NABC® Members Travelers and Gerber Collision & Glass Donate a Refurbished Car to a Nashville Gold Star Family in Need through the NABC Recycled Rides® Program

The NABC Recycled Rides® Presentation Took Place July 30 in Nashville

MEDIA NOTE: Photos from the NABC Recycled Rides® presentation are available HERE.

PORT CHARLOTTE, FL (August 2, 2024) – The family of a fallen U.S. Army soldier experienced a life-changing event–the presentation of a vehicle to provide them independence and mobility–thanks to the National Auto Body Council Recycled Rides® program along with car donor Travelers and repair partner Gerber Collision & Glass.

NABC®, Travelers and Gerber Collision & Glass-Nashville/Donelson presented a fully refurbished 2019 Hyundai Elantra SE to Seana Arrechaga on July 30.

U.S. Army Sergeant First Class Ofren Arrechaga was killed while serving his country on March 29, 2011, in Kunar Province, Afghanistan, leaving behind his wife Seana, his son Alston, who had turned three years old the day before, and Alston’s 21-year-old stepsister. Ofren’s last words to his son were, “Happy Birthday, Buddy. I love you.”

Ofren was born in Havana, Cuba; his family came to the U.S. when he was 14 and he enlisted in the U.S. Army in February of 2001. Ofren became a U.S. citizen during his third combat tour to Iraq. The family, including stepdaughter Tristian, now receives survivor benefits, but those payments will decrease soon when her son becomes 16, just when transportation becomes more important to the family. Alston plays the upright bass, viola, violin, guitar, keyboard, flute, xylophone, snare drum and a ukulele that Ofren brought home from Iraq.

Not only will the NABC Recycled Rides® vehicle donation be vital in getting Alston to his activities, but it will also mean that Seana can go to college, something she has been putting off for years.

“As a solo parent, I had to devote myself to my son, and now, it’s my turn,” said Seana. “That sounds selfish, but it’s not.  With this incredible donation, we can make it work so that Alston can gety to his extracurricular activities and I can to purse my college degree in public relations management.”  

NABC Recycled Rides® is a unique program in which businesses representing all facets of the collision repair industry team up to repair and donate vehicles to individuals and families in need of reliable transportation. Since the inception of the NABC Recycled Rides® program in 2007, members of the National Auto Body Council® have donated more than 3,300 vehicles valued at some $47 million.

“For us to get to be part of the story and to see the results of our work is amazing,” said Brent Pendergrast, general manager of the Gerber Collision shop that fully refurbished the vehicle. “This was the chance to do something bigger than ourselves, and it won’t be the last time we participate in NABC Recycled Rides®.”

Additional partners in the NABC Recycled Rides® presentation included Cars for Charity, Advanced Remarketing Services, Copart and Enterprise.

ABOUT THE NATIONAL AUTO BODY COUNCIL®

The National Auto Body Council® is the premier organization of collision industry partners dedicated to strategic networking opportunities that positively change lives in the communities we serve. The collaborative membership of the National Auto Body Council® has gifted more than 3,300 vehicles and provided extrication opportunities for some 5,500 First Responders in communities around the country through NABC Recycled Rides®, NABC First Responder Emergency Extrication (F.R.E.E.™) and the NABC® Community Impact program. That effort equates to a 4:1 ROI in dollar value delivered from NABC® membership dollars. The NABC Changing and Saving Lives Foundation, a 501c3 organization, is committed to the goal of driving change for veterans, military members, first responders and families in need, while harnessing the power of the collective membership of the collision repair industry to positively impact communities where we live and work. As demand for NABC® programs like NABC Recycled Rides® and NABC F.R.E.E.™ grows, so do the needs for resources to manage these important programs. Being able to pursue grants, gifts and donations allows NABC to expand these programs to serve those in need and help communities where we live and work. For more information, visit www.NationalautoBodyCouncil.org.