By Mark Schmerling

Next Saturday, Nov. 7, ten families with cars that need basic safety-related repairs, but without the funds to provide those repairs, will drive away with that work done at no charge, in an effort by C & D Auto Repair and Restoration II.

Part of a national effort called Family Service Day ‘Keeping Cars Kickin’’, C & D’s contribution will help families suggested by officials at Steps to HOPE, Polk County’s domestic violence and sexual assault center, and will also benefit Polk County’s Department of Social Services. According to the Family Service Day website, 5,300 independently owned automotive repair shops in 50 states participate in this effort.

The idea for independent car repair services to assist families began with Charlie Marcotte, owner of the three-location American Pride Automotive in Virginia.

Marcotte never got over the feeling of helplessness when, as an 11-year-old, he watched his mom leave for work, on foot, because the family car sat in disrepair in the driveway of the single-parent home.

He later realized that a simple fix might have got the family car on the road again, and that for want of a simple fix, many cars are operating unsafely, if at all.

Marcotte’s goal, and C & D’s, is to be an active part of the local community. Dustin Wylie, co-owner of C&D, says he asks car owners, “If you plan to drive across the country, what do you think will fail first?”

Other co-owners are Wylie’s father Curt, Curt’s wife Judy Wylie, and Karen Honeycutt (from the Tryon/Green Creek center).

Examples include, Wylie said, spark plugs, brakes, oil, tires, and “just basic maintenance.”

The issue is that many car owners lack the basic funds to address these issues.

C & D’s Family Service Day work will cover only safety issues, said Joy Hanson, secretary at C & D’s Saluda location, located at 2108 Holbert Cove Road.

For Family Service Day, members of the ten selected families are bringing their vehicles to C & D so mechanics there can see what those vehicles need to run safely. They’ll order parts, so they can perform the work on Nov. 7.

“We’ve met with all the families,” Dustin Wylie explained. The free service is limited to one vehicle per family. Meeting with others, Wylie said, “is the best part about it. This is to get the awareness out, so we can get more people to help us. We want people to be able to drive safely to the grocery store and other everyday destinations.”

“We’re a TechNet auto repair shop,” Dustin Wylie noted. C & D is an independent, locally owned facility.

“We want local support,” Dustin Wylie said. “We want people to see what we’re doing. It’s a day to give back to the Polk County community.”

On Nov. 7, all C & D technicians will be at the Tryon/Green Creek location at 6213 Hwy. 9 South. Work will run from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., “like a normal day,” Wylie noted.

Karen Honeycutt, co-owner of C & D’s Route 9 center, “is really excited,” Wylie reported. “She’s been here with Steps to HOPE before. That really hits home with her.”

Referring to Steps to HOPE, Joy Hanson added, “It’s amazing what they are able to do for these ladies.” Steps to HOPE also assists male clients as part of its regular work.

C & D owners are also looking for additional sponsors. Sponsors so far include Advance Auto Parts of Columbus, Sunnybrook Farms, Home Depot of Hendersonville (which is providing free arts and crafts kits for children of the vehicle owners whose cars are being serviced) and Old Grouch’s Army Surplus in Clyde, N.C.

“We hope as it grows through the years,” Joy Hanson said of Family Service Day, “to get more sponsors, and help more people. We want to do this every year.”

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