Community Corner

Local Vietnam Veteran Receives Recycled Ride

The gifting event was May 6 at Nanuet Collision Centers in Monsey

Recycled Rides is a “Green” gifting program that donates a repaired vehicle to a disabled veteran and this is the third year that Nanuet Collision Centers participated.

The Upper Nyack VFW (Veterans of Foreign Wars) selected Thomas Kelly as the veteran to receive the repaired vehicle this year. Kelly is a a partially-disabled Vietnam veteran.

Recycled Rides is managed by the NABC (National Autobody Council), a non-for-profit organization that works to improve the image of the automotive repair industry. The NABC is composed of insurance companies, vendors, and body shops—each of which take part in Recycled Rides. Insurance companies donate the damaged vehicles that body shops repair, with vendors such as STS Tires donating auto parts.

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This year’s vehicle was an SUV that had been declared a total loss, meaning that its damage exceeded the value of its repair. Nanuet Collision received the vehicle on June 25, 2010 from Allstate Insurance and it has taken them ten months to repair it. The shop has done body work on the front, back, and right side of the vehicle, as well as fix the fuel lines and brakes. They have also done electrical work, paperwork, quality control, and safety checks to ensure that the vehicle is working properly.

While Nanuet Collision hasn’t taken much donations, they do appreciate contributions. Money for gas cards or car insurance is most important, with whatever’s left over going to the vehicle’s recipient. They also accept auto parts that they’ll need to repair their next Recycled Rides vehicle.

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The recipient of last year’s vehicle was a partially disabled Marine, Daniyel Baron.

Nanuet Collision presented the repaired vehicle to Kelly in a gifting ceremony at 1 p.m. May 6 at Nanuet Collision Centers on 417 Route 59 in Monsey.


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