Teri Vance: Carson City family to be given a car

The life of one Carson City family will change for the better this weekend when they are presented with a refurbished car during the Father’s Day Powwow at Stewart Indian School.

I was recently invited to sit on the board of the newly organized Community Cars of Carson City, which will restore used cars to give to family’s in need. It’s the local branch of the national Recycled Rides program.

According to the National Auto Body Council’s website, which sponsors Recycled Rides, “Most of us take transportation for granted. But for many people, routine activities such as going to work, taking kids to school, grocery shopping, and medical visits are a challenge. A catastrophic illness or unforeseen circumstances can suddenly change lives and without transportation, make it difficult to get back on the road to stability.

“Recycled Rides can play an important role to help open doors to better opportunities, employment, enriched quality of life, and increased self-esteem.”

The local program started at Western Nevada College, but has now expanded to become a community-wide project with a freestanding board.

The board consists of Clay Murray, State Farm agent, who secures funding for the cars; Ted Rupert, owner of Rupert’s Auto Body; Joseph Ouellette, who worked with the program at the college; and me.

“We want to make sure we’re doing it for the Carson community,” Rupert said. “We want to keep it local.”

He said the key to the program’s success is community involvement. While his auto body shop made repairs on the car, other businesses also provided other services.

Fast Glass did window repairs, Maaco painted it, Sherwin-Williams donated the paint, Prestige Car Wash detailed the car and Napa Auto Parts donated parts.

The inaugural presentation will be 3 p.m. Sunday at Stewart Indian School, 5500 Snyder Ave., during the Father’s Day Powwow.

“It’s important to have the community help out to build the car to give away to a Carson City resident,” Rupert said. “It makes the community stronger when we all come together to make a car and help a family out.”

Business interested in participating or to recommend a family to receive a refurbished car, email Community Cars of Carson City at communitycarscc@gmail.com.

Teri Vance is a journalist, freelance writer and native Nevadan. Contact her with column ideas at terivance@rocketmail.com.