Longtime business holds fundraiser for PACE Center for Girls

A long-time business in Fort Myers is hosting a reopening celebration with a car show and blood drive that will also benefit the PACE Center for Girls.

Maaco Collision Center is celebrating 43 years in business with a reopening.

Pace has teachers to not only help young girls do better in school but also to counsel them through all the tough aspects of their life.

A lot of girls who go to PACE have anxiety and have experienced trauma, which leads to struggles in school.

The center helps them with everything from having healthier relationships to preparing to get a job.

“We’re not only helping them with their academics, we have a lot of credit recovery opportunities for them online programming that allows them to regain lost credits. But then with the life skills, we have what we call our spirited girls class. So that’s teaching them about self-worth, body image, you know, health wellness, we do yoga with them,” said Margo Brewster, development manager at PACE Center for Girls. “It’s really taking a holistic approach to them.”

The services are free which is why fundraisers like the one held at Maaco are so important. And the COVID-19 pandemic has made it harder on the organization.

“We are primarily donor-based and that’s how we get our funding,” Brewster said. “COVID and the pandemic had a huge impact on our ability to host events to bring donors to the center, we couldn’t have visitors for over a year. So that’s been a huge impact for us.”

It costs $10 to participate in the car show and the proceeds go to PACE Center for Girls.

“It can be an old car, a new car, classic car, whatever car you love, bring, bring one, bring two, bring a few,” said Justin DePasquale, owner of Maaco Collision Center.

If you would like to support, the collision center is having a car show from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. It is located at 4118 Fowler Street in Fort Myers.