NABC® Partners with Pocono Raceway and Members GEICO and Faulkner Collision Center to Donate Refurbished Vehicles to Two Pennsylvania Veterans in Need Through the NABC Recycled Rides® Program

Car Presentation to Recipients Held July 13 at Pocono Raceway

Photos of the presentation available here: https://nabcmission.box.com/s/fm3piez1b4s8oygdxl9l6thyf7m1n0wb

LONG POND, PA  (July 14, 2024) – For veterans Lucas Somishka and Rick Kosuck, Saturday wasn’t just a day at the track, it was a life-changing event that provided them the gift of reliable transportation and a “thank you” from a cheering crowd for their service.

Both Somishka and Kosuck, selected for the NABC Recycled Rides® program through the Pocono Raceway Military Affairs Program and Valor Clinic, faced hardships after their service and have overcome many challenges on their path to independence, in large part through support and coaching from both organizations.

Thanks to the National Auto Body Council Recycled Rides® program along with car donor GEICO and collision repair partner Faulkner Collision Center of Bethlehem, Penn., along with Enterprise, they took a major step with the gift of the vehicles. The car presentations took place on Saturday of the NASCAR Weekend at Pocono Raceway, shortly before the day’s featured event, the Explore The Pocono Mountains 225 NASCAR Xfinity Series Race. The event is made possible through partnership with the Pocono Raceway and the Pocono Military Support Initiative.

NABC®, GEICO and Faulkner Collision Center presented a beautifully refurbished 2018 Jeep Cherokee  Latitude Plus to deserving veteran Richard Kozuck, who served in the U.S. Army from 1969 to 1975. He lives in a rural area without public transportation which makes it challenging to get to doctor appointments, run errands or grocery shop. Due to numerous family medical problems and the associated medical bills, Kozuck experienced financial setbacks that led to him losing his home in 2015. He and his wife took care of both of their children until his wife passed away in 2017. In 2021, he was injured in a fall that resulted in a year and a half in rehab and recovery. This reliable vehicle from NABC Recycled Rides® will ease financial burden and help Kozuck regain his independence and mobility.

“I can’t believe this, it’s really a beautiful car and will make such a difference for me,” said Kozuck. “It’s hard to get to work or see my family without transportation so this is incredible. My first great-grandchild will be born in soon and I can’t wait to go see them.”

NABC®, GEICO and Faulkner Collision Center also presented a completely refurbished 2017 Hyundai Tucson to deserving veteran Lucas Somishka, a U.S. Marine Corps veteran who served in the middle east from 2005 to 2010. He did two tours during Operation Iraq Freedom and one during Operation Enduring Freedom. He also lives in a rural area of Pennsylvania where there is no public transportation. He is a carpenter by trade, so while he is trying to rebuild his life, it is nearly impossible without a vehicle to enable him to commute to jobsites with his tools. A reliable vehicle allows him to find more jobs and increase his earnings.

“I’m at a loss for words. This really is overwhelming to receive something like this,” said Somishka. “All I can say is ‘thank you’ to everyone involved for making this possible.”

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.

Additional partners in the NABC Recycled Rides® presentation include Faulkner Chrysler Jeep, Faulkner Subaru, Dave & Wayne Auto Center, Auto Parts Warehouse, Chuck’s Auto Salvage, LKQ, Advanced Remarketing Services, Cars for Charity, 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.