UAW-Dodge Members Aid Wild Fire Victims

Anthony Fontanelle
November 13, 2007

It is a time out for the members of the UAW-Dodge NASCAR Motorsports Exhibit. But the time would not be spent for relaxation but for benevolence.

Truck drivers Gary Alred and Howard Austin are accustomed to being on the road - traveling as members of the UAW-Dodge NASCAR Motorsports Exhibit, but a different opportunity presented itself a few weeks ago – one that the UAW-Dodge members felt honored to accomplish, reported Who Won.

Alred and Austin with a bunch of other members from Chrysler LLC and Chrysler Financial participated in the California relief mission for residents who were victimized by the destructive wild fires.

“It was gratifying to help people who really needed the help after the terrible fires. Many of them had no place to go because their homes were destroyed. What I saw really touched me – I had tears in my eyes when I saw how much they appreciated our help,” said Austin.

The drivers were en route to Detroit from a Dodge NASCAR Motorsports dealership event in Atlanta, when Alred received a call asking if they would like to help fire victims. “One thing led to another, and Howard and I volunteered to make the run to southern California. Once we got back home from Atlanta, we slept a few hours, changed clothes and we were on the road again,” commented Alred.

The drivers arrived in the San Diego area on October 29. They met up with other volunteers from Chrysler and Chrysler Financial. Their trucks were used to haul two loads of food and water to a restaurant near Barrett Lake that had been converted to a temporary Red Cross Shelter.

Alred and Austin also pitched in with other Chrysler volunteers to unload each trailer, while also helping distribute relief supplies delivered in Dodge vans to local neighborhoods and fire departments affected by the fires, the report continued.

According to the reports, the donation included food, water, juice, toiletries, sleeping bags, flashlights, cleaning supplies, tents, and dog food. They even loaded hay for horses and other livestock relocated by the conflagrations.

“We were able to accomplish something important on short notice. Howard and I were proud to represent Chrysler Transport, Local 212 and the National Training Center. An experience like this reminds you how blessed the rest of us are – you count your blessings that you haven’t gone through a similar tragedy in your life,” noted Alred.

The Chrysler Foundation and Chrysler Financial partnered with the California-based Rescue Task Force to donate $200,000 to aid fire victims, affected communities and rural fire departments that have been affected by wild fires. Among the beneficiaries was an elementary school that had burned during the fires. To held rebuild the school, a $25,000 check was handed to the recipient.

The UAW-Dodge traveling NASCAR Motorsports Exhibit has been a fun destination for fans on the NASCAR circuit for the past four years, which included 12 NASCAR race weekends this year, one of which was the UAW-Dodge 400 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in March. The drivers representing the maker of Dodge axle assembly will soon return to NASCAR action.

Source:  Amazines.com