Earnhardt Honda, local dealers donate vehicle to children’s hospital

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Earnhardt Honda and other Valley Honda dealers were proud to deliver a Shogo electric ride-on vehicle, created and donated specifically for young patients, to Phoenix Children’s Hospital in November.

Honda engineers designed Shogo to help ease the stress and anxiety of children and their families by transporting children during their stay at the hospital, according to the Honda website. This initiative, called “Project Courage,” demonstrates the difference that play and laughter can make for hospitalized children.

Developed with young patient safety in mind, these Shogo vehicles were built without doors to be easily accessible for children. The car also sports central seating with steering controls accessible for children and soft-to-the-touch surfaces that are easily kept clean. Shogo also included an IV pole holder and a push bar so caregivers can manually push the vehicle when needed.

Other features designed for child comfort include a toy bucket in front of the vehicle, cup holders, a center horn with different sound options, and a customizable license plate slot to display each rider’s name.

Based on a Japanese word meaning “soaring into the future,” the Shogo models were designed for young patients who can easily operate power controls, manage the car’s go/stop mechanism and ride at a speed of 1-5 miles per hour, as controlled by a nurse or caregiver.

Phoenix Children’s Hospital is one of the nation’s fastest-growing pediatric healthcare systems, with hospitals, urgent care facilities and clinics around the state.

Earnhardt Honda is located in Avondale and is one of 17 locations of Earnhardt Auto Centers. Founder Tex Earnhardt started the company in 1951 with a Chandler-based Ford franchise. Over the years, the company expanded and opened more dealerships, with Tex at the head. Tex’s straight-shooting style and famous catchphrase, “That ain’t no bull,” endeared him to generations of Arizonans.

Earnhardt Auto Centers is a true community business, and all locations regularly support local charities. Thank you, Earnhardt Honda and Earnhardt Auto Centers, for your generosity to the community!

Carolyn Sostrom

Carolyn Sostrom is a long-time Arizona resident who loves desert sunsets, warm weather, Zumba, and the Western lifestyle. She attended Saguaro High School in Scottsdale and then Arizona State University, earning a bachelor’s degree in journalism. Similarly to the protagonist in *The Devil Wears Prada*, Carolyn moved to New York City right after college. She started working for the fashion magazine company Conde Nast but never transitioned to the dark side. After a few years, she left New York in the rearview mirror and returned to her home state, taking a reporter job at the *Apache Junction Independent*. With over 30 years of freelance writing experience, Carolyn especially enjoys writing about community events and profiling individuals who are making a difference in their communities. She had the pleasure of interviewing a variety of cowboy personalities for an article she wrote for the *Scottsdale Independent* about the history of DC Ranch and its roots as a working ranch. Now, her Western adventures with CLN have her diving into the rugged automotive scene, exploring the trucks and rigs cowboys rely on for work, home, and play, a niche where grit meets horsepower. She works at Raising Special Kids, a nonprofit resource center for families of children with disabilities and special healthcare needs. Carolyn also volunteers with the Autism Society of Greater Phoenix. Carolyn believes that everyone has a story, and she loves connecting with others to hear their stories. She’s dedicated to ethical journalism and accurate reporting, which shines through in her storytelling.