Businesses teaming up for car wash to benefit Special Olympics

By PETE FONTAINE

TD Bank will open a special satellite store Saturday and Sunday, April 5-6, at 1145 Atwood Ave. in Johnston.

However, business transactions will be somewhat limited to things like opening a checking account, and TD Bank store Manager Jason Mainelli, along with several staffers, will be on hand and more than happy to talk about other benefits at the bank.

But this weekend’s relocation will only be temporary, and it came about because Ben LeMaire, who owns and operates Pristine Car Wash, is a customer at TD Bank and approached the bank’s senior customer service representative, Kyle H. Mardo, about the possibility of doing a car wash for charity. Moreover, LeMaire and Mardo are friends, so it seemed like a natural that Mainelli put on his “to do” list.

What made the event relatively easy to coordinate is that LeMaire is no stranger to giving back. His first such venture was an overwhelming success and netted $1,000 for the Boston Marathon Bombing Victim’s Fund.

Thus, TD Bank staffers and LeMaire’s super staff at Pristine Car Wash will be working hard Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. in hopes of raising some big bucks for Special Olympics Rhode Island.

“Personally, I’m excited about this weekend’s car wash,” said Mainelli, who is a Cranston native and manages TD Bank’s Johnston Store at 1547 Atwood Ave. “Special Olympics Rhode Island has always been near and dear to my heart. It’s a first-class operation, and their programs are very, very important to each and every Special Olympian.”

That may explain why LeMaire will donate all of this weekend’s profits to Special Olympics Rhode Island once the two-day, 12-hour car wash is complete.

There is, though, another side to this weekend’s TD Bank-Pristine Car Wash, which resulted in Dennis DeJesus, the executive director of Special Olympics Rhode Island and a native Cranstonian, coming to TD Bank’s Johnston Store Friday just to say “thank you” to everyone involved in the car wash.

“I could probably tell you lots and lots of stories like this one,” DeJesus told Mainelli. “But I must say I’m overwhelmed. This is a wonderful offer – absolutely extraordinary – to have three Rhode Island businesses offering to help our organizations.”

Three businesses?

Enter Alex Paolo, one of this state’s youngest entrepreneurs, who told Mainelli, DeJesus and LeMaire, “We will match the donation that Pristine Car Wash gives to Special Olympics Rhode Island.”

Perhaps Mainelli, more than LeMaire and DeJesus, had a silent but seemingly shocking smile on his face when Paolo made what he called “that awesome announcement that should boost the donation.”

Paolo is CEO of Big Heart Outlets, a daily deal site that provides consumers with the same great deals that Groupon and Living Social provide with a plot twist. Upon checkout, the consumer has the opportunity to choose a nonprofit organization or charity to receive 50 percent of the profits.

According to Paolo, should the consumer not have a charity or non-profit in mind, each month his company has a “Charity of the Month” to which proceeds automatically go.

Thus, Paolo encouraged people to look on his company’s website, www.bigheartoutlets.com, or call 1-888-242-0199 and see special packages he has with Pristine Car Wash. There’s the Silver Club Package for $24.99 per month for unlimited exterior hand washes, and a Gold Club Package for $49.99 per month for unlimited interior and exterior washes.

There will be another unique twist to the TD Bank-Pristine Car Wash-Big Heart Outlets two-day event.

“Everyone who comes to the car wash will get special TD Bank giveaways,” Mainelli announced during last Friday’s press briefing. “Each customer will also receive a free raffle ticket for a random drawing, and that will entitle the winner to a free detail of his or her car from Pristine Car Wash.”