Wichita, KS – The keys to a Nissan Sentra, loaded with basic life necessities, will be presented to a local woman who has been a victim of domestic violence. The public ceremony is 1 p.m., this Friday, April 20 at Collision Specialists CARSTAR , 8923 West Kellogg Drive. The event is sponsored by Catholic Charities. This collaborative effort was designed to help a survivor of domestic violence, and a very deserving woman, improve her life.

Sharla Elmore was chosen for the car donation by Catholic Charities. She has a school-age child. She has housing in Haysville, but city buses do not stop near her area. Catholic Charities chose Elmore to receive the vehicle so she can drive her child to school and also get to and from her work in north Wichita.

The 2001 Nissan Sentra was refurbished and repaired by Collision Specialists CARSTAR Auto Body Repair. The vehicle was donated by Farmers Insurance Group to be used in the Recycled Rides program. Recycled Rides is a national awareness program, sponsored by the National Auto Body Council (NABC), in which body shops repair and donate used vehicles to families in need.

A recent study completed by the Ways to Work program indicates that having a dependable car can increase income up to 41 percent and can improve quality of life up to 89 percent.

“When CARSTAR Body Shops approached us about the Recycled Rides project, we were very pleased,” said Cynthia Colbert, executive director of Catholic Charities. “Providing reliable transportation to a hard-working woman so she can better her life fits our mission of building strong families.”

Steven Fielding, general manager for Collision Specialists, said each year body shops see cars that are “written-off” or “totaled” by either the owner or the insurance company.

”Many times all these vehicles need is some TLC or mechanical or body work to get them road ready and safe to drive,” Fielding said. “We decided to join the Recycled Rides project, and Farmers Insurance Group generously donated an economical salvage car.”

The vehicle had been in a minor collision and was in a local salvage yard. The staff at the west location of Collision Specialists CARSTAR volunteered their time to repair the car.

“This has been a labor of love, and our staff worked hard to make the donation a reality,“ Fielding said.

He said his company was excited to partner with Catholic Charities in the effort.

”Receiving the vehicle will enable this local woman to get to and from work and run the kind of daily errands that most of us take for granted.”

The project is a collaboration between Catholic Charities, Collision Specialists CARSTAR, Farmers Insurance Group, as well as other companies that provided donations to help repair the vehicle and provide Elmore with some basic necessities. —

Donations and services provided:

Arrow Wrecker:

Towed the car to CARSTAR for repairs.

American Muffler:

Repaired the exhaust.

Collision Specialists CARSTAR West

Technicians donated body work, paint work.

Farmers Insurance Group:

2001 Nissan Sentra.

Plus gas card, basket, toothbrush holder, toothbrushes, toothpaste, shampoo, conditioner, bar soap, bar soap holder, cup, liquid body wash, hand towels, shower towels, and trash can.

GK Tire:

Alignment, oil change, laundry basket, laundry soap, skillet, plastic bowls with lids, smaller plastic bowls with lids, can openers, whisk, and spatula.

Kruse Corporation: Coffee maker, toaster, 20-piece flatware set, mixer.

Keystone/ LKQ Corp:

Supplied all the parts to repair the car.

800 Charity Cars:

Title work.