Collision Repair Education Foundation

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Collision Repair Education Foundation Organizing Online Auctions to Support Collision Programs

Auction for Private Tour of Jay Leno’s Garage Now Open

To innovate in how to raise additional funds for high school and college collision programs nationwide, the Collision Repair Education Foundation (CREF) is collaborating with industry partners to create unique, one-of-a-kind experiences and items that will be available for auction not only to the industry but also auto enthusiasts around the country and globe. The initial auction, facilitated by heavy duty vehicle lift leader, Stertil-Koni, is a private tour of Jay Leno’s Garage that is open for bidding now on BiddingForGood’s charity auction site, with the auction ending on Friday, July 10th at 10pm CDT.

View Jay Leno Garage Tour auction HERE

The winning bidder, along with three of their friends, will have a private tour of Leno’s extraordinary collection of approximately 200 vehicles at his Big Dog Garage in Burbank, CA. The tour will include stories behind many of the autos on display and see where Jay Leno’s Garage is filmed.  Funds raised through this once-in-a-lifetime experience for any automotive enthusiast will allow CREF to support high school and college collision programs this upcoming school year who have expressed concern about their already limited program budgets being reduced.

Carl Boyer, Stertil-Koni’s Shop Equipment Specialist noted, “We are thrilled to be working together with CREF to arrange the Jay Leno’s garage tour auction. Stertil-Koni strongly believes in CREF’s work to support high school and college collision programs around the country as the industry needs to come together in supporting its future workforce. We are excited to see the success of this auction and would encourage other industry members to get creative with their business partners to come up with their own auctions in support of CREF.” 

CREF Director of Development Brandon Eckenrode noted, “I cannot thank Carl and Stertil-Koni enough for helping to make our initial auction item one to remember and connecting us with Jay Leno’s Garage. This and future auction opportunities allow CREF to expand its supporters beyond just industry partners and get the general public involved. We look forward to seeing the results of this auction and are excited about the other auctions that we will be announcing over the coming months.”

For additional information about Stertil-Koni visit www.Stertil-Koni.com. Industry members interested in working with CREF on creating future auction items and experiences should contact Brandon Eckenrode, CREF Director of Development.

About Stertil-Koni

Stertil-Koni is the market leader in heavy duty vehicle lifts, notably bus lifts and truck lifts, and proudly serves municipalities, state agencies, school bus fleets, major corporations, the U.S. Military and more. Stertil-Koni’s breadth of products meets all ranges of lifting needs and includes portable lifts such as Mobile Column Lifts, 2-post, 4-post, inground piston lifts, platform lifts, and its axle-engaging, inground, scissor lift configuration, ECOLIFT. The company’s innovative, inground telescopic piston DIAMONDLIFT is now available with an optional Continuous Recess system, ideal for low clearance vehicles. Stertil-Koni USA is headquartered in Stevensville, Maryland with production facilities in Europe, The Netherlands, and Streator, IL.

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Collision Repair Education Foundation Virtual Golf Fundraiser July 25

Golfing and online game enthusiasts around the globe are invited to join the Collision Repair Education Foundation (CREF) in their first virtual golf event scheduled for Saturday, July 25th. Through a $25 donation, CREF will be coordinating an online day of golf that players can participate from the comfort of their home on their phone, tablet, or computer.

2020 Grand Prize GoldenTee Home UnitInterested in taking part and joining us in supporting high school/college collision programs?

  • Make a $25 online donation below. The first (150) registrants will get a CREF golf ‘swag bag’ with promotional items.
  • Visit www.wgt.com to create your free, TopGolf player profile and start practicing your online golf swing.
  • On Saturday, July 25th all registered players will be emailed details & instructions on CREF’s online golf day.

