Woman receives free car from giveaway
Roxann Chacon-mendez starts work at 3 a.m. so with three children and no car, things could be challenging. Not anymore.
Chacon-mendez given a car Saturday, thanks to a Golden Valley Auto Body giveaway through the South Yuba County Sunrise Rotary Club that involves many businesses, organizations and individuals.
“I work at night and wake up at 2 a.m. so that I can walk across town and get to work by 3 a.m.,” Chacon-mendez said. “Now, I don’t have to do that.”
Dan and Lesley Langlois, who bought the Yuba City shop in January, are carrying on a tradition that was started by former owner Allen Sutfin.
“I worked here for 10 years before my wife and I bought it and we wanted to continue that tradition,” Dan Langlois said. “A lot of people come together and make it happen.”
The shop took an early 2000s Desert Sand Hyundai Sonata with front-end damage and transformed it into a like-new car for Chacon-mendez.
“Randy from Randy’s Towing donated the car, which had front end damage, United Truck Dismantlers got a car that had a good front end and they used parts from it for the donor car and Riebe’s Auto Parts donated parts,” Langlois said. “Lakeview Petroleum gave her a $100 gas card, Farmers Insurance in Yuba City paid for six months of insurance and AAA gave her roadside towing.”
Langlois said the South Yuba County Sunrise Rotary Club has been doing the giveaway for years but many others help make it happen including NAPA Auto Parts, Ronco Automotive, Gaines Insurance, KKCY radio.
Chacon-mendez said she was able to get her application in for the giveaway at the last minute after a friend suggested she submit an application.
“I almost didn’t make it in but glad that I did,” she said.