Last modified: Friday, June 12, 2009 2:17 PM EDT Patriots' Adalius Thomas gets up a head of steam at camp. (Photo by Keith Nordstrom) Thomas fundraiser planned for Sunday BY MARK FARINELLA / SUN CHRONICLE STAFF FOXBORO - Adalius Thomas has a sweet ride, a well-preserved 1967 Ford Mustang that he just loves to show off from time to time. This Sunday in Rehoboth, the Patriots' outside linebacker will get a chance to do exactly that, and raise money for worthy causes at the same time. Thomas, looking fit and feisty on the practice field this week at Gillette Stadium, is sponsoring the first annual "Adalius Thomas Humble Pie Run & Ride" at Francis Farm, an all-day event for the benefit of his own charitable foundation and other local charities. The event Thomas envisions is not your every-day fundraiser. Where many of his peers often play host to golf tournaments or other athletic pursuits to raise money for their favorite charities, Thomas said he wanted to take a different tack. "We thought of doing something that was totally different," Thomas said Thursday after the Patriots' minicamp practice. "We talked about doing something that required no athletic ability. I have an old-school car, and we decided to do an old-school car show with some of the players bringing their cars out. "A lot of people we know bring their cars on Thursdays to the parking lot at the Bass Pro Shops, so there are a lot of people around here that have a lot of love for cars," he said. "So we're trying to tap into that. Nobody ever does anything like that, that didn't require athletic ability like softball or golf." Included in the event is a motorcycle ride that will begin at 10:15 a.m. Sunday from Precision Harley-Davidson in Pawtucket and end at Francis Farm (151 County St., Rehoboth). At the same time, local individuals wishing to include their classic cars in the festivities can arrive at Francis Farm between 9 and 11 a.m. for the show that will be open to the public until 5 p.m. ($20 admission, children 12 and under free when accompanied by an adult). "The kids will have some fun things like face-painting, horseshoes, bocce ball a lot of different things where they can come out on Sunday after church," Thomas said. "Everyone can see some nice cars, get some autographs from the guys we'll have a live band, so I think it will be a fun event, something that's totally different." Francis Farm is famous for its family-style clambakes, and those willing to pony up $125 per ticket can partake in what Thomas calls "a VIP clam and lobster bake" starting with a social hour at 5 p.m. It's all to benefit the Adalius Thomas Foundation, which has distributed funding to several New England community outreach projects. This event will benefit Mass Mentoring, an organization dedicated to strategically expanding quality youth mentoring in Massachusetts. "My foundation does numerous things," Thomas said. "We've done Project Go out of Providence; Mass Mentoring, which is what this is supporting; we've done the Dorchester Community Center we've done an array of things for the New England area, not just one foundation. We do a lot of things that deal with kids - education, drug awareness, bullying - it's always something dealing with kids in the area." On the football field, Thomas appears to have made a compete comeback from the broken right forearm he suffered in the Patriots' 20-10 victory over the Buffalo Bills at Gillette Stadium last Nov. 9. "The arm feels good," he said Thursday. "Everything feels good. We're just doing what we can to get out there and get ready to compete." There will be some changes in the ranks next to Thomas, a 10th-year veteran entering his third season with the Patriots. With the departure of Mike Vrabel to Kansas City and the likelihood that the Patriots' younger linebackers will begin to get more playing time, Thomas will have to acclimate himself to the new faces over the next several weeks. "It's like that every year," he said. "Every year it's the same thing, you always have a few old faces leave and new faces come in. It's typical. Other guys will step up and fill their shoes." That's what minicamp and training camp are for, he added. "It's just a matter of getting your assignments down, learning where you fit - run, pass, and learning where the guy next to you fits," he said. After several weeks of offseason training, OTAs and minicamp practices, however, Thomas will enter a period of rest with a special event that he hopes will become an annual favorite. And, he assured everyone that it's not just something that bears his name, but in which he won't be participating personally. "People were wondering if I was going to be there, but yes, I'm going to be there," he said. ON THE WEB: For more information on Adalius Thomas' Humble Pie Run & Ride, go to adalius96.com.