On Nov. 16, at the In-N-Out Burger NHRA Finals at Pomona Dragstrip in California, the drivers weren’t the only winners. U.S. Army veteran Damielle Reynolds took home the top prize -- a unique vehicle of her own, with the presentation of reliable transportation that will allow her to get to work and care of her family, thanks to the National Auto Body Council Recycled Rides program along with vehicle donor GEICO and collision repair partner Gerber Collision & Glass, whose team members donated their time and talent to refurbish the vehicle.
This was the first time NABC presented a vehicle at an NHRA race.
“It’s very exciting to be here at the Pomona Dragstrip with our partner Gerber Collision & Glass, who made this possible, GEICO, which donated the vehicle, and Enterprise, which provided additional support, amid all this horsepower and these amazing hot rods,” said Dale Ross, program director for NABC Recycled Rides. “We are honored to present this vehicle to Damielle Reynolds and her son. We thank her for service and wish her all the best on her continued path to independence.”
Reynolds was presented a 2018 Toyota Corolla donated by GEICO, which has provided more than 1,000 vehicles to the NABC Recycled Rides program, and refurbished by Gerber Collision & Glass of Rancho Cucamonga, CA. She was nominated by U.S. Vets, which provides services to veterans in need. The presentation took place on the return road of the drag strip with the crowd cheering for the veteran recipient.
Reynolds is a veteran of the U.S. Army, as well as a single mother to a wonderful 8-year-old son with autism. Reynolds graduated high school and left for the U.S. Army three weeks later, looking for opportunities to be successful and to serve others. After four years of active duty service, she moved home to be with family and to have support for her son while attending junior academy.
With her son’s wellbeing always her main focus, she unfortunately fell on tough times through a series of challenging situations: COVID impacted their lives heavily because her son could no longer receive in-person therapy, undoing much of the progress he had made. Car problems resulted in the loss of the vehicle and things snowballed until they found themselves homeless, couch surfing for six months.
With the help of US Vets, Reynolds has since been able to get back into school and is looking for a part-time job. Her son is now eligible for sports this year through his medical provider. Having a reliable vehicle will help alleviate a lot of financial burdens, like the cost of ridesharing, to get him to his activities, therapy and her to school, as she looks to learn additional skills to earn a better income.
This gift of a reliable vehicle will be the hand up she needs to get back on her feet, maintain her independence and keep moving towards the best life for her and her son.
“I have cried so many happy tears this morning,” said Reynolds. “This is such an incredible gift. When you lose everything and have to rebuild, every step is a challenge. This will make such a difference in the lives of my son and I. I am so grateful to everyone who made this possible.”
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 program in 2007, members of the NABC have donated more than 3,300 vehicles valued at some $47 million.
Additional partners in the presentation included David Wilson’s Toyota Riverside, PPG, Martin Auto Color, Advanced Remarketing Services, Cars for Charity and Copart.
