It’s that time of the year again – time for the Ginter Family Thanksgiving, now called the Dubuque Community Free Thanksgiving Dinner! Genny Ginter stopped in today to pick up the Community Support Truck and start preparations for the 57th Ginter Family Thanksgiving. They will be serving eighty-eight 25-pound turkeys to more than 2,000 people this year – including making deliveries to sick, shut-in, and elderly people in the community. The tradition was started by Genny’s late mother, Donna Ginter. “We were at 2,100 last year, so we are shooting for 2,200 people this year,” Genny said. “We start cooking the turkeys on Monday.” The sit-down dinner will be 12:30 p.m. on Thanksgiving – Thursday, Nov. 22 – at the Joliet Event Center, 781 Locust St. in Dubuque. Each year, Genny uses the Community Support Truck, a box [...]

It’s that time of year again … National Name Your Car Day. Do you have a name for your car?  If so, then what do you call your vehicle? If you are like most people, you refer to it as “Baby,” or some other two-syllable name beginning with a B. In honor of “National Name Your Car Day,” Cars.com surveyed drivers, finding 53 percent of American drivers who name their cars use a name starting with the letter B. Of those drivers who name their vehicle, 70 percent are men. * According to the survey, these are the top 10 most popular car names: 1. Baby 2. Betsy 3. Ruby 4. Betty 5. Beast 6. Max 7. Bertha 8. Pearl 9. Frank 10. Christine

Chevrolet’s Making Strides Against Breast Cancer campaign is back for the eighth year to help finish the fight against breast cancer! Runde Chevrolet is proud to once again participate in this important program. Who do you drive for? Join Chevrolet and #TeamRunde in the fight against breast cancer this October! For every post on Twitter or Instagram that uses the hashtag #IDriveFor October 1-31, Chevrolet Making Strides Against Breast Cancer will donate $5 to the American Cancer Society (up to $400,000)! PLUS, if you stop in to Runde Chevrolet and take a photo with our #IDriveFor sign, you will get a couple free PINK Runde koozies! Nearly $10 million has been contributed to the American Cancer Society since the start of this program in 2011.

Nate Elder:  Manager of the Runde Reconditioning Department   Some people collect photographs to remember specific moments in their lives. Nate Elder, reconditioning manager at Runde PreDriven, collects shoes. He has about 25 boxes of unopened shoes in his closet at home right now – some have been there for years. “Each one has a story and a memory attached to it,” Nate said. “I have a pair that I bought in 2003, that’s one of my older pairs.” He recently opened a pair of DC Pure XEs because he had worn out the DC Mikey Moes he had been wearing. Working in the PreDriven washrack area means his shoes get dirty and wet – so he is very aware of that when choosing shoes. “I went through the collection [...]

The all-new 2019 Chevy Silverado 1500 is HERE! One hundred years after the first Silverado was delivered in 1918, the next-generation Silverado was created with feedback from more than 7,000 customers on what they wanted in their next truck. “With the all-new Silverado, we’ve taken the best truck on the road and made it even better,” said Mark Reuss, General Motors executive vice president of Global Product Development, Purchasing and Supply Chain in a press release. “It has a longer wheelbase, more passenger and cargo volume, and yet, thanks to our mixed materials strategy and mass reduction expertise, the new truck is 450 pounds lighter than the current model.” The Silverado’s grille and headlights are completely refreshed, and Chevrolet is stamped across the truck’s rear bumper. The Z71 Crew Cab model features twin chrome tailpipes.

Dubuque non-profit Opening Doors aims to take care of women with no place to go while helping them to get them back on their feet. “Opening Doors’ story started in 2000 with a homeless woman on a park bench with no place to stay,” said Ann Lorenz, development and marketing director of Opening Doors. “Since that time, we have empowered over 3,300 women and children, teaching them life skills to help them build a brighter future for their families.” The Opening Doors Organization, which operates Teresa Shelter, Maria House, and the Francis Apartments, provides shelter and life and job skills training for women in the Tri-State area. Maria House provides transitional housing for residents up to two years, while Teresa Shelter offers short-term emergency shelter services and an [...]

