Blog

Markquart Toyota and the Keeping Kids Safe Project invite you to a free community and safety fair on Saturday, September 16 th from 10am-4pm. The Keeping Kids Safe Project is one of the top child safety programs in the country. Their programs are designed to bring communities together and raise awareness on how to keep children safe if an emergency should ever arise. Events are always free for families thanks to the local businesses in the communities they are held in. The program offers FBI quality digital fingerprinting for families. The purpose of this is to provide parents resources to give authorities in the case of an emergency. Many children are reported missing in the US each year. Some are found within minutes or hours, but all law enforcement officials agree that time is critical in the recovery of a missing child. A major source of wasted time comes from gathering of resources like fingerprints and statistical information and photographs. At the Keeping Kids Safe Project event your family can acquire a pre-made record so that if there is ever an emergency you will already have a collection of needed resources. The Keeping Kids Safe Project also strives to focus on educating families about how to protect themselves. By providing valuable information to discuss and practice with children, they are helping families be as prepared as possible if they are in a potentially harmful information. The records collected during the event are meant to be helpful in case of an emergency, but the overall goal is to provide information that will make it so that parents should never have to use the records. For our event in the Chippewa Valley, the Keeping Kids Safe Project is working with the Chippewa County Sheriff’s Department, Operation Lifesaver and the United Way of the Greater Chippewa Valley in addition to Markquart Toyota. This event is completely free to the public and will be hosted at our dealership, located conveniently between Eau Claire and Chippewa Falls, just off of US 53.

At Markquart Toyota we know how busy your day-to-day life is and we want to make servicing your vehicle as convenient as possible. Whether you are looking to get the most out of your ToyotaCare or need another issue diagnosed, we are ready to help you. In order to get your vehicle in and out, safe and ready for the road, we offer online appointment scheduling. It’s easy, just use our online appointment scheduling tool accessible here. If you are already on our website, www.markquarttoyota.com, you can hover over the tab labeled ‘SERVICE & PARTS.’ A drop-down menu will appear and you will see a short list of options available. Click on the second item on the list labeled ‘Schedule Service Appt.’ You will now be looking at our online scheduling tool. If you have scheduled an appointment with us online in the past you can sign in using your login. If you have visited our service department before you can click on the ‘Find Me’ box and enter your phone number. For new customers, you will click on the box indicating ‘I’m New Here’. Next, you will enter in some of your basic vehicle information. You will then select what kind of services and repairs you are looking to have done on your vehicle. The next step will bring you to a calendar. Simply select the time that works best for you. You can also book a shuttle if you need to leave while your vehicle is being serviced. Finally, you will enter in your contact information and book your appointment. It is really as simple as that. So, the next time you are looking to have your vehicle serviced visit us at Markquart Toyota where you will experience extraordinary customer service. We are located conveniently between Eau Claire and Chippewa Falls, just off US 53. SCHEDULE AN APPOINTMENT

Markquart is giving back to the community we call home. From November 14 to Christmas, Markquart donated $100 for every vehicle sold to support local organizations that serve those who need it most in our community, with a goal of reaching $50,000. We are happy to announce that we met that goal! The $50,000 will be split between four Chippewa Valley organizations: Boys & Girls Club of the Greater Chippewa Valley, Feed My People Food Bank, Chippewa Valley Free Clinic, and The Open Door Clinic, Inc.  “Markquart has been blessed by the support of a great community and we want to give back by helping local organizations who are serving those who need it most.” – John Markquart We want to thank you for your help in reaching this goal, we couldn’t have done it without you.  We hope to continue the Markquart Gives Back tradition for years to come.

