ASA Member Donates Repaired Vehicle to Local Family

U.S Rep. Erik Paulsen Participates in Presentation

WASHINGTON, D.C., Dec. 23, 2009 – Lehman’s Garage, a member of the Automotive Service Association (ASA), and Hennepin Technical College (HTC) have repaired and donated a 2004 Chevrolet Impala to a Minnesota family. The damaged vehicle was donated by an insurance company and repaired at Lehman’s Garage in Chaska, Minn., by HTC students who were supervised by Lehman’s auto body and mechanical technicians.

The completed vehicle was donated to a client of Cornerstone, a domestic abuse prevention agency in Bloomington, Minn. Cornerstone provides intervention and prevention services for children and adults to overcome the devastation of domestic abuse.

The vehicle was donated to the family at a presentation Tuesday, Dec. 22, at Lehman’s Garage in Bloomington.

The benefiting family currently uses the bus as its means of transportation. The mother works full time and takes her three children ages three, five and seven to school and daycare by bus before going to work. Having their own car will save the family a lot of time, be more convenient, and give the mother the freedom to look toward different job opportunities.

U.S. Rep. Erik Paulsen, R-Minn., a member of the House Committee on Financial Services, was a special guest for the event. “The work of everyone involved with this great project epitomizes the spirit of generosity and thanksgiving we all celebrate this time of year,” remarked Paulsen. “It is an honor to be a part of the celebration, and I thank everyone who helped make it happen.”

Paulsen’s committee has jurisdiction for issues related to insurance reform. ASA members from Minnesota who attended the ASA Capitol Hill Fly-In in July 2009 met with Paulsen to discuss insurance reform and the repeal of the McCarran-Ferguson Act.

“It is good people doing something good for others. It’s a way of giving back to the community,” said Darrell Amberson, AAM, president of Lehman’s Garage and Collision Division director of the ASA board of directors, emphasizing the Lehman employees and HTC students donated their time to the project.

The Automotive Service Association is the largest not-for-profit trade association of its kind dedicated to and governed by independent automotive service and repair professionals. ASA serves an international membership base that includes numerous affiliate, state and chapter groups from both the mechanical and collision repair segments of the automotive service industry. ASA’s headquarters is in Bedford, Texas.

ASA advances professionalism and excellence in the automotive repair industry through education, representation and member services. For additional information about ASA, including past news releases, go to http://www.ASAshop.org, or visit ASA’s legislative Web site at http://www.TakingTheHill.com.