Jim and Angie Mullen, of Mays Landing, New Jersey, flew in to pick up their 2017 Chevrolet Express 12-passenger van from Runde Chevrolet in East Dubuque! The couple worked with nine dealers in their area, but none had a van with the features they were looking for. “This van had all the options I wanted, which was basically all the options,” Jim said. “It had the locking differential, a cold weather package, and a six-way power seat, which comes in handy since Angie is a much shorter person than I am.” They appreciated transparent and understandable sales process of Runde Auto Group, along with the salesperson’s helpfulness along the way. “He was very easy to work with and even got us an [...]

Voices Productions has taken to the streets of Dubuque once again to add color and life to buildings around the city. Last year, the organization suspended its 11-year tradition of Millwork District gallery shows to embark on a public art project. The result was 18 large scale new murals in Dubuque.  See the 2017 murals here.   The group is setting out to complete nine more in 2018, bringing the total to 27.  So far two are in progress or completed: one on the Steve’s Ace Hardware building at 200 S. Locust St., and one at 1638 Central Ave. Many others are planned for Central Avenue. “The difference between this year is that property owners are reaching out to us, asking to participate in the mural initiative by requesting a mural on their wall and offering to pay for it,” said Sam Mulgrew, president of Humanities Iowa and one of the five directors of Voices Productions. [...]

Please join us in welcoming Brian Oswald to the sales staff at Runde Chevrolet Buick GMC in Platteville! Brian recently moved from Cuba City to Platteville.  He previously worked in the mortgage industry. “I have always wanted to sell cars and trucks,” he said. “You get to meet a lot of people and I have always heard Runde’s has a great reputation.” He is excited to sell from Runde Auto Group’s inventory of more than 1,650 vehicles. “I have always tried to make sure the customer has a positive experience and I pride myself on delivering great customer service, which means helping people meet their needs in a way that is efficient, pleasant, and informative,” he said. In his spare time, Brian enjoys coaching basketball, playing tennis, watching all [...]

Chevrolet is bringing back the much-loved Blazer, but with a dramatically different look. “The Blazer has attitude,” says John Cafaro, executive director of Global Chevrolet Design, in a press release. “It looks commanding on the road, while fulfilling the promise of versatility at the heart of every Chevy crossover and SUV.” The five-passenger Blazer is larger than the Equinox and smaller than the Traverse, offering consumers a mid-size choice in Chevrolet SUVs. Offered in models ranging from sporty RS to upper-level Premier, the vehicle will offer unique design elements on each model to appeal to a variety of drivers. “The [...]

We are pleased to announce that Rick Petitgout has joined the sales staff at Runde Chevrolet in East Dubuque! Rick has been in the automotive industry for 17 years and has been selling vehicles for 14 years. “It is not a car buying experience, it is a relationship-building experience,” he says. “I’m excited to be a part of Runde Auto Group and am looking forward to many, many, many years of building successful relationships.” Originally from East Dubuque, Rick lives in Asbury with his wife Marjorie, his four-year-old daughter Ariana, and their two miniature dachshunds. In his free time, Rick enjoys golfing, cheering on Notre Dame football, the Chicago Cubs, and the San Francisco 49ers. “I’m also a self-proclaimed chef on my Big Green Egg grill,” he says. Rick, whose nickname [...]

The all-new 2019 Buick Envision has arrived at Runde Chevrolet Buick GMC in Platteville, WI. The re-designed luxury SUV has a new grille, sculpted front and rear, and new wheel choices. “Some of the 2019 Envision’s most notable changes are the results of listening to our customers,” said Elizabeth Pilibosian, chief Envision engineer, in a press release. “Beneath the updated exterior are a number of changes guided by a goal of offering the most refined and pleasant driving experience possible.” One of those customer-guided changes is a stop/start deactivation switch on the instrument panel. This allows the driver to choose whether to use the stop/start function. Small tweaks throughout the vehicle make for a better driver experience: the seat heating system warms up more [...]

Our Ford Drive 4 UR School test drive event on Friday raised more than $5,000 for the West Delaware Athletic Booster Club! The event, held at the Beckman Sports Complex in Manchester, saw more than 250 test drives of new Ford vehicles. For each test drive, Ford donated $20. “It was hosted during a softball tournament so we had a great turnout for the Ford Drive 4 UR School event,” said Aaron Young, sales manager at Runde Ford Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram in Manchester. “It will be a very positive boost for the community.” Thank you to everyone who test drove a vehicle! 

