The Martinsville-Henry County SPCA hosted its third annual Car Smash fundraiser on April 26 in the back parking lot of its shelter.
For $10 a round, attendees could take a sledgehammer to one of two vehicles donated by Orben’s Automotive, smashing away for three minutes at a time. The event aligns with the start of kitten season — one of the busiest times of year for animal shelters.
Before the event began, the cars were “prettied up” with paint, and the glass was wrapped for safety. Orben’s Automotive handled transportation to and from the event site and managed cleanup afterward. Owner Orben Diaz was on site and said windshields, lights, and side mirrors were the most popular targets.
“These were beautiful, perfect paint, perfect glass, perfect interior. We want stuff to look nice when we destroy it,” said Diaz.
By the end of this year’s event, one of the vehicles had a hole punched through the roof.
“Personally, my favorite is the hood and the door panels, just because when you take that big 8-pound sledgehammer you make such a loud bang and get a huge dent out of it,” Diaz said.
“This is three years, the third annual Car Smash,” said Caroline Cicilese, the SPCA’s director of development and communication. She explained that the idea originated with Diaz, who approached the shelter with what he called a “crazy idea.” After working out logistics, the first event was held in the shelter’s top parking lot.
In addition to raising funds, the SPCA sees the event as a safe and fun way to relieve stress. Throughout the day, the once-pristine vehicles gradually become unrecognizable.
Cicilese said the idea was partially inspired by the rising popularity of “rage rooms” across the country.
“I think this idea came about like this initially because rage rooms were becoming a big thing across the country and we wanted to bring something similar to Henry County,” she said.
“You think after you smash so many cars, you won’t want to smash cars anymore, but by the time a year has gone by, you want to smash cars again,” Diaz added.
The first Car Smash raised around $900, and the second brought in approximately $780. As for this year’s total, Cicilese said, “We are still going strong.” All proceeds go directly to the SPCA, with Orben’s Automotive taking no profit from the event.
“Hopefully we can keep expanding this every year,” said Cicilese.
Diaz said he is already preparing for next year’s smash.
A food truck and face painting were also available during the event.
The SPCA is currently entering kitten season and is undergoing renovations to improve the shelter’s dog housing area.
“If anyone is interested in fostering, please reach out to us. We provide everything they need,” said Cicilese. Information about the foster program or how to adopt animals can be found on the shelter’s website.
