HOFFMAN ESTATES, IL – August 23, 2012 – Collision industry members are invited to join the Collision Repair Education Foundation at an industry reception the evening of Tuesday, October 30th from 9:30-11pm at the Las Vegas Hotel (formerly the Las Vegas Hilton) during SEMA 2012. During the reception, attendees will hear about the organization’s efforts to support secondary and post-secondary collision students, 2012 donors/supporters will be highlighted, and the two recipient schools of the 2012 Ultimate Collision Education Makeover $50,000 school grant will be announced.
“We hope the industry will join us during this reception as we not only will be highlighting our industry supporters and hear directly from collision instructors on what the millions of dollars in donations has meant to them, but we will be announcing both the secondary and post-secondary Makeover grant winners,” stated Collision Repair Education Foundation Executive Director, Clark Plucinski. “The collision industry should be celebrating the fact that through their support, the Education Foundation has gone from providing $300,000 in support in 2008, to $4.1 million last year, and we plan on providing over $10 million annually to schools by the end of next year. This is only possible through the industry’s direct involvement with collision students and instructors nationwide. Please join us as we celebrate our recent successes in providing support and learn about our work towards enhancing the industry’s future.”
The goal of the Ultimate Collision Education Makeover grant is to honor a school that has been doing an outstanding job in educating students in collision repair, but needs some financial assistance to improve their program’s teaching materials and equipment. With strained school budgets, the Education Foundation and industry supporters have the opportunity to bridge the program’s financial gap and to make a difference in the lives of the students studying collision repair. As part of the Makeover grant application, schools provide an itemized wish list which can include any tools, supplies, and equipment that are needed by the collision program. Each of the 2012 winning schools will have their $50,000 wish list fulfilled through the Collision Repair Education Foundation and industry donors/supporters.
Industry members are asked to RSVP for the reception by emailing attendee information to info@ed-foundation.org. Questions regarding the reception and/or the Education Foundation’s efforts to support the future of the collision industry can be directed to Associate Director of Development, Brandon Eckenrode at Brandon.Eckenrode@ed-foundation.org or 847.463.5244.
