March 13, 2010 News 12 Long Island coverage of
the 2010 Recycled Rides Event.
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Press Releases and
Articles
As featured in The Long Island
Advance, March 18, 2010 Page 3
Legislator Jack Eddington (center) joined
Joseph Amodei (at left), owner of 112 Automotive Center in Patchogue and
(left to
right) Brookhaven Town Supervisor Mark Lesko, Dennis Sullivan, commander
of VFW Post 4927 and Senator Brian X. Foley for
the Recycled Rides Project to give away restored vehicles to six needy
and deserving local military families.
A free ride for vets
Auto
body shops join forces to help military families
By JESSIE BIELE
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
the United States.
The Recycled Rides program is a part of
the National Auto Body Council, of which
the participating body shops are members.
According to Amodei, the cars donated on
Saturday were part of last year’s initiative.
Their goal for 2010 is to donate 10 cars
on Veterans Day. These shops are also
members of the Long Island Auto Body
Repairmen’s Association Inc., a non-profit
organization; its purpose is to serve and
further the interests of local mechanics
across the island.
“We change people’s lives,” said Amodei.
“One person didn’t even have a car.
He relied on friends to drive him to doc-
t
ors’
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.
Local Veterans and Their Families Get a “Free Ride”
March
15, 2010
Suffolk County Legislator Jack Eddington was
proud to join with local veterans, businesses, and elected officials on
March 13 to give away six recycled vehicles to six local military
families in need. It is all part of the Recycled Rides Program, a
nationwide community awareness project where members of the National
Auto Body Council (NABC) work to repair and restore vehicles in order to
give them away to deserving military families who are in need of a
reliable vehicle.
The giveaway took place at the Centereach VFW,
Post 4927. Recipients were identified by the Veterans of Foreign Wars,
Suffolk County and the Suffolk County Veterans Service Agency.
Some of the sponsors who volunteered to recycle
the vehicles were 112 Automotive in Patchogue, Riverhead Collision in
Riverhead; and J&J Auto Body in Ronkonkoma. Vehicles were donated by
Allstate, GEICO, Progressive and Travelers insurance companies.
“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 Leg. 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,” he added.
CAPTION:
Leg. Jack Eddington (center) joined Joseph Amodei (second from left)
owner of 112 Automotive Center in Patchogue; and (left to right)
Brookhaven Town Supervisor Mark Lesko; Dennis Sullivan, Commander of VFW
Post 4927; and Senator Brian X. Foley for the Recycled Rides Program to
give away restored vehicles to six needy and deserving local military
families.
Six Long Island ~ Auto Body Shops have come
together to help Military families
in need of vehicles .
They are members of National Auto body
Council and the Long Island Auto Body Repairmen's Assoc Inc. (LIABRA)
who have participated in the "2009 Recycled Rides Program".
The Veterans of Foreign Wars
(VFW) Suffolk County Council and together with the Suffolk
County Veterans Service Agency helped
locate the military individuals who need reliable
transportation. The insurance companies involved in donating
vehicles are: GEICO , Progressive , Allstate and Travelers.
The Participating shops that refurbished the vehicles
are: 112 Automotive Center in Patchogue, Mike G's
Perfection Auto Body in Miller Place, Vittorio's Auto
Body in Huntington, Mid Island Collision in Rockville
Center, J&J Auto Body in Ronkonkoma and Riverhead
Collision in Riverhead. The Event Ride-A-Way day of the
recycled rides will be held at the VFW Hall 31 -
Horseblock Road Centereach on Saturday March 13, 2010 at
10 am.
Our mission the Recycled Rides program is a nationwide
awareness project whereby members of the National Auto
Body Council (NABC) refurbish and donate recycled
vehicles to families in need in their communities. It is
a community relations program intended to build good
will at the local level, while improving and promoting
the image of the collision industry on a national level.
Insurance companies; paint and parts vendors donate
their resources to assist collision repair facilities in
making this project possible. The National Auto Body
Council (NABC) recently announced the 2010 Recycled
Rides Project is off and running with the goal of
donating 150 refurbished vehicles to families in need
throughout the United States. http://www.recycledrides.org Our vision is to recycle and
deliver hundreds of cars each year to families in need
identified through a collaboration with local charitable
agencies.
Please
join us ~ Tell everyone not to miss this special event!
