Car Presentation to Recipient Took Place December 6th in Tampa, FL
MEDIA NOTE: Photos from the NABC Recycled Rides® Presentation are available (here)
TAMPA, FL (December 7, 2023) – On December 12, a deserving Tampa area veteran experienced a life-changing event – the presentation of a vehicle to provide him transportation and independence – thanks to the National Auto Body Council Recycled Rides® program along with car donor GEICO and repair partner Ferman Collision Center.
The presentation was held at the Ferman Collision Center in Tampa, FL. In front of the backdrop of a huge American flag, provided by Stepp’s Towing, and surrounded by more than 20 veterans for moral support, the deserving veteran, Rick Burton, received a 2020 Honda Civic, donated by GEICO and refurbished by Ferman Collision Group. Burton was nominated by the Wounded Warrior Project.
Burton, who served in the U.S. Army from 1995 to 2014, is a disabled Veteran with a fixed income. He is always finding ways to help other veterans who struggle upon discharge from service. Recently, vehicle repairs have resulted in him losing his means of mobility and transportation. The gift of a reliable vehicle will provide him with the independence he needs.
“Thank you to everyone who made this possible,” said Burton. “With transportation I can rely on I just want to be able to keep helping others who have gone through similar circumstances and experienced injuries like me.
“It was truly inspiring to see the show of support of Rick from his fellow veterans from Wounded Warriors Project, the Patriot Guard, and Golf4Vets,” said Dale Ross, program manager for the NABC Recycled Rides program. “It feels good to help good people, and Rick is that type of person that is always looking to help other veterans.”
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 3,200 vehicles valued at some $46 million.
Additional partners in the NABC Recycled Rides® presentation included Enterprise, Choice Auto Glass, Stepps Towing Enterprise, Solar Craft, Cars for Charity and Advanced Remarketing Services.
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 3,200 vehicles, provided extrication opportunities for more than 5,500 First Responders and is helping educate students and adult drivers in communities around the country through NABC Recycled Rides®, NABC First Responder Emergency Extrication (F.R.E.E.™) and the NABC® Drive Out Distraction program. That effort equates to a 4:1 ROI in dollar value delivered from NABC® membership dollars. The National Auto Body Council® is changing the paradigm of how the collision industry works and is viewed. For more information, visit www.NationalautoBodyCouncil.org.
