The Oneida Daily Dispatch (Oneida, NY)
Nye Auto donates new car for driver’s ed
Nye Automotive: Dealership provides car to replace school’s old one
ONEIDACASTLE, N.Y. » Holy Cross Academy has a new set of wheels thanks to Nye Automotive and are ready to teach students the rules of the road.
Driver’s Education Teacher Mark Smith approached Nye Automotive, asking General Sales Manager Daniel Schirtz if Nye could possibly donate a used car to replace the aging one they had.
“Mark approached us with a heartwarming story about the students and the vehicle they had been driving,” Schirtz said. “It’s got bad rack and pinion, the power steering was out and he said they didn’t have the money for a new vehicle. William Nye likes to be involved and to help when you can, so this seems fitting. I’ve been askedmany times for a donation, but this is one of the first ones that felt fitting. I feel for the kids and their safety.”
Smith said the 2006 Chever- lot Equinox was donated to Holy Cross by the daughter of an employee and while they were grateful, it did have a lot of miles on it.
“I wasn’t asking for a new car, but I was hoping for something like this to happen. Honestly, I was just hoping for some-
thing that the kids could use that would be reliable,” Smith said.
Schirtz said he thought the students should be driving something with Toyota Safety Sense and the 2018 Toyota RAV4 comes equipped with a number of safety features to make learning easier.
“The kids love it. It’s so easy to access and has so many features. If you start to move towards the side of the road too much, a bell goes off and pulls you back to the road,” Smith said. “It’ll even stop if you get too close to another vehicle and has a back up camera.”
“The new technology is something the students should learn as it becomes more prevalent,” Sales Consultant Jim Cleary said.
Smith said he not only teaches Holy Cross stu- dents, but students from Oneida High School, Rome and more. The next driver education program will run through the month of July. A meeting for the class will be held on Thursday, July 28 at 7 p.m. at Holy Cross Academy.
“I didn’t even know this was happening. Smith said he was worried about what we would do if our old car were to break down and then he walks in and says ‘Ask and you shall receive’,” Principal Teri Maciag said.