Raney’s to host Road to Wishes truck show

Custom built show trucks will be one of the big attractions at the May 31 Raney’s Road to Wishes truck show. [Photo courtesy Raney’s Truck Parts]

Raney’s Truck Parts, a provider of aftermarket parts and accessories for the heavy-duty trucking industry, is hosting its first truck show fundraiser on May 31. The Raney’s Road to Wishes event will take place at Raney’s Chrome Shop at 3030 W. Silver Springs Blvd., Ocala, with proceeds to benefit the Make-A-Wish Foundation.

The goal of the event, which will run from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. and is free to attend, is to raise $80,000.

“We’ve had a few goals from the very early days that we have always considered big milestone goals. One of those was opening up our own showroom here in Ocala, which we did in 2019. The next evolution of that goal was to host our first ever truck show on site. Every time we would sit down and really talk through what it would take to actually make a truck show happen, it became overwhelming and when you consider the chaos that came with COVID-19 shortly after we opened our showroom, the opportunity just wasn’t there the past few years,” explained Raney’s CEO Joel Raney.

“Then, in August of last year, I received an email from Amy, the CDL instructor at Marion Technical College, and she asked if I had considered putting on a show and mentioned partnering with Make-A-Wish. It was the partnering that caught my attention, and I felt compelled to make this happen,” Raney added.

“I’ve always been supportive of Make-A-Wish and find it so amazing the happiness they can bring to children who are facing the toughest of times at such young ages in their lives. What Make-A-Wish does is give them hope and something to be excited about, which in turn helps them continue to fight and oftentimes overcome life threatening critical illnesses. I was already a huge believer, but that was strengthened even more when a young ‘Wish Kid’ and her family inadvertently helped me meet my future wife at an airport in 2011,” Raney shared.

“There was a little girl, who was a Wish Kid, singing and dancing at our gate while we were all waiting to board a flight to Orlando and that became the conversation starter between my wife, who was a complete stranger at the time, and myself,” he recalled.

“Seeing these kids able to forget their troubles and just enjoy the moments that Make-A-Wish gives them is really powerful. Our goal is to contribute to that through our truck show by raising awareness and funds to grant more wishes,” he said.

Sara Desmartin, the Make-A-Wish development and community outreach manager for North Central Florida, said the partnership between Make-A-Wish Central and Northern Florida and Raney’s Chrome Shop began through a mutual desire to make a positive difference in the local community.

“Joel Raney and his team were inspired to get involved in a hands-on way. Their passion for both their industry and their community led to the creation of Raney’s Road to Wishes, a truck show fundraiser designed to bring people together while raising critical funds to grant wishes. It’s been a natural and enthusiastic collaboration from the start,” Desmartin explained.

“Raney’s Road to Wishes will directly benefit Make-A-Wish by raising funds that help grant wishes for children with critical illnesses throughout Central and Northern Florida. These wishes are more than just nice experiences, they’re a vital part of a child’s medical journey, shown to help build emotional strength and resilience. Importantly, all proceeds from this event will benefit wish kids in Marion County, making the impact truly local and meaningful,” Desmartin added.

“Make-A-Wish has granted numerous wishes for children and families right here in the Ocala area and throughout Marion County. The impact locally has been profound—from sending children on dream vacations to providing customized bedroom makeovers. These experiences not only uplift the children but bring hope and comfort to their families. Events like this ensure that we can continue to serve even more families in our own backyard,” she noted.

Raney’s Road to Wishes will include family-friendly activities, pony rides and a disc jockey. Food trucks will offer refreshments for sale. The main attraction will be custom-built show trucks from across the country and there also will be emergency vehicles like SWAT trucks, firetrucks, motorcycles and more. The winner of a best-of-the-best award will be given a spot in Raney’s calendar for 2026. Cash prizes will include:
• Kid’s Choice 1st Place: $3,000
• Kid’s Choice Runner Up: $1,000
• Lights Out: $750
• Super Shine: $750
• Best Theme: $750
• Best Interior: $750

To learn more and make donations, visit raneystruckparts.com/road-to-wishes and raneys.online/wish
For additional information about Make-A-Wish, contact Desmartin at [email protected] or (352) 328-3633, and at cnfl.wish.org