Carstar salutes veterans, active duty military with month-long celebration

This month, Carstar Auto Body Repair Experts, which has its national headquarters in Leawood, will honor America’s active duty and military veterans with a special celebration for National Military Month.

It will include a national partnership with the National Auto Body Council’s Recycled Rides program, which helps restore vehicles to provide reliable transportation to qualified military members and their families. In addition, Carstar stores throughout the country will partner with select military support organizations to hold recognition events for local Veterans organizations, Fisher House and Wounded Warriors, among others.

Some Carstar stores are collecting donations of needed items, helping to raise funds and holding events to honor the service of America’s military members.

Wicklunds Carstar in Liberty played host to a Military Appreciation Celebration on Nov. 4. The event honored the service of active and inactive military members and their families. Donations were taken for the Honor Flight Network, a non-profit organization that provides transportation for World War II veterans to see the memorials in Washington, D.C. In attendance were 131 veterans, including six World War II veterans. More than $2,500 in of door prizes were given away.

The 21 Puget Sound Carstar stores in Washington are holding two special giveaways. On Nov. 20, a restored vehicle will be presented to a deserving military family to thank them for their service and sacrifice. The shops have also come together for another giveaway, where active and retired military men and women can present their military ID at any one of the Puget Sound Carstar locations to enter into a drawing for a $100 gift certificate to Anthony’s Home Port restaurants.

Also during November, 19 Carstar locations around the country will participate in Recycled Rides programs.

Pete’s Carstar in South Windsor, Conn., joined Progressive Insurance and the National Auto Body Council (NABC) for their Keys to Progress Recycled Rides event on Veterans Day, Nov. 11. Pete’s Carstar donated a restored 2012 Ford Escape and 2013 Hyundai Santa Fe to military veterans and their families.

Ideal Arvada Carstar in Arvada, Colo., also participated in the Keys to Progress event. They restored and donated a 2008 Jeep Patriot to a deserving military veteran.

“Each year, Carstar pays tribute to the men and women who have served our country through our Military Month,” said Dean Fisher, vice president of operations for Carstar Auto Body Repair Experts. “It’s an honor to be able to restore these vehicles and provide them reliable transportation as a ‘thank you’ for their service.”

Now based in Leawood at 4200 W. 115th St., Carstar began in 1989 as a network that independent body shops joined to standardize repair and business processes and collectively buy tools and materials. Wicklunds Carstar in Liberty was the first franchisee. The company has more than 430 stores in 31 states and 10 Canadian provinces. For more information and store locations, visit www.Carstar.com.

This story was originally published November 15, 2014 at 6:00 AM.