Local businessman Frank Apa adopted Patch, a Shih Tzu puppy. Patch was a sweet endearing little dog and when he began coming to work, he quickly became the company companion, mascot and spokes-dog. As a canine ambassador, he exemplified all the reasons why having animals in our lives has a positive impact.
Sadly, in August of 2002, Patch passed away. To honour his long-time companion, Mr. Apa dedicated the month of September at the dealership. Over the month, a donation was made from each car sale and the dealership raised $13,300! The money was generously donated to the Oakville & Milton Humane Society (OMHS) in Patch’s memory. This donation enabled the shelter to create the P.A.T.C.H. Challenge – a program which highlights the human-animal bond. Patch, the little dog’s name, has come to stand for People and Animals Together Create Harmony. Since then, Mr. Apa, President of Lexus of Oakville, has continued to dedicate the month of August to support the kindness initiative and makes a substantial donation every year. Since inception, this program has raised over $335,000 through sales as well as personal and corporate donations over the years.
Through the P.A.T.C.H. program, we challenge students in our community to be kind to people and animals. We challenge teachers to bring OMHS into their classrooms. We will continue to recognize children in our community who demonstrate kindness to all living things. The P.A.T.C.H. Challenge is made possible through the generous donation of Mr. Apa and Lexus of Oakville.
We are proud to have successfully passed our 2024 goal of $25,000 by raising $25,032 through automotive sales, along with both personal and corporate donations. You can help us by clicking “MAKE A DONATION” to help for our 2025 goal.