When Bryan Benson got into an argument with a friend about who makes the best wings in Pittsburgh , he never dreamed it would lead to an annual charity fundraiser that attracts hundreds .
Benson , of Moon Township , says Big Shot Bob ’ s has the best wings while his friend prefers Sidelines in Sewickley . Both men are also passionate about classic cars , so Benson decided to combine their interests by organizing the first Wheels , Wings and Wishes event in 2015 . This year the event will take place on July 30 from noon to 6 p . m . at The Hangar in Moon Township . The first year , Benson asked friends and family to bring their classic cars and a plate of their favorite wings to a pavilion at Settlers Cabin Park . There were 20 classic cars with 100 people in attendance . The event raised $ 3,300 for the Make-A-Wish Foundation through donations and an auction . Two Wish recipients attended the fundraiser : 17-year-old Enrico brought his customized green Ford truck to the show , and Benson asked car owners to let 5-yearold Nick ride in their vehicles . His favorite was a Volkswagen dune buggy . “ He was out on the road all day ,” Benson laughs .
Typically , car owners who bring their vehicles to a show are fastidious and don ’ t want anyone touching the cars , but Benson asks participants to let the Wish recipients ride in their vehicles to get them interested in classic cars .
“ A lot of kids are not interested in cars , but if we let kids go for rides in them , they can see what classic cars are all about ,” he says .
Wheels , Wings and Wishes also gives children who have faced adversity a positive memory . “ It ’ s good to do something for somebody else ,” Benson adds .
He has always been interested in classic cars . Besides working for Moon Township Parks and Recreation , Benson restores classic Corvettes and owns a 1980 model . He loves the Corvette ’ s body style and the camaraderie of classic car hobbyists . “ It ’ s a real tight-knit community ,” he notes .
For that first event , attendees brought dozens of samples of their favorite wings . Benson believes the Napoleon Dynamite wings from Big Shot Bob ’ s are the best . Some recipes are unique , including one that uses Cap ’ n Crunch cereal as the breading . Ultimately , the question of which wings are the best has not been settled . “ Everybody has their own opinion ,” Benson says .
In 2016 , Benson opened Wheels , Wings and Wishes to the public and held it at The Hangar , which supplied wings to 400 hungry attendees . There were more than 100 classic cars and the event raised $ 10,000 . Nick and Enrico returned and there was also live music .
This year , Benson hopes 500 will attend and aims to raise $ 15,000 . Limited space means there will only be room for about
“ A lot of kids are not interested in cars . But if we let kids go for rides in them , they can see what classic cars are all about .”
100 cars again this year , and spots will be available on a first-come , first-served basis .
Benson never expected Wheels , Wings and Wishes to become so popular . He ’ s looking for volunteers and donors to support the event and hopes to expand it in the future . Although it takes a lot of planning , Benson will continue to host , noting , “ When you see the kids smiling , it makes every bit of hard work worth it .” n
Bryan Benson , Make-A-Wish recipient Enrico Mucci and Bobby Brown . Madelynn and Mason Sieracki .
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