Online registration available:

  • $25 – (1) Player Registration

Questions about the event, contact CREF Director of Development Brandon Eckenrode – Brandon.Eckenrode@ed-foundation.org

Online Registration is available below:

 

 

 

 

 

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April 7 Golf Fundraiser in Jacksonville, Florida Cancelled

The Collision Repair Education Foundation has cancelled its Golf Fundraiser that was scheduled to take place April 7 in Jacksonville, Fla.

The event will take place at TopGolf located at 10531 Brightman Blvd. in Jacksonville, Fla. from 6-9 pm on April 7, 2020 in conjunction with other collision industry meetings taking place that week.

Several sponsorship tiers are also available:

PLATINUM – $5000 Sponsor

  • 2 Sponsored Golf Bays – Up to 12 Players
  • Recognition on Promo Materials and/or Signage Before & During Event
  • Introduction and Speaking Opportunity at Awards Ceremony
  • Unlimited Buffet and Drinks (Beer, Wine, Soda)

GOLD – $3000 Sponsor

  • 1 Sponsored Golf Bay – Up to 6 Players
  • Recognition on Promo Materials and/or Signage Before & During Event
  • Recognition at Awards Ceremony
  • Unlimited Buffet and Drinks (Beer, Wine, Soda)

SILVER – $1000 Sponsor

  • 1 Sponsored Golf Bay – Up to 6 Players
  • Logo on Sponsor Board
  • Unlimited Buffet and Drinks (Beer, Wine, Soda)

BRONZE – $500 Sponsor

  • Up to 2 Players
  • Unlimited Buffet and Drinks (Beer, Wine, Soda)

Sponsorship payments can be made online with a credit card by entering the amount and choosing the 2020 CREF TopGolf Outing in Jacksonville as the designation. For more information on sponosrship contact Christen Battaglia at (302) 377-5202  or via email at Christen.Battaglia@ed-foundation.org

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#100Floors75Days

The Collision Repair Education Foundation and Rust-Oleum are partnering this summer to provide 100 collision repair schools with new flooring. The #100Floors75Days project seeks to build relationships between the local collision industry and their collision repair schools by providing the materials necessary to refinish the schools floors during the summer break. The freshly refinished floors will increase the professional appearance of school collision programs, helping to attract students to careers in the collision industry.

The Foundation has identified 100 schools in 23 states in need of new floor coatings.

The schools will apply the coating over the summer while school is not in session.
Sponsoring companies will be recognized on a banner presented to the school.

Industry members interested in supporting the effort should contact Brandon Eckenrode at (312) 231-0258 or Brandon.Eckenrode@ed-foundation.org

The list of schools currently identified is below:

