$1 Car Wash

Last night for Wednesday Night Service we held a $1 car wash on our parking lot. It was a bit of a bait and switch, but in a good way. We had people with signs walking 26th St advertising a $1 car wash (thought being, wow, that's a cheap car wash, I can come in for that!). Once here, we served free root beer floats and mingled with people while their cars were being washed. Once their cars were finished, they would pull out their $1 (and many were prepared to donate more thinking that we were trying to raise money), and instead Pastor Doug would give them a buck! The exchanges that ensued were comical; most folks wanted nothing to do with taking a buck, but Doug would insist, and they left laughing, and we were feeling good about it as well.

I know after events like this I can immediately evaluate the numbers, and wish that the numbers would have been better:

• if we could have washed more cars,


• if we could have given away more floats,


• if we could have gotten the word out better

But I also know there are other numbers that can help to evaluate the impact of an event such as this:

• number of volunteers who served


• number who served for the first time (or served our neighborhood for the first time)


• number of volunteers who made new connections with each other


• number of conversations that those who got their cars washed will have about their $1 car wash experience

I think it's ok to measure and assess both sets of numbers, realizing that some are legitimate and challenge us to do better, and some we may never know the true results but need to factor into the equation of 'why' we do certain events.