenn and Amy Wood.

Amy Wood serves as president of Cars Changing Lives.

The organization is also looking for people willing to contribute something other than a car or auction item: their time.

“Absolutely, we need volunteers,” Coffey said. “We are always looking for board members, we’re looking for committee members, we’re also looking for people to volunteer at the events that we have.”

Those opportunities extend beyond the murder mystery dinner.

Cars Changing Lives is planning a car show in November at the Warren County Fairgrounds. The previous show there drew more than 100 vehicles.

The fairgrounds provide plenty of space for participants to display their cars without crowding them closely together.

Between the September dinner and November car show, the nonprofit has a busy stretch ahead as it works toward the 100-vehicle mark.

Reaching that number would be a milestone, but Coffey emphasized that the program’s importance lies in what each vehicle allows a recipient to do.

For someone without transportation, routine tasks can become major obstacles. A grocery trip requires planning. A doctor’s appointment can depend on finding a ride. Employment opportunities may be limited by how far a person can travel.

A vehicle can change those calculations.

Cars Changing Lives attempts to bridge the gap for people who are ready to maintain a car but cannot afford the initial purchase.

The program’s continued growth depends on several parts of the community working together. Residents donate vehicles. Volunteers help with events and committees. Businesses and individuals provide sponsorships and auction items, and fundraisers help generate money for the nonprofit’s work.

Recipients then take responsibility for maintaining the vehicles they receive.

That combination has brought Cars Changing Lives within eight vehicles of its year-end goal.

The 100th vehicle will carry some extra excitement because of the milestone it represents.

Before turning her attention to the Cars Changing Lives fundraiser, Coffey also celebrated the completion of the third annual Pickle Stock at the Warren County Fairgrounds.

The event brought together more than 55 vendors and a full day of entertainment, including live music from Jake and Jive and the Logan Allen Band.

Organizers are already planning the fourth Pickle Stock for Sept. 25, 2027.

For now, however, Coffey and Cars Changing Lives are focused on the next fundraiser — and the next car.

The Stolen Key Society murder mystery dinner begins at 6 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 24, at Shenandoah Valley Golf Club. Tickets are $100, and Cars Changing Lives continues to seek sponsors, auction donations, volunteers, and vehicles.

For someone with a car that is no longer being used, a donation could ultimately become something much more valuable to another local resident: a way to get to work, see a doctor, buy groceries and regain some independence.

Town Talk, sponsored by National Media Services, Inc., is a Royal Examiner series that introduces you to local entrepreneurs, business owners, nonprofit leaders, and public officials who help shape Warren County. Conversations cover a wide range of topics about our community and the people making a difference.