Cobblestone marks five years of Childhood Cancer Awareness Month fundraising
The operator donated $1 from select washes at its Colorado locations throughout September to support childhood cancer research at Children's Hospital Colorado.
By The Car Wash News Staff
3 min read
Cobblestone Car Wash ran its annual September fundraising campaign in support of childhood cancer research, continuing a partnership with the Children's Hospital Colorado Foundation that has now reached its fifth year. The effort coincided with Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, according to reporting from Auto Laundry News.
For the duration of the month, the operator directed $1 from every Platinum Express Exterior wash sold at its Colorado locations to the foundation. At its Sheridan, Colorado, site, the donation also applied to every Platinum full-service wash, which bundles interior cleaning into the package.
How the campaign worked
Tying a fixed donation to specific wash tiers gave the program a clear structure for both staff and customers. Rather than asking for separate contributions at the point of sale, Cobblestone built the giving directly into purchases of its higher-value service packages. The funds support the hospital's childhood cancer research, with stated goals that include improving treatment options, speeding the development of new therapies, strengthening survivorship care, and reducing disparities in outcomes.
The source notes that roughly 15,000 children and adolescents are diagnosed with cancer each year in the United States, framing the scale of the cause the campaign addresses.
Donny Green, director of operations for Cobblestone Colorado, pointed to the long-running nature of the partnership and the company's interest in local impact. "Being able to give back to our community and really make an impact means so much to us," Green said. Sharon McMeel, chief development officer of the Children's Hospital Colorado Foundation, credited partnerships with local businesses as a driver of the organization's mission.
Why it matters for operators
Cobblestone's campaign is a practical model for cause marketing that other operators can adapt. By linking the donation to its top wash packages rather than running a standalone collection, the company connected charitable giving to revenue-generating transactions, which can encourage customers to trade up to premium tiers while supporting a local cause. The approach keeps the ask simple at the register and gives frontline staff an easy story to tell.
The five-year span of the partnership is also worth noting. A recurring, consistent commitment to a single local organization tends to build more community recognition and goodwill than one-off donations spread across many causes. For operators weighing how to structure community giving, a defined window, a named local beneficiary, and a transparent per-wash contribution create a program that is easy to promote and easy for customers to understand.
Choosing a local hospital or charity also strengthens ties within a wash's immediate trade area, which can translate into repeat visits and local media attention. Operators considering a similar effort should confirm the mechanics in advance, decide which service tiers to attach the donation to, and prepare clear signage and staff talking points so the campaign runs smoothly through the promotional period.