The Dubuque Symphony Orchestra is trying something new this year: the Ultimate Country Hits Concert! Set for 8 p.m. on Saturday, May 19, the concert will feature local bands and the Dubuque Symphony Orchestra playing a variety of country music, from classic legends to contemporary to folk and bluegrass. It will be held at the Mississippi Moon Bar at Diamond Jo Casino. While tickets for the main floor, tables and mezzanine seating are sold out, there are still standing mezzanine tickets and general admission tickets available. Buy tickets here.   Runde Auto Group is proud to be the exclusive sponsor of this unique Dubuque Symphony Orchestra event! Performers include: Joie Booth, Joie Wails Band Caitlyn Wolfe Noah Kachelski, Caitlyn Wolfe Band Elizabeth Kane, Elizabeth Mary Nicole Miller – Crazy Delicious [...]

Runde Auto Group is a proud sponsor of College for Kids and Middle University, July 9-12 at the University of Wisconsin-Platteville! Started in 1982, the program offers regional students the opportunity to take hands-on classes created just for them at the UW-Platteville campus. Last year the program had a record number of students in attendance — almost 200 — and this year’s registrations are on pace to exceed that. “College for Kids and Middle University is a well-known program at UW-Platteville that continues to serve kindergarten through seventh grade students,” said Nicole Osborn, Education and Training Coordinator at the Office of Continuing Education at UW Platteville. “2018 is no different and projected to set records with our new and exciting session options for students that explore engineering, coding, robotics, health/wellness, [...]

St. Stephen’s Food Bank will have an easier time distributing food after getting a new 2017 Chevrolet Silverado 3500 refrigerated cube truck from salesperson Jacob Puls at Runde Chevrolet today! The vehicle is replacing their 2002 box truck that had a failing refrigeration unit. “The parts for it aren’t made anymore, so every time something happened, they had to find used parts,” said Kathy Hutton, executive director of St. Stephen’s Food Bank. “Last time, it took 12 weeks.” Twelve weeks is too long to wait when the truck has important work to do. The truck helps the nonprofit pick up food donations that they distribute to over 100 partner agencies. St. Stephen’s Food Bank distributed 1.8 million pounds of food in 2017 — up 20 percent from [...]

https://www.run4troops.com/video/course-loop.mp4 Runde Auto Group is proud to once again be a major sponsor of Run4Troops! This point-to-point, chip-timed Boston qualifying race runs from Dyersville to Dubuque on the scenic Heritage Trail. Proceeds from Run4Troops directly support tri-state military, past, present, and future. This year is the 10th anniversary of the event! “This year is number 10, so there is a lot to celebrate,” said race director Connie Hodge. “Our mission is stronger than ever – We support our local military – past, present, & future.” Over the years, they have raised over $125,000 to help military families. More than 5,000 runners have participated in the event from 44 states and nine countries! Proceeds are donated to organizations including the Veteran’s Freedom Center, University of Dubuque ROTC, National Guard, University of Dubuque Veterans [...]

Runde Auto Group is proud to be a driving force behind the Julien Dubuque International Film Festival. The 2018 festival is set for April 26-29 in downtown Dubuque. All films are FREE on Runde Free Day, Thursday, April 26. See you at the fest! The Wisconsin Center for Investigative Journalism’s film Los Lecheros will be featured with a special screening at the Julien Dubuque International Film Festival.  The film will be shown at 12:30 p.m. on Saturday, April 28 at the Dubuque Museum of Art. Before the film at noon, there will be a chance for mingling with complimentary hors d’oeuvres and a cash bar. The event is free.

Runde Auto Group is proud to be a driving force behind the Julien Dubuque International Film Festival. The 2018 festival is set for April 26-29 in downtown Dubuque. All films are free on Runde Free Day, Thursday, April 26. See you at the fest! A red carpet screening of the film High & Outside: A Baseball Noir, starring Ernie Hudson, Phil Donlon, and Geoffrey Lewis will close the seventh annual Julien Dubuque International Film Festival. The event will be held at 6:30 p.m. on Sunday, April 29, at Phoenix Theatres, 555 John F. Kennedy Rd. Tickets are $10 per person. High & Outside director Evald Johnson and lead actor Phil Donlon will be in attendance to discuss the film and answer audience questions following the screening. “Events like this are what make [...]

