The third annual REFUEL event put on by Dealer Inspire brought inspirational speakers to the stage to rejuvenate the crowd.
Inspiring Speakers
“The greatest export in the history of the United States is the American Dream. And this ideal that there is a place where you can do or be anything,” said Chris Gardner, the inspiration for the film “The Pursuit of Happyness” and a speaker at this year’s event.
National speakers like Gardner were joined by local leaders like Nicki Anderson, former President and CEO of the Naperville Area Chamber of Commerce.
Dealer Inspire’s CEO Joe Chura started the event after hearing a speaker in 2015 who motivated him to run the Chicago Marathon.
“I thought if hearing the words of someone could motivate me to change my life, why not try to bring speakers in to motivate my team in different ways, because people take inspiration and motivation in many different ways,” said Chura.
The More, the Merrier
The original 2017 REFUEL event was initially planned just for employees of Chura’s businesses, but extra seating at the Yellow Box Auditorium allowed them to open it up to the public, to get that refueled feeling.
“When you come here, that’s what this is all about,” said Anderson. “You get this energy, not only from the speakers, but even from the people that are here. And that energy inspires you, and it’s not just a day that it lasts, it stayed with me. I was inspired to be a speaker here, simply because of what I experienced last year.”
On top of the benefits to the attendees, ticket sales benefitted Loaves & Fishes.
Naperville News 17’s Casey Krajewski reports.
