BRIGHTON, Mich. — More than 120 cars were on display at the Lingenfelter Fall Charity Open House in Brighton, but for many attendees, the event was about much more than horsepower.
The annual gathering raises money for the Pink Fund, an organization that helps breast cancer patients keep up with everyday expenses while they focus on treatment.
Watch Faraz Javed's report in the video player below:
Among the crowd were three friends who all showed up dressed in pink — Bugsy Graybeal, a cancer survivor; Aldrin Santiago, an oncology nurse; and Maurice Peyton, a veteran.
"The pink fun, cars, great people, and a good time, and I'm looking for a donut," Graybeal said.
All three confirmed they were on the hunt for donuts and hot dogs.
Graybeal is five years into remission from melanoma, and his personal fight with cancer has given him a perspective that is difficult for others to fully understand.
"You really don't know how to speak on it, in my opinion, unless you've had cancer, because it's very scary and you don't know where your journey's going to end. I got a second chance," Graybeal said.
Santiago has witnessed that same uncertainty from the other side of the fight as an oncology nurse.
"It's really tough, very stressful for everybody because it's like the unknown. You get all these treatments, and then they're always worried, is it going to work or it's not going to work," Santiago said.
That uncertainty is also what gives collection owner Ken Lingenfelter a purpose that goes beyond the cars.
"Well, as I mentioned earlier, I lost my sister to breast cancer. And you know, when breast cancer patients are going in and getting their treatments, they can't work. And so the Pink Fund was developed by Molly McDonald, who went through this herself and actually helps patients pay their bills while they're going through their treatments," Lingenfelter said.
Fourteen years in, Lingenfelter said the open house aims to help other families while honoring his late sister, Karen.
"The reason why we do this is to get the word out. And the more people that do anything to make the treatments and anything to make the whole process easier and more comfortable is important," Lingenfelter said.
Lingenfelter also created the Lingenfelter Foundation to support various charities throughout the year.
"We've got a Toys for Tots coming up, which is a fun thing for a Saturday before Christmas, but we do a very big one for the American Cancer Society every spring," Lingenfelter said.
For Graybeal, the event carries a meaning that goes far beyond the cars on display.
"Not just the cars, but like you said, the friendship. Somebody you might meet that might be here and battling it, and you want to be encouraging," Graybeal said.
Peyton said personal connections drive him to show up and support the cause.
"I obviously have had some family and friends that had different types of cancer, and you're always looking for that moment where that person gets to ring that bell. So I'm always here to support a cause of friend and family," Peyton said.
The Lingenfelter Foundation raises money all year long supporting different causes. To learn more about the foundation and upcoming open houses, visit www.lingenfelterfoundation.org