30 years can fly by in this industry. Just ask Pete Taylor. In January 1987, Pete was fresh out of college, having just graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire. He knew he wanted to be in sales, but he didn’t know his path would lead him to Markquart. After seeing a job post looking for a product specialist, Pete decided to apply, and the rest, as they say, is history. The past 30 years certainly haven’t been dull for Pete. He moved from the Chevy store to the Toyota one, and became the Inventory Manager. Pete has stayed at Markquart for the past 30 years for three reasons. The first is the Markquart family, who he says have been a great family to work for. The second is his coworkers, who have become more like friends. And finally, the customers. According to Pete, there is nothing better than seeing a customer satisfied with a purchase and the experience. There are even some customers who have been coming back to him since he first started. These three things have been the best part of Pete’s 30 years here. When he’s not at Markquart, you can find Pete outside. Like any quintessential outdoorsman, hunting and fishing are among his favorite activities. Thank you for the past 30 years, Pete. We look forward to even more anniversaries!

Rescuing food before it is wasted and distributing it to people in our community who struggle to put food on the table. Markquart Gives Back is supporting local organizations who are servings those who need it most.  One of those amazing organizations is the Feed My People Food Bank.  Every day people in the Chippewa Valley go hungry. In fact, one in nine people in west-central Wisconsin are food insecure, including one in five children. And nearly 70,000 people in west-central Wisconsin rely on food from programs supplied by Feed My People. Feed My People bridges the gap between food manufacturers and hunger-relief organizations (food pantries, community meal sites, & shelter). They are equipped with a large warehouse and six refrigerated trucks, which help them distribute food to more than 120 hunger-relief organizations. They also provide weekend kids’ meals to about 2,100 local students who may struggle with hunger when school meals are not available, and assist Meals on Wheels with distributing food boxes to individuals who are homebound. Feed My People is so successful due to the kindness of the surrounding communities. Local farmers, retailers, and companies donate food and products every year, and individuals in the community help by donating their time and money. “Every $1 donated equals $10 worth of food,” according to Assistant Director Suzanne Becker. Many of the day-to-day operations are run by volunteers. If you are interested in learning more about volunteering or donating please visit their website.

Markquart has been blessed by the support of a great community, and now we want to give back by helping organizations that serve those who need it most. So, from November 14 until Christmas, Markquart Motors and Markquart Toyota are donating $100 for every new and used vehicle we sell. We have a goal of $50,000, and the money will support the following organizations: The Boys and Girls Club of the Greater Chippewa Valley Providing a safe, positive and productive place for youth to go after school and during school breaks. Feed My People Food Bank Rescuing food before it is wasted & distributing it to people in our community who struggle with hunger. Chippewa Valley Free Clinic & Open Door Clinic Providing basic health services to members in our community with no reasonable health care alternative. With your help we hope to raise over $50,000!

Earn that extra hour of sleep with the Fall Back Blast! Markquart Toyota will be sponsoring the third annual Fall Back Blast Trail Run, where we will be giving away a Fitbit Blaze, Fitbit’s new fitness watch that is as stylish as it is smart. The Fall Back Blast Trail Run is a fun and challenging race that’s complete with roots, rocks, and plenty of pine trees. Runners will also find a good mix of single track and ski trails, and even some short, punchy climbs. Distance options include a 12.5K, 25K, and 50K. Runners can also opt for the brand-new relay option, and join a team of two or four for the 50K. Enjoy some post-race refreshments and snacks, including bacon. And be sure to check us out and enter to win the Fitbit Blaze. We’ll be located near the Drop Bag Zone, where we’ll be cheering on all of the runners. Register now for the Fall Back Blast Trail Run, and don’t forget to visit Markquart Toyota once you complete the race for your chance to win a brand new Fitbit Blaze! Register for the Fall Back Blast

The changing of leaves and crisp autumn air are quickly approaching, which means fall and winter sport seasons are just around the corner. As a way to give back to our community and support college athletics, over the next few months, Markquart Toyota will be giving away tickets for various Minnesota Gopher sporting events. Get a chance to attend women’s basketball, hockey, and volleyball games, or cheer on the men’s football, basketball, and hockey teams.* Ticket giveaways will be in pairs or fours, so you can be sure your friends, family, or teammates can attend. If you need a donation for a benefit event or would like to take a local sports team to a game, please let us know! We would be happy to donate a select number of tickets to certain causes. Contact Amy, Marketing Manager, at 715.833.0444 with inquiries. Keep an eye out on our Facebook for giveaways for a chance to win. Go Gophers! *Games against the Wisconsin Badgers are excluded.

