Page 18        November 16, 2011 • South Shore Press

 Seven Vehicles to be Given Away to LI Vets

The Long Island Auto Body Repairmen's Assoc. Presented the 4th Annual Recycles Rides Give-A-Way at the VFW Hall 31 - Horseblock Road Centereach on Saturday, Nov.

12th at 10 am.

Refreshments were sponsored by

Enterprise Rent a Car.

The  Veterans  of  Foreign  Wars

(VFW) Suffolk County NY Council

helped locate the Veterans who, were

in need of reliable transportation.

Insurance companies that donated

the vehicles are GEICO, Progressive,

Allstate  and  Traveler's  and  seven

Long Island NY Auto Body Shops

refurbished the vehicles to help with

this project for the Veterans.

The mission of the Recycled Rides

program is a nationwide awareness

project  whereby  members  of  the

National Auto Body Council (NABC)

refurbish and donate recycled vehi-

cles to families in need in their com-

munities. It is a community relations

program intended to build goodwill

at  the  local level, while  improving

and promoting the image of the colli-

sion  industry  on  a  national  level.

Insurance companies, paint and parts

vendors  donate  their  resources  to

assist collision repair facilities in mak-

ing this project possible. The National

Auto Body Council (NABC) recently

announced the 2010 Recycled Rides

Project is off and running with the

vehicles to families in need through-
out the United States.
    Our vision is to recycle and deliv-
er hundreds of cars each year to fam- ilies in need identified through a col- laboration with local charitable agen- cies
    The seven Long Island repair facil-

ities that refurbished the vehicles are:
112 Automotive Center in Patchogue,
Mike  G's  Perfection  Auto  Body  in
Miller Place, Bi-County Auto Body in
Smithtown, Groben's Auto Body in
Centereach, Third Generation Body
Repairs,  Crestwood  Auto  Body  in
Centereach, and Riverhead Collision

in Riverhead.
     For  more  information,  contact:
www.liabra.org  or  Ed  Kizenberger,
LIABRA   at   631-941-9647   or   Joe
Amodei, 112 Automotive Center in
Patchogue at 631 475-1122 ext105 or
e-mail  Joea@112automotive.com or
www.thecollisioncenters.com.

Giving vets a lift with free cars

• Insurers donate drivable
  but damaged vehicles

  ---

• Body shops repair and
  distribute refurbished autos

  ---

Vietnam War veteran Frank Miller of Lindenhurst checks out the 2005 Ford Freestar he received.

Vietnam vet Andy Chapman of
Centereach with his 2004 Saturn

Korean War vet Hank Sipila, with Frank Marcotrigiano of Vittorio Auto Body in Huntington, in his donated 2004 Hyundai Elantra

York State Veterans of For-
eign Wars inspector who is
membership director of the
Centereach VFW post, said or-
ganizers spread the word
about the program on Long Is-
land through veterans associa-

tions. In all, 14 veterans from
Nassau and Suffolk counties
submitted applications in June,
he said. The winners were se-
lected, based on their income
levels, by a committee of local
VFW post commanders. “I
wish we could help more for
vets,” Sullivan said.
   Joe Amodei, owner of two

participating auto body shops,
112 Automotive in Patchogue
and Riverhead Collision, was
among those shaking hands
with the recipients. “This is an
incredible way to give back,”
he said.
   Students from the Nassau
BOCES Barry Tech Auto Body
Program worked on some of

the vehicles that were in Amo-dei’s Riverhead shop.
   Henry Sipila, 79, of Rocky
Point, an Army veteran of the
Korean War, was all smiles as
he drove away in a red 2004
Hyundai Elantra.
   “Without a reliable car you’re
standing on a corner or walk-ing,” he said, adding that he

often suffers from pain in his
legs. “To walk out the door and
get into a car that goes is big.”
   Paul Ferguson, 52, an Army
veteran of Operation Desert
Storm, said his new 2005
Chrysler Town and Country
will make his visits to the
Northport Veterans Affairs
Medical Center much easier.

     BY YAMICHE ALCINDOR
         yamiche.alcindor@newsday.com

   After serving the country, six veterans
were served Saturday by local auto body
shops.
   Sponsored by national auto insurance
companies, local mechanics provided
refurbished vans and SUVs to returning
soldiers as part of the 2010 Recycled
Rides Project held at the VFW Post 4927
in Centereach. The Veterans of Foreign
Wars Suffolk County Council also donated
gas cards to the veterans.
   “It’s easy to cut a check for charity and
walk away,” said Joe Amodei, owner
of 112 Automotive of Patchogue, who
spearheaded the event. “What better way
to help veterans, military people who put
their lives on the line? What better way to

do it than what I do for a living?”
   Other participating auto body shops
were Mike G’s Perfection Auto Body in
Miller Place, Vittorio’s Auto Body in Huntington,
Mid Island Collision in Rockville
Centre, J&J Auto Body in Ronkonkoma
and Riverhead Collision in Riverhead.
Insurers GEICO, Allstate, Progressive and
Travelers supplied the vehicles for local
mechanics to refurbish for a veteran.
   Saturday’s six cars were part of a national
initiative to find families in need of
reliable transportation. According to the
Recycled Rides Web site, their stated mission
is “to build goodwill at the local level
while improving and promoting the image
of the collision industry on a national
level.” The program’s stated goal is to
locate a vehicle for families throughout

tors’ appointments, to the grocery store and now he
has a car.” These vehicles help proud returning soldiers
acclimate to suburban life without having to ask for a
handout, such as donated foodstuff.
   Suffolk County Legislator Jack Eddington (I-Medford),
himself a Vietnam War-era veteran, said the cars will
truly help veterans. “It’s about time we give the men and
women who have fought to protect our freedoms and
their families who have sacrificed so much the free ride
they deserve,” said Eddington, speaking to a crowded
room. “And we all know, by the way, how much this ride
is not really free and how much our veterans have really
had to pay for it. We’re all grateful.”
  For more information, readers can visit the Recycled
Rides Web site at www.recycledrides.org.

 

Pictured (from left) are Dennis Sullivan, VFW Suffolk County Council Commander; Assemblyman Dean Murray; Joe Amodei, owner of 112 Automotive; vehicle recipient Anthony Cammarata of Centereach; Geico representative Ken Lalia; and George Egan, VFW co-chairman and Suffolk County Jr. vice chair. Above right, the Dodge Caravan donated to Anthony Cammarata of Centereach.