Donor RegistryCar Show Celebrates Life
April 18 event honors local boy who gave life to four individuals.
LUBBOCK, TEXAS – History will be made again in Lubbock this Saturday, April 18, with the Second Annual Toadbucket Nationals Classic Car Show, held in honor of Christopher “Toadbucket” Barnes. Featuring nearly 100 classic cars, the event honors the local boy who gave the gift of life to four individuals when his parents donated his organs two years ago.
Christopher’s parents, Gail and Jody Barnes, honor their son’s legacy each year by hosting the event because car shows topped the list of Christopher’s favorite past times. The public is invited to join the Barnes family in honoring their little boy and his courageous gift by checking out the cool classic cars at the car show, and to help save even more lives by becoming registered organ and tissue donors – registration will be available onsite.
“Car shows are fun – which is exactly what Christopher was - fun and vibrant. That’s the best way to celebrate his life and the life he gave to others,” Gail says. “This car show is a celebration of life.” Proceeds raised from exhibit-vehicle entries will benefit LifeGift, the Lubbock-based organ and tissue recovery agency that helped the Barnes family donate the gift of life. Honoring the Barnes’ wishes, LifeGift will use the funds to cover expenses related to reuniting donor families with their loved ones’ organ and tissue recipients. Last year, Gail, Jody and their 8-year-old son, Conner, met one of the very individuals whose lives they helped save – a 57-year-old Texas man who received one of Christopher’s kidneys. Later this year, LifeGift will reunite the Barnes family with Christopher’s 3-year-old heart transplant recipient and the 2-year-old boy who received his liver.
It’s no coincidence that the car show is taking place during National Donate Life Month. Admission is free and will take place in the South Plains Mall parking lot, 6002 Slide Road, Lubbock, TX 79414, from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. For more information or to register as an organ and tissue donor, visit http://www.LifeGift.org.
