Update:
First of all, Congratulations to ALL the kids who earned perfect attendance this year. That’s quite an accomplishment and you all deserve a big pat on the back.

Secondly, Thanks and Congratulations to Bud Clary Toyota of Yakima for offering the wonderful P.A.C.E. incentive program to the K-5 kids in the Yakima district.

That having been said, it’s unfortunate that some people missed the details on the scope of the program and reached the wrong conclusion about which kids were eligible.

Most of the participating schools were notified before the school year started and once the program began each child in a participating school received a letter explaining the rules in English (and Spanish) to take home to their parents. Each school was given a bike to put on display to remind the kids to keep their eye on the prize. The dealership also had a web page with all the rules and operational details.

Still, it seems some school personnel in non-participating schools may have erroneously encouraged kids about the program and set an expectation beyond the original intent….and some families may have assumed their kid’s school was involved when it wasn’t.

An article in the Yakima Herald Republic says some of those who complained to them referenced this page on our website as being the source of the misinformation.

On November 15 Mike Bastinelli interviewed Robbie Bustos of Bud Clary Toyota. In that interview there were a half dozen references to “elementary kids in Yakima”…BUT…at the latter part of the interview Mike asked what schools were involved and suggested Yakima, Union Gap, East and West Valley and Robbie didn’t correct him…so he mentioned those schools and for some that was enough.

Bottom Line: This is a great program and Town Square Media is going to team up with Bud Clary to buy bikes for kids with proven perfect attendance in Union Gap and East and West Valley K-5 schools. Contact the dealership for more information at 2230 Longfibre Ave Yakima, WA 98903
(509) 575-4868


Bud Clary Toyota of Yakima is sponsoring a unique program called Perfect Attendance Creates Excellence (PACE) to encourage kids in the Yakima area to stay in school.

Toyota of Yakima will donate a brand new bike and helmet to every elementary school (K-5) student in that maintains perfect attendance (edit: does not include union gap or east or west valley.)

Robbie Bustos, Bud Clary Toyota of Yakima community outreach coordinator was a guest on Thursday's Mike Bastinelli show. She talked about how Toyota of Yakima came up with the PACE program, how it will work, and what it is hoped the program will accomplish.

Click this player to listen to the interview.

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