As Featured In Collision Week,
Tue, Dec
16, 2008
NABC Car Give-Away, Another Win for Charity and Industry
�
Long Island, New York
An
account of the impact Recycled Rides has had in Long Island is readily
available on the Big Brothers and Big Sisters of Long Island Web site.
The organization teamed with 112 Automotive Center to bring workable
transportation to a single mother with four children and one grandchild
at home. Mom, in this case, is also battling cancer.
"Our event day went great and the employees
were pumped up!" exclaimed Joe Amodei, owner of 112 Automotive
Center. "It was a very touching, emotional moment when we found out the recipient
had cancer. but she was so happy when she found out she had a car to
drive to and from treatments. It
made us
all feel good. It became so
apparent to all of us that this is our responsibility: to help out those
less fortunate in our communities. We're committed to participating in
Recycled Rides again next year."
Press
Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
For
More Information contact:
Joseph Amodei
Phone: 631-475-1122
or e-mail: JAmodei102@aol.com
Six Long
Island Repair Shops Join
National
Effort to Help Local Military Families
Patchogue, N.Y. October 8, 2009 —
Long Island Auto Body Repair Shops have joined together to help six local
military families in need. The repairers are members of the National Auto Body
Council (NABC) and have partnered to participate in the nationwide vehicle
gifting program "Recycled Rides”.
http://autobodycouncil.org/
“Our goal
with this project is to help people right here in our local community; we
utilized the Recycled Rides program because of the great toolkit and tremendous
resources the NABC has assembled.” Stated Joseph Amodei from 112 Automotive in
Patchogue N.Y. Amodei and his team participated in last years program
and decided to recruit other repair shops into the program this year.
“Together; we can help more families who are in need of a reliable vehicle, this
is something many of us take for granted. These are men and women who served
our country and for one reason or another need our help. When I reached out to
my competitors I was pleasantly surprised at how quickly they jumped in to
help. We do have good, community oriented repairers around Long Island” added
Joe Amodei.
The Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW)
Suffolk County Council http://www.vfw.org/and the Suffolk County Veterans Service Agency have identified the
families in need utilizing the Recycled Rides programs recipient criteria. Local
politicians and dignitaries are expected to attend the gifting event to be held
in a local community center.
Insurance companies involved in
donating the vehicles are, Allstate, GEICO, Progressive, and Travelers. The
participating repair facilities are: 112 Automotive in Patchogue, Riverhead
Collision in Riverhead, Mike G's Perfection Auto Body in Miller Place, Vittorio's
Auto Body in Huntington, Mid Island Collision in Rockville Center, and J&J Auto
Body in Ronkonkoma. The shops are also members of the Long Island Auto Body
Repairmen's Assoc. “ As a local trade association we are proud that these six
members are meeting the goal of the NABC by helping local families and enhancing
the image of the Collision Repair Industry” Says LIABRA Exec Director Ed
Kizenberger
“Coming together to work on these
vehicles has been a great experience not only for me but for my entire staff.
This is a great way for our team to help in our community” Stated Michael
Giordano from Mike G’s Perfection Auto Body in Miller Place. “We are grateful
Joe came to us and asked us to participate. These vehicles are going to make
six families Christmas very, very special.” Stated, Bill Tonyes from J&J
Autobody in Ronkonkoma.
About Recycled Rides:
Recycled Rides is a community awareness project whereby members of the NABC
repair and donate recycled vehicles to families and service organizations in
need throughout the United States. A “green” program, Recycled Rides recruits
auto body shops, insurers, paint suppliers and parts vendors to contribute in
their own specific ways. Recycled Rides is scheduled to make 100 vehicle
donations this holiday season including the six vehicles earmarked for the Long
Island, NY project.
About NABC: NABC is a non-profit
organization dedicated to enhancing the image of the collision industry. Our
ongoing and continued success is a direct result of the efforts and support of
our sponsoring companies and membership. Please contact NABC directly for
membership information. Call 1-888-667-7433 (888-66PRIDE) or go to
www.autobodycouncil.org.
As featured in Long Island Advance
Dec. 4, 2008
Hours of Operation:
Contact Information:
Mon. to Fri. - 8A.M. - 5 P.M.
112 Automotive
Telephone: (631) 475-1122
Saturday - 8 A.M. - 2 P.M.
Fax: (631) 475-0744
Sundays - Closed
Address: 225 Rt. 112, Patchogue, NY 11772
(1/4 mile south
of sunrise hwy. Next to Dairy Barn)
March
15, 2010