Before starting his automotive career, Chuck was a Milk Tester - he tended to 97 herds in Buffalo County. Then, about 20 years ago, Chuck decided he wanted a different career, so he applied at Markquart, and eventually got the job! His favorite part about being a Product Specialist is meeting new people. His advice for anyone looking to join the automotive industry is to be kind. His goal is to make people laugh or smile when he’s first getting to know them, because it helps them trust him. When people are comfortable around him, he can better help them find the perfect vehicle! He also enjoys building relationships with his customers, and appreciates being able to help different generations of car buyers. When asked what has made him stay for 20 years, Chuck said flexibility. His days are never the same, and it’s nice that he can set his own appointments! When not at Markquart, Chuck and his family are running their registered dairy farm! They have a herd of Jersey cows that produce milk, which gets sold to a creamery in Elsworth, WI. He and his wife, Brenda, have been married for over 30 years and have two daughters ages 12 and 22, which keeps Chuck pretty busy! The family also has a 2-year-old dog named Maggie that they adore. Thank you for the past 20 years, Chuck! We look forward to many more!

From November 12, 2015 to Christmas 2015, Markquart Motors and Markquart Toyota donated $100 for every new and used vehicle sold as part of Markquart Gives Back. This initiative aims to give back to the community that Markquart calls home. The $50,000 will be split between four Chippewa Valley organizations that make a difference in our community members’ lives every day – Boys & Girls Clubs of the Greater Chippewa Valley, Feed My People Food Bank, Chippewa Valley Free Clinic of Eau Claire, and the Open Door Clinic of Chippewa Falls. In order to encourage participation, people were able to follow the progress of Markquart Gives Back on markquart.com/givesback, as well as learn more about the individual organizations. Included in each of the vehicles sold was a Markquart Gives Back ornament, and a booklet explaining the initiative and each of the organizations’ missions. “We wanted our customers to be informed about these local organizations and the amazing work they do for our community,” said Amy Dachel, Marketing Manager for both Markquart Motors and Markquart Toyota. If you purchased a vehicle during the Markquart Gives Back time frame, but didn’t receive an ornament, they can be picked up from Markquart Motors during business hours. Markquart hopes to continue Markquart Gives Back as an annual tradition.

The Chippewa Valley Free Clinic in Eau Claire and the Open Door Clinic of Chippewa Falls provide basic health services to members of our community with no reasonable health care alternative. Since their openings, each clinic has seen the number of patients grow drastically year over year. They provide these patients with everything from exams and lab testing, to x-rays and specialty care. Both clinics offer these services at no cost to the patients and aim to take the financial burden off people, so they don’t have to choose between putting dinner on the table and getting their health care needs met. Each clinic also strives to promote ideal health and prevent illness, disease, and disability within the Chippewa Valley. Aside from basic health care, the clinics also offer assistance to those needing to sign up for marketplace insurance. For people with health care needs that can’t be met by the clinic, they are redirected to other resources in the Chippewa Valley. Volunteers and donations from the public are what keeps both of these clinics running. Please visit their websites if you are interested in donating your time, talents, or money! >> Chippewa Valley Free Clinic Website << >> Open Door Clinic Website <<

Markquart Toyota wants to help get the word out about your event! This can include sporting events, fundraisers, concerts, and more. If it’s an event open to the public, we’d like to share it on our website, Facebook, Twitter, and Google+ profiles! Events can be held anywhere in the Chippewa Valley and should be family friendly. Simply submit your event to adachel@markquart.com at least three days prior with the following information. Subject Line: Name of the Event Date & time A short description A way to get more information: website or contact info Cost to enter A high-quality photo is requested for each event From there, we will verify your event is appropriate to share, then schedule it to be posted on our social media channels. We have followers from all over west-central Wisconsin including Eau Claire, Chippewa Falls, Menomonie, Rice Lake, and more! So, if you want to raise more awareness for your fundraiser, concert, community walk, or any other event, submit it to Markquart today! >>Submit Your Event<<