School: City/Town: State: Floor Coating Cost Sponsor
LeCroy Career Tech Center Clanton AL $3,100.00 AVAILABLE
Career Technical Educational Center Columbiana AL $4,400.00 AVAILABLE
Earnest Pruett Center of Technology  Hollywood  AL $4,660.00 AVAILABLE
Calhoun County Career Academy Jacksonville AL $2,580.00 AVAILABLE
Walker County Center of Technology  Jasper AL $3,100.00 AVAILABLE
H. Councill Trenholm State Community College Montgomery AL $8,820.00 AVAILABLE
Muscle Shoals Career Academy Muscle Shoals  AL $3,100.00 AVAILABLE
Northeast Arkansas Career and Technical Center Jonesboro AR $2,580.00 AVAILABLE
Page High School Page AZ $3,620.00 AVAILABLE
Buena High School Sierra Vista AZ $2,580.00 AVAILABLE
Sacramento Academic and Vocational Academy Sacramento CA $1,800.00 AVAILABLE
Contra Costa College San Pablo CA $5,700.00 Service King Collision Repair Centers
Santa Ynez High School Santa Ynez CA $3,880.00 AVAILABLE
Warren Tech Lakewood CO $6,220.00 AVAILABLE
Hodgson Vo-Tech Newark DE $7,780.00 AVAILABLE
South Florida State College Avon Park FL $5,180.00 AVAILABLE
Cocoa High School Cocoa FL $10,900.00 AVAILABLE
Sheridan Technical College Hollywood FL $1,800.00 Diamond Automotive, Inc.
Miami Northwestern Sr. High  Miami FL $5,700.00 AVAILABLE
Colonial High School / Mid Florida Tech  Orlando FL $500.00 AVAILABLE
Thornton Fractional High School Calumet City IL $2,580.00 Enterprise Rent-A-Car
Capital Area Career Center Springfield IL $2,580.00 AVAILABLE
J. Everett Light Career Center Indianapolis IN $13,500.00 AVAILABLE
McKenzie Center Indianapolis IN $3,880.00 AVAILABLE
Walker Career Center Indianapolis IN $4,660.00 AVAILABLE
Kokomo Area Career Center Kokomo IN $2,840.00 AVAILABLE
Prosser Career Education Center New Albany IN $21,300.00 AVAILABLE
Coffeyville Community College Columbus KS $5,700.00 AVAILABLE
Gateway Community & Technical College Ft. Wright KY $3,880.00 AVAILABLE
Eastside Technical Center Lexington KY $2,060.00 AVAILABLE
Upper Cape Tech Bourne MA $12,980.00 AVAILABLE
Diman Regional Voc Tech High School Fall River MA $13,500.00 AVAILABLE
Leominster Center for Technical education Leominster MA $5,180.00 AVAILABLE
Pathfinder Regional Vocational Technical High School Palmer MA $760.00 AVAILABLE
Harford Tech High School Bel Air MD $3,100.00 AVAILABLE
Center for Applied Technology South Edgewater MD $3,360.00 AVAILABLE
Gaithersburg High School Gaithersburg MD $1,800.00 AVAILABLE
Arcadia Valley Career Tech Ironton MO $2,580.00 AVAILABLE
Dallas County Technical Center Louisburg MO $2,580.00 AVAILABLE
North West Technical School Maryville MO $1,280.00 AVAILABLE
Moberly Area Technical Center Moberly  MO $3,100.00 AVAILABLE
Lewis and Clark Career Center St. Charles MO $2,580.00 AVAILABLE
Warrensburg Area Career Center Warrensburg MO $3,100.00 AVAILABLE
East Central Community College  Decatur  MS $3,100.00 AVAILABLE
Westover High School Fayetteville  NC $1,280.00 Hendrick Auto Group
Central Academy of Technology and Arts Monroe NC $8,300.00 AVAILABLE
Wilkes Community College Wilkesboro  NC $3,100.00 Axalta Coating Systems
Dover High School and RCTC Dover NH $500.00 AVAILABLE
W.D. Ormsby East Aurora NY $3,100.00 AVAILABLE
Genesee Valley Educational Partnership Mt. Morris NY $10,900.00 AVAILABLE
Monroe 2 Orleans BOCES Spencerport NY $3,100.00 AVAILABLE
Hudson Valley Community College  Troy NY $13,500.00 AVAILABLE
Four County Career Center Archbold  OH $3,880.00 AVAILABLE
Miami Valley Career Tech Center Englewood OH $4,140.00 Dayton CARSTAR Business Group
Springfield- Clark Careeer & Technical Center Springfield OH $3,100.00 Dayton CARSTAR Business Group
Northeast Tech Afton Afton OK $5,700.00 AVAILABLE
Great Plains Technology Center Lawton OK $6,740.00 AVAILABLE
Butler Area County Vocational Technical School Butler PA $500.00 AVAILABLE
Steel Center Tech  Jefferson Hills PA $3,620.00 AVAILABLE
Carbon Career & Technical Institute Jim Thorpe PA $2,580.00 Axalta Coating Systems
Mifflin County Academy of Science and Technology Lewistown PA $2,580.00 AVAILABLE
Cumberland Perry Vocational Technical School  Mechanicsburg  PA $2,060.00 J.W. Smith Auto Body 
Lawrence County Career and technical Center New Castle PA $1,280.00 AVAILABLE
Northern Westmoreland CTC New Kensington PA $2,580.00 AVAILABLE
Venango Technology Center Oil City PA $2,320.00 AVAILABLE
Career Technical Center of Lackawanna County Scranton PA $2,320.00 Axalta Coating Systems
Enoree Career Center Greenville SC $57,700.00 AVAILABLE
G Frank Russell Technology Center Greenwood SC $2,060.00 AVAILABLE
Academy for Careers & Technology Mullins SC $3,100.00 AVAILABLE
Fred P. Hamilton Career Center Seneca SC $2,580.00 AVAILABLE
Sumter Career And Technology Center Sumter SC $3,620.00 AVAILABLE
Sumter Career And Technology center Sumter SC $3,620.00 AVAILABLE
Tennessee College of Applied Technology Chattanooga Chattanooga TN $4,140.00 AVAILABLE
Northwest High School Clarksville  TN $5,700.00 Nashville I-CAR Committee
Bradley Central High School  Cleveland TN $2,840.00 AVAILABLE
Central High School Knoxville TN $2,060.00 Dalton Collision
Judson High School Converse TX $1,020.00 Service King Collision Repair Centers
Donna High School Donna TX $2,580.00 AVAILABLE
Kingwood Park High School Kingwood TX $1,280.00 Service King Collision Repair Centers
United South High School Laredo TX $3,100.00 AVAILABLE
JB Hensler College & Career Academy Manvel TX $7,780.00 AVAILABLE
Mesquite High School Mesquite TX $3,100.00 Service King Collision Repair Centers
West Texas Training center Central High School San Angelo TX $3,100.00 AVAILABLE
Holmes High School  San Antonio TX $3,620.00 Service King Collision Repair Centers
Texarkana College Texarkana TX $3,620.00 AVAILABLE
South West Texas Junior College Uvalde TX $6,740.00 AVAILABLE
Hopewell High School Hopewell VA $2,060.00 AVAILABLE
Northern Neck Tech Center Warsaw VA $1,800.00 AVAILABLE
New Market Skills Center Tumwater WA $3,880.00 AVAILABLE
Lakeshore Technical College  Cleveland WI $9,860.00 AVAILABLE
Randolph Rounty Techinal Center Elkins  WV $760.00 AVAILABLE
Tucker County High School Hambleton WV $2,580.00 AVAILABLE
Cabell County Career Tech. Center Huntington WV $3,100.00 AVAILABLE
Wood County Technical Center Parkersburg WV $5,700.00 AVAILABLE
Brooke High School Wellsburg WV $2,580.00 AVAILABLE

