Ronco Construction has partnered with Chariots4Hope by utilizing their own unmistakable chariot: a Honda Odyssey wrapped in bright, blazing pink.
The pastel vehicle, cheekily dubbed the “Barbie car,” was the brainchild of Ronco President, Zak Olsen, who initially conceived of it as a fun way to tease the company golfer with the worst score. He shared, “I was watching TV with my daughter, who at the time was 7 years old, and a preview for the “Barbie” movie came up. A light bulb went off. I thought, ‘What if we get an old car, fix it up, and wrap it like the Barbie car, and the loser has to drive that for a period of time?’ Everybody who was in the text loop immediately jumped on that and said, ‘Yep! That’s the winner; let’s go with that.’”
Ronco Construction chief operating officer, Mike Langford, was the first driver behind the wheel of the Barbie car as punishment for losing the golf wager. After garnering significant attention at the company’s holiday party in 2023, Ronco decided to transform the penance into something worthier: fundraising.
What started as a friendly wager between coworkers at a golf tournament therefore blossomed into a philanthropic effort to give back to the community—something Ronco Construction highly values, as demonstrated by their philanthropic arm, Ronco Gives, which has provided $1 million in support over the years to organizations such as the American Red Cross, Autism Action Partnership, Foodbank for the Heartland, OneWorld Community Health Centers, Inc., and Open Door Mission, among others.
This year, Ronco is using the Barbie car to raise awareness and funds for Chariots4Hope, a non-profit organization that “supports low-income families and individuals to maintain self-sufficiency through reliable transportation.” Dedicated to removing transportation barriers, Chariots4Hope offers four services: the RIDE Program, the Vehicle Ownership Program, Transportation Grants, and the SafeRoute Program.
“Initially it was humiliation, but it was a lot of fun when we turned it from penance to philanthropic,” said Langford.
The unusual vehicle generates buzz wherever it makes an appearance, with people eager to snap photos at gas stations and even in motion. “I really enjoyed the pointing, laughing, drive-by, the photos,” Langford shared. “Watching people take photos at 70 miles an hour is risky, but we appreciate the buzz and excitement.”
Now, employees take turns driving the car to job sites, going out to lunch, and any other opportunity to get the word out. “We want the car to be out on the road as much as possible,” said Olsen. “The entire organization is really helping out by taking their turns and getting the car out on the road so that it can be seen…it’s growing beyond what any of us ever thought it was going to do, so it’s a lot of fun.”
The pink chariot will retire after 2024, but Ronco Gives will continue in perpetuity.
“We’ll find a new fun idea and organization for next year,” Olsen said. “In the end, we’re just a catalyst of a couple guys making
a stupid golf bet that turned into something brilliant.”
To learn more, visit ronco-construction.com and chariots4hope.org.
