Lynnette Woyak chats with Pat’s CARSTAR owners Tony and Sharon Kempen about the features of the 2003 Honda Odyssey minivan she and her family received Wednesday, Dec. 4, as part of the auto body shop’s Recycled Rides program. (Contributed photo)

For the City-Times

The new owners of Pat’s CARSTAR of Plover, Tony and Sharon Kempen, carried on the Recycled Rides tradition started by former owners Pat and Sandy Arnold, Wednesday, Dec. 4, when they donated a used vehicle to a local family.

The Arnolds and Kempens were on hand to present Lynnette Woyak and her family of four children with a 2003 Honda Odyssey minivan.

“We are proud to continue the tradition of giving back to the community,” said Tony Kempen, who, along with his wife, recently purchased the auto body repair business from his aunt and uncle. “The Woyaks are a great family, and everybody here, and everybody that helped us get the vehicle ready to go, is happy to be able to help them out with this vehicle.”

For the past six years Pat’s CARSTAR has worked with CAP Services to provide a vehicle to a deserving local family who has less than reliable transportation means. In addition to Pat’s CARSTAR and CAP, Keystone Automotive, Schierl Tire, Badger Motors, Hertz, and the Shawn Pagel family helped make the vehicle donation possible this year.

To find a family in need of a vehicle, Pat’s CARSTAR partners with CAP Services, a local private, nonprofit organization, to identify the family. Nearly 20 families applied for the opportunity to get the vehicle – a subcommittee of CAP’s Board of Directors made the final selection.

Woyak was notified of her family’s selection a week in advance of the presentation, but was able to keep the donation a surprise for her children. They thought they were just going to look at a car, but knew something was up after arriving at Pat’s CARSTAR to a room full of people.

In addition to the minivan, Pat’s CARSTAR employees donated money toward a gas card for the family.

Pat’s CARSTAR’s vehicle donation tradition began with the National Auto Body Council’s (NABC) Recycled Rides program. Recycled Rides, launched in 2007, is a nationwide awareness program where collision repair members of the NABC repair and donate used vehicles to families in need in their communities.