The National Auto Body Council (NABC), along with car donors GEICO and Nationwide and repair partners Crash Champions and Nexterra Solutions, recently donated refurbished vehicles to two deserving Nashville area U.S. Army veterans via the NABC’s Recycled Rides program.
The presentation was held at the Auto Body Parts Association (ABPA) Convention, and both recipients were nominated by Operation Stand Down.
“Every year at our annual convention, we make an effort to give back to families in that community,” said Ed Salamy, director of the ABPA. “It’s an honor to present these two deserving veterans and their families with the gift of reliable transportation. Thank you to all of the partners who made this possible.”
The recipients included:
- Nicole Leyva, who served two years in the U.S. Army and received a 2016 Kia Optima donated by GEICO and refurbished by Crash Champions. She is a single mother of two children and works now as a nail artist. Leyva’s car was constantly on the verge of breaking down. The leaks in the oil and power steering were so big that the car smoked excessively and she had to constantly buy oil power steering fluid. If her car had died, she would have had no way to transport her kids to school and doctor’s appointment and tget herself to work and the grocery store.
- BeCandice Brantley, a U.S. Army veteran who served from 2005 to 2011. She joined the Operation Stand Down team a year ago and had been having major mechanical issues with her previous vehicle. She received a 2020 Chevrolet Equinox, donated by Nationwide and refurbished by Nexterra Solutions. Previously, coworkers had gone out of their way to pick up BeCandice and bring her to work after her vehicle had broken down. The newer vehicle is a game-changer in alleviating stress for her and the worry about how she is going to make it to work, the grocery store and back home safely to feed her children.
“I am so appreciative, and there is enough space in the car for me and my girls,” said Brantley. “This is a blessing for us.”
Desmond Smith, owner of 3DE Towing and an Air Force veteran, donated the towing for one of the vehicles and personally drove it from Knoxville to Nashville to be repaired for a fellow veteran.
“As a veteran, I always want to help other veterans in need, and this was a perfect way to give back,” said Smith. “I’m honored that I could play a part in providing these two deserving veterans reliable transportation and helping them on their path to independence.”
Additional partners in the Recycled Rides presentation included 1-800 Charity Cars; 3DE Towing; Cars for Charity; Advanced Remarketing Systems; Elitek Mechanical Inspection; PDR link; Wheel Repair of Tennessee; and Copart.
For more information on Recycled Rides, click here.
