A family that was reunited with their two little girls in December 2010 was the recipient of a refurbished automobile from the Falcon Collision Center, in cooperation with Kids Crossing, a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization that manages a foster program for abused and neglected kids. ìWe are always working for a safe reunification of the biological family,î said board member Michelle Merritt.Cheryl Springer and David Krager received the car Jan. 22 at the Falcon Collision Center during a surprise presentation. ìI’m not used to getting handouts from people,î Krager said, as he thanked everyone. ìI’m usually the one helping out.îFalcon Collision Center co-owner Keith Merritt said, ìWe wanted to pick a situation where we were giving people a hand up, not a handout.îThrough the Akzo Nobel Acoat selected National Benevolence Program, damaged but repairable automobiles abandoned by their owners are sent to body shops like Falcon Collision Center to be refurbished. The benevolence program teams up with a nonprofit organization such as Kids Crossing, which helps select recipients based on certain criteria, which changes based on the nonprofit. ìWe want to give different people different chances,î Merritt said. She is also the wife of Keith Merritt and helped coordinate the Kids Crossing and Falcon Collision Center presentation.The National Benevolence Program was started in the late 1990s by Dave Adams, an auto body shop owner in Utah, as a way to make use of abandoned vehicles and give them to deserving individuals or organizations. The funding for the refurbishment, as well as parts and services, have all been donated by local businesses.In addition to the 2003 Ford Taurus, the family received two new car seats donated by Wal-Mart of Falcon. The family will also receive six months of insurance through Eastern Plains Insurance, purchased by the Falcon Collision Center with the monies donated from the sponsors.Sponsors includedAkzo NobelMountain View ElectricTire King of FalconNapa Auto of CalhanAuto ProsProforma Mark-It ProsThe Family CenterPerformance Auto GlassRevolutions Performance4 Bar MechanicalWal-Mart of FalconThe State Bank of FalconCarpenter’s Mate ConsultingIntegrity BankOpen Plains DirectoryAmerican PrintingLiberty Tax Service of FalconNortheast ChiropracticPresidential BrokerageRemco Equip CoSculptures by CommissionCulver’s of FalconJosh & Johns Ice CreamParty City
