A local car repair shop is using their skills for a good cause.
Ultimate Auto Repair is giving a used car away to someone in need for just one dollar. They say they hope the 2003 Chevy Impala will help someone get back on their feet.
"Without the community, we wouldn't be here. So we're just looking to kind of give back to the community and help them out as a way of saying thank you," Karl Roeke said.
As the owner of Ultimate Auto Repair, Roeke said he thought of the idea after having a good year for business. Because they work on cars for some local lots, Roeke reached out and asked if they had any cars he could buy for his idea. Once he bought the car, the shop fixed it up to make sure it was in tip-top shape.
"We feel blessed to have this place and have the employees we have and be able to make a living that we do have. And it wasn't that long ago that I was down, and everyone at one point in their life has been jammed up and just can't afford to get by. So now that we are at a point where we can give back, its important to give back," he said.
Workers at the shop say that's just the type of person Roekle is and they love working for him.
"It's fantastic, there's definitely people out there that, you know, need a little help, and what better time to do it than Christmas time?" Mark Whitlock said.
Roekle says he has been getting a lot of positive feedback on Facebook since the announcement. He added they hope this will be the start of a new tradition.
"I'm looking forward to kind of seeing their face and hopefully just make a difference. I think we've all been somewhere where we needed help at one time or another," he said.
The judges are being kept under wraps, but they are businessmen in the community. Ultimate Auto Repair is planning to do this again next year and is accepting cars to fix up as a donation.
The deadline to nominate someone is Christmas day. Judges will select a winner for the car on January 4. You can nominate someone contacting Ultimate Auto Repair, or fill out the forms on its Facebook page.
