A West Windsor mother is offering her thanks after getting a refurbished vehicle.
Rebuilding Wheels Rebuilding Lives (RWRL), a community partnership that supports local families with a reliable vehicle, handed over a set of keys Wednesday to Melissa Luce.
The mother of three has received a seven-seat Dodge Journey minivan.
Luce says when she found out she had been selected, her eyes dropped to the ground.
"Only because I've never been selected for anything, I've always had the bad luck of not getting it. So it was quite a surprise and also a great honour," she says.
Recipients are selected by United Way/Centraide Windsor-Essex County through an application process that balances financial and family needs with the ability to afford the ongoing cost of car ownership.
Luce says it's bringing her a lot of happy tears.
"It's going to be a great help getting to and from work, getting my youngest son to his appointments because he does suffer from epilepsy. So right now, times aren't the greatest but I'm hoping with the vehicle they will get better," she says.
Luce is also happy knowing the vehicle has seven seats.
"It avoids the headaches of hearing 'mom, he's doing this. Mom, he's bugging me.' I don't want to hear that," she jokingly added.
Since 2014, RWRL has engaged 440 students and donated 15 vehicles to deserving families in Windsor and Essex County. On Wednesday families from Leamington and Windsor got the thrill of getting behind the wheel of their new rides.
Access to transportation has been a barrier for some local families, and owning a reliable vehicle can be a game changer for families living in low income. Dependable transportation can help people secure stable employment, access post-secondary education, and help parents supports themselves and their families.
Student mechanics benefit from the opportunity to work on a 'real life' project that also supports the community. Vehicle repairs are made with the guidance of shop teachers at E.J. Lajeunesse and Leamington District Secondary School, and with the generous support of local auto dealerships and auto parts suppliers.
With files from Rob Hindi