Mt. Pleasant Police Washing Cars for Charity

Is the layer of dirt, dust and pollen so think on your car that someone could scrawl "wash me" with their finger across the back window?

You'll have the perfect opportunity to get that taken care of Friday between 11 a.m. and 6 p.m. at the corner of Coleman Boulevard and Simmons Street. Mount Pleasant Police officers are holding a car wash there to raise money to support the American Heart Association.

"The town has adopted the American Heart Association as a charity to support," Capt. Amy McCarthy said. "The town administrator asked all the departments to find a way to support them, and we decided on a car wash."

The department has participated in other fundraising events in the past and fields a team each year for the AHA Heart Walk, but this is the first time officers from the department have held a car wash, McCarthy said.

McCarthy co-chairs the department's AHA fundraising committee, which came up with the Cops Cleaning Cars for a Cause fundraiser, with Capt. Sean Kenneally.

The department hopes to raise at least the $200 necessary to register a team for the Heart Walk, scheduled for Saturday, Sept. 29 in Downtown Charleston near the South Carolina Aquarium, but it isn't asking for a specific fee for the car wash.

"We're asking folks to donate what they feel," McCarthy said.

And the department has counted on donations from lots of businesses already to make the fundraiser happen, McCarthy said. Larry Richter of Richter Law Firm owns the lot that will be used, and donated its use for the day. Just finding a spot to hold the charity event was a challenge though, she said.

"The town has strict a stormwater ordinance and only rainwater can go down the storm drains, so we had to find a lot that was gravel or grass so the water will soak in," McCarthy said.

In addition to the donation of the parking lot, the department is also getting support from Ace Royal Hardware, K-Mart, Walmart, Piggly Wiggly and Bi-Lo, which are donating food, water and cleaning supplies. Mount Pleasant Waterworks has also agreed to allow the department to use water from fire hydrants during the car wash. Finally Dunkin' Doughnuts is donating food as well.

"So you'll get a doughnut with your car wash," McCarthy said.