Chevrolet’s car lineup is getting a face lift for 2019. The Malibu and Spark will feature more sporty styling, enhanced features, and a wider variety of choices on trims, packages, and models. “We are committed to offering consumers a full lineup of products with fresh designs, new technologies and efficient powertrain options,” said Brian Sweeney, U.S. Vice President of Chevrolet, in a press release. “The investments we have made in Spark and Malibu will help position the brand for success in competitive segments that still make up a significant part of the total industry.” All three vehicles will include Chevy’s signature lighting on the front and back. The front ends are re-designed, but the vehicles still have their athletic body sides. “The re-styled face of Chevy cars for 2019 is characterized by a family-like appearance, with each model honoring its [...]

Runde Auto Group is proud to be a driving force behind the Julien Dubuque International Film Festival. The 2018 festival is set for April 26-29 in downtown Dubuque. All films are free on Runde Free Day, Thursday, April 26. See you at the fest! SUPERCON, a Sony film that will soon make its limited theatrical release, will be featured during a special screening at the seventh annual Julien Dubuque International Film Festival. The event is set for 6:30 p.m. on Friday, April 27, at Five Flags Theater, 405 Main St. Doors open at 5:30 p.m. and the cost is $10. The 98-minute comedy stars Maggie Grace (Taken, Twilight: Breaking Dawn, The Scent of Rain & Lightening) Ryan Kwanten (True Blood, The Right Kind of Wrong, Legends of the Guardian), [...]

Runde Auto Group is proud to be a driving force behind the Julien Film Festival. The 2018 festival is set for April 26-29 in downtown Dubuque. All films are frhttps://julienfilmfest.com/ee on Runde Free Day, Thursday, April 26. See you at the fest! The Julien Film Festival will bring together several women in the entertainment industry for a panel to discuss their experiences. The free event will be held at 10 a.m. on Saturday, April 28, in the Hotel Julien ballroom. “The entertainment industry is still a male-dominated field, so it is refreshing to hear perspectives from women involved in the business,” said Susan Gorrell, executive director of the Julien Film Festival. “We hope this panel will provide an interesting look at the industry and help to encourage women to get involved in filmmaking.”   Panelists include: Jenelle Riley, Deputy Awards and Features Editor at Variety Magazine, and two-time Emmy Award-winner for her role as host [...]

Runde Auto Group is proud to be a driving force behind the Julien Film Fest. The seventh annual festival is set for April 26-29, 2018 in downtown Dubuque. All films are free on Runde Free Day, Thursday, April 26. See you at the fest! The Julien Film Fest has announced 115 films were chosen as Official Selections and will be screened at the seventh annual festival, April 26-29 in downtown Dubuque. More than 700 features, shorts, and documentaries were submitted from over 40 countries. “We have a large team of film reviewers who spend months watching submissions,” said Susan Gorrell, executive director of the film festival. “We are astounded at the quality of the films that are submitted to our festival and we can’t wait to share them with everyone.” The four-day festival will include seven World Premieres and four U.S. Premieres. Filmmakers from all over the United States and countries including Czech Republic, Germany, [...]

GMC recently revealed the first-ever GMC Sierra AT4! While it is an off-road capable vehicle, the AT4 still has the refinement and technologies GMC is known for, making it ideal for both the open road and an off-road adventure. “The AT4 brings new levels of refinement and innovative technology — a formula that no one else in the industry currently delivers,” said Alan Batey, EVP and President of GM North America, in the vehicle’s reveal video. The exterior of the vehicle is based on the next generation 2019 GMC Sierra, with tweaks including body color front and rear bumpers and grille surround, black chrome throughout, high gloss black finish on the window trim and mirror caps, and a few touches of red to complete the look.

The all-new 2019 Ram 1500 recently rolled onto the lot at Runde Ford Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram in Manchester! The most notable difference at first glance is the truck’s grille, which is larger and more aggressive. There are six different grille styles to choose from. The truck itself is lighter — it weighs nearly 225 pounds less than the previous model — but stronger, with an increased payload of 2,300 pounds, and maximum trailer tow of 12,750 pounds. “The all-new 2019 Ram 1500 delivers a non-compromise approach to the full-size truck segment with strength, durability, technology, and efficiency,” said Mike Manley, head of Ram brand, in a press release. “The Ram 1500 stands out as the benchmark in a very competitive market.”