Local CARSTAR body shop donates refurbished vehicle to Ohio Veteran

Sometimes, a reliable set of wheels is all that stands between a veteran and their dreams. Just before Veterans Day, more than 100 veterans and their families across the country received the keys to newly refurbished vehicles as part of Progressive's seventh annual "Keys to Progress" event. Vehicle giveaways occurred on November 7 at more than 60 locations across the country.

Local Euclid body shop owner Tony Perrino and staff at Action CARSTAR Auto Body on St. Clair Avenue donated their time and money to refurbish a 2017 Ford Fusion for veteran Oliver Sanders II. Oliver is a Miami University of Ohio graduate and served in Desert Storm. The Action CARSTAR staff helped present Oliver and his family with the vehicle on November 7th at Progressive headquarters in Mayfield Village. Along with the vehicle Oliver received gift cards, a full tank of gas from Shell and a 6-month auto insurance policy courtesy of Enterprise Rent a Car.   The process to make this come together is very extensive and starts every year in January. First a car must be found (some are donated). Then a local body shop is identified that is willing to offer free labor and parts while working on the vehicle after hours. The third step is choosing the recipients via applications from veterans identified by various charitable organizations. 300 applications were received this year. The fourth step involves fundraising from national vendors to provide the additional gift cards and donations to help the veterans on their way after receiving their vehicle. This year $35,000 was raised to distribute to the veterans.   CARSTAR is a member of the local National Auto Body Council™ which works with Progressive and other program supporters to put refurbished vehicles in the hands of deserving veterans. Progressive's Keys to Progress program offers military families reliable transportation to help them get back on the road and move forward in life. Collectively, by the end of this year's events, the program will have provided more than 700 vehicles in 7 years to veterans and veteran organizations.   This is just one of the ways Progressive and Carstar give back to those who gave so much. For many veterans, transportation to work, school, medical appointments or even social events can be a hardship and both Carstar and Progressive recognize their need for reliable transportation so they can live the life they deserve.