GRAND BLANC, Mich. – To celebrate its 100th birthday, automotive parts brand ACDelco and 17 ACDelco Professional Service Center (PSC) program shops across the U.S. partnered with local charities to repair the vehicle of families in need, free of charge.
“Without the support of repair shops in communities like these, we would have never reached this milestone,” said Robert Sanford, general director, ACDelco. “As we celebrate our centennial, we wanted to partner with several of them to give back to families in need to express our gratitude.”
During a National Day of Service the week of May 11 – in 17 cities across the U.S. – ACDelco’s independent Professional Service Center program participants partnered with the GM Foundation, Safe Kids Worldwide and local charities to help families in need repair their vehicles.
- Helping families coping with cancer in Georgia: For many families, car maintenance is routine, but for people like Dora Reid in Macon, Ga., it was a miracle.
“It came at just the right time because pretty soon, I would not have been able to drive my car,” she said. Reid’s son Aidyn was diagnosed with cancer when he was a baby.
She said they’re always traveling for appointments, so a working car is essential. “I say we live in our car. We travel to Jacksonville for therapy,” she said. “We’ve been to Ohio.”
Reid and 19 other families chosen by children’s cancer charity Jay’s Hope got free repairs, courtesy of Mitchell’s Automotive.
- Helping keep kids safe in Utah: Gines Auto Service partnered with Safe Kids Salt Lake City to offer child safety seat checkups throughout the day and help 15 local needy families make much-needed repairs to their vehicles.
One of these families included a longtime customer who was struggling to afford vehicle repairs as her husband battled cancer.
“She’s been struggling for so long to keep her car going,” said Mark Gines, president, Gines Auto Service. “It’s hard not to shed a tear when helping people in need, and our hearts were truly touched.”
- Keeping immigrants on track to their American Dream in New York: In Henrietta, N.Y., Seasonall Automotive dedicated the day to servicing the cars of needy families. Kenyan refugee Nassir Ali was one of the recipients chosen by local charities.
“The car is like your shoes,” Ali said. “If you don’t have a car, it’s really difficult to get to where you like, and you’ll cry a lot.”
Ali was one of many in need of repairs. Chris Atwood of Seasonall Automotive said some of the cars he saw had been neglected, many showing the rusty signs of Rochester’s bad winters.
“We’re going to try and get as many as we can done to make people happy,” Atwood said, “and get people on the road safe.”
Similar ACDelco National Day of Service stories unfolded at shops across the U.S. the week of May 11.
One shop helped a mother overhaul her specialty van for her handicapped son in New Jersey. Another shop helped a young South Dakota woman – currently struggling to get ahead as she works three jobs living from her car – replace worn tire rods, tires and other integral parts.
In many cases, the shops covered the cost of the repairs even when they exceeded the original budget to help these families get back on their feet. The following PSC shops participated in the ACDelco National Day of Service:
- Best Auto Service Center, Tannersville, Pa.
- Gerry’s Tires Plus, Huntsville, Ala.
- Glenway Auto, Cincinnati, Ohio
- Hilltop Auto Service, Byron Center, Mich.
- Hixson Transmission, Hixson, Tenn.
- Joman Auto Service, Linden, N.J.
- Local Wrench, Belfair, Wa.
- Richard’s Car Care, Oklahoma City, Ok.
- Rockdale Automotive, Rockdale, Ill.
- Tammen Auto & Tire, Hartford, S.D.
- United Auto Sales & Service, Waterbury, Conn.
- Village Mobile Auto & Tire, Waunakee, Wis.
- Wilson’s Garage, Pfafftown, N.C.
- Winchester Tire, Memphis, Tenn.
Pete Treinen of Village Mobile may have best summed up the day’s events.
“I visited with many of those who benefited from this kind and generous initiative on behalf of ACDelco’s 100th anniversary,” said Trienen. “The good that was done is best measured by the smiles, hugs, heartfelt thank yous and even tears that I saw and shed myself.”
To learn more about ACDelco’s centennial, visit ACDelco.com/100years.
