Pennzoil Drives Vehicle Donation For Paralyzed Veterans Of America - aftermarketNews

Pennzoil Drives Vehicle Donation For Paralyzed Veterans Of America

Three retrofitted Toyota vehicles awarded to injured veterans through Mission: ABLE program.

HOUSTON – Pennzoil this past weekend donated three retrofitted Toyota vehicles to three deserving veterans as part of the continued relationship between Pennzoil and Paralyzed Veterans of America. The 2013 Toyota Sienna XLE vans were unveiled and presented to the veterans prior to the 500-mile race at Charlotte Motor Speedway on Oct. 12. Each veteran recipient received a vehicle of their choosing, retrofitted to their specific need. Left to right: John Scott and his wife; Penske Racing driver Joey Logano; Roger Penske, owner of Penske Racing; Al Kovach Jr., national senior vice president, Paralyzed Veterans of America; Rusty Barron, vice president of marketing, Shell Lubricants; Istavan Kapitany, president of Shell Lubricants Americas; Hank Ebert and his wife; and Penske Racing driver Brad Keselowski unveil retrofitted vehicles, donated by Pennzoil through Paralyzed Veterans of America’s “Mission: ABLE” campaign on Saturday, Oct. 12 at Charlotte Motor Speedway.
 
Now in the second year of its commitment to the Paralyzed Veterans of America “Mission: ABLE” campaign, Pennzoil once again retrofitted vehicles for injured veterans so that these honorees can reclaim their freedom and love of driving. Pennzoil donated $250,000 to Paralyzed Veterans of America in 2013, $150,000 of which went to retrofit vehicles for injured veterans, which allows these heroes to revive their independence and love of cars. The recipients of these retrofitted vehicles were selected through the “Love Your Car” program as coordinated by Paralyzed Veterans of America.
 
“We are proud to work with Pennzoil as they give our deserving veterans the opportunity to drive again, which is a major step toward re-establishing their way of life,” said Bill Lawson, national president of Paralyzed Veterans of America. “By supporting Mission: ABLE through retrofitted vehicle donations, Pennzoil is helping re-instill that sense of freedom for veterans who are physically unable to drive a standard automobile.”
 
“Helping veterans get back on the road and regain their sense of independence is a powerful feeling and was an overall rewarding activation for the brand,” said Bree Sandlin, Pennzoil global brand manager. “We couldn’t be more pleased to recognize three deserving veterans again this year and get them back in the driver’s seat and on their way to reigniting their love of the car.”
 

The Recipients

Harlan “Hank” Ebert, a Navy veteran and fishing enthusiast, is currently the only paraplegic professional fishing guide in Minnesota and enjoys giving back to the community. Receiving a retrofitted vehicle for Hank will enable him to continue inspiring others on an even greater scale. “I enjoy helping others become reacquainted with the outdoors after being injured or disabled, whether young or old, newly injured or long-term disabled, veteran or civilian,” said Ebert.
 
John Scott, a non-service connected veteran, volunteers at Paralyzed Veterans of America’s Great Plains, Iowa, chapter events and enjoys spending time with his family. “I have two athletic daughters who play sports. The new van will help me stay active and get my daughters back and forth to practices,” said Scott.
 
Sergeant and tank commander Terry Carr is a dedicated military veteran who participates in wheelchair sports and has a strong passion for black and white photography. Terry said receiving a vehicle would be special for him because, “Supporting my family is very important to me. With this new van I can pursue my dreams of getting into digital photography and produce a book to showcase the beauty of America.”
 
From the overall Pennzoil donation, $150,000 was used toward the specified modifications from each veteran. The retrofitted vehicles received modifications such as hand controls, wheelchair lifts and mounting ramps, which were made by the professionals at BraunAbility, the world’s largest manufacturer of wheelchair-accessible vans, ramps and wheelchair lifts. With these modifications, running daily errands, taking family vacations, getting to work and just enjoying the open road will be easier for the veterans and their families.
 

Recipient Selection

To find veterans in need, Paralyzed Veterans of America issued a call for entry to each of the organization’s 33 national chapters. Each chapter was asked to nominate one Paralyzed Veterans of America member in need of the retrofitted ride. From there, six finalists were carefully selected and put on the Paralyzed Veterans of America’s website for America to decide. From July 22 – Aug. 2, thousands of votes were cast and Harlan, John and Terry were chosen as the recipients through the Love Your Car program as coordinated by Paralyzed Veterans of America.
 

You May Also Like

Free Webinar Will Ignite Your Spark Plug Knowledge

In this free Counterman webinar, learn how to speak spark plug and tips for translating what’s on your parts screen to customer needs.

NGK-webinar

Do you speak spark plug? Most part numbers are a meaningless series of numbers and letters. But spark plugs have a language on the side of the box that can tell you what’s inside. Like any other language, there are dialects.

The nomenclature of spark plug part numbers can tell you everything from size (diameter and reach) to what materials are on the center and ground electrode. Like learning a new language, knowing how to translate spark plug numbers can open up a new way to inventory and sell spark plugs for counter professionals.

Gallery: MEMA Aftermarket’s Right-to-Repair Fly-In

MEMA said meetings with legislators and their staffs achieved support for The REPAIR Act vote on the House floor.

MEMA-Right-to-repair-fly-in
HD Repair Forum Advisory Board Welcomes New Members

The group’s annual conference will take place from April 24-27 at the Hyatt Regency in Frisco, Texas.

2024-HD-REpair-Forum
SEMA & PRI Announce 2024 Washington Rally

The rally will provide participants the chance to engage with members of Congress to discuss critical industry issues.

WashingtonRallyGraphic
HDAW 2024 Wraps Up with Record Attendance

The event set a new attendance record with an 11.8% increase from the previous year.

Heavy-Duty-Aftermarket-Week-2024

Other Posts

YANG, Mix & GenNext Host Leaders of Tomorrow at HDAW

This year, the event, meant for the under-45 crowd, included a program speaker and structured speed mentoring.

2024 Women in Auto Care Conference Schedule Released

The conference, themed “Innovate and Impact,” aims to provide an engaging and empowering leadership experience.

Northwood to Host Career Fair on Feb. 15

The fair allows companies to discuss job openings and internship opportunities and start identifying future talent, Northwood said.

Northwood-Career-Fair
Gallery: The Alliance 2023 Channel Partner Awards

Take a look at which suppliers were recognized at The Aftermarket Auto Parts Alliance Channel Partner awards banquet.

SMP-Training-Award-The-Alliance