Grayson Subaru Selects Ijams Nature Center as Hometown Charity for 2024 Subaru Share the Love® Event
~ from Ijams Nature Center
For the second consecutive year, Grayson Subaru has chosen Ijams Nature Center as its Hometown Charity for the Subaru Share the Love® Event to help raise funds to expand the Ijams Nature Playscape and Mead’s Quarry swim area.
“It’s exciting to see the progress Ijams staff and volunteers have made on the second phase of the playscape at Grayson Subaru Preserve,” Subaru Sales Manager JC Marguardt said. “They’ve been able to clear about half of the invasives on the property to make room for new elements and citizen science plots.”
“It’s gratifying to be able to help Ijams protect and preserve nature for all to enjoy,” he continued. “We’re proud to join Subaru of America and its other retailers in supporting causes that are close to our hearts and the hearts of our customers. Throughout the year, Grayson Subaru works to create positive change in our community, and this is one of the biggest ways we give back.”
From Nov. 21, 2024, to Jan. 2, 2025, Subaru of America will donate $250 for every new Subaru vehicle purchased or leased at more than 628 of its retailers nationwide to several national charities and a hometown charity chosen by each retailer.
Grayson Subaru customers may choose Ijams Nature Center or one of the following national charities: The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals® (ASPCA®), Make-A-Wish®, Meals on Wheels America, and the National Park Foundation as the recipient of this donation. Together with a donation from Grayson Subaru, a donation to Ijams could be up to $325.
Over the last 16 years of the Subaru Share the Love Event, Subaru and its participating retailers have donated more than $288 million to causes around the country and supported nearly 2,300 hometown charities.
“No words can express how honored and grateful we are to be part of this year’s Subaru Share the Love Event,” Ijams President Amber Parker said. “Grayson Subaru and Subaru of America are helping to create more education and recreational space for everyone to enjoy. We anticipate that all of the upper section of Phase II will be cleared of invasives in 2025, and are planning to work on the swim area as well.”
Grayson Subaru is part of Grayson Automotive, which offers the Subaru, Hyundai, BMW, Genesis, and Mini brands. In 2023, Subaru of America and Grayson Subaru donated $39,000 to Ijams Nature Center to support these projects.
Subaru of America, Inc. is an indirect wholly owned subsidiary of Subaru Corporation of Japan. Headquartered in Camden, N.J., the company markets and distributes Subaru vehicles, parts, and accessories through a network of about 640 retailers across the United States. All Subaru products are manufactured in zero-landfill plants. Over the past 20 years, Subaru of America and its Foundation have donated more than $320 million to causes the Subaru family cares about, and its employees have logged more than 100,000 volunteer hours.
Ijams Nature Center is a 318-acre nonprofit educational center in the heart of Knoxville and serves visitors of all ages, stages, and abilities. Its mission is to encourage stewardship of the natural world by providing an urban greenspace for people to learn about and enjoy the outdoors through engaging experiences. Ijams features 14 miles of hiking and mixed-use trails, a public access river dock, swimming, boating, biking, and so much more. The staff offers and coordinates hundreds of world-class educational programs and events annually. Ijams’ grounds and trails are open every day from 8 a.m. until dusk. For more information, visit Ijams.org or call 865-577-4717.