 

 

Floors Before and After

 

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Top Tech Competition

Goals for this event:

  • Improve employee retention
  • Develop the next generation of mentors
  • Encourage more mentoring within the industry
  • Recognize mentors

Requirements:

  • Must be 18 years of age
  • Must have been enrolled within the last two years, or is currently enrolled, in a collision repair program at a technical high school or college.
  • $200 team fee

Cash Prizes:

  • 1st- $2500 each team member
  • 2nd- $1000 each team member
  • 3rd- $500 each team member
 

2019 Sponsors:

Gerber Collision & Glass logo

 

Competencies to be included in competition:

The following is a list of expected competencies for technicians, based on industry standards. Technicians should be proficient in all of the following:

Basics:

  • Moving and staging vehicles
  • Shop organization and clean up
  • Safety and how to use personal equipment
  • Placement of keys/work orders during repairs

 

Beginning Skills:

  • Damage analysis
  • Supplement writing ,ability to read and understand the manufacturer’s guidelines (AllData)
  • Disassembly and reassembly, part/hardware organization
  • Nut, bolt and clip recognition
  • Ability to inspect work and QC
  • Checking lights, sensors and functions
  • Final vehicle checks
  • How to identify and remedy wind, water and air leaks
  • Electrical testing of circuits and wiring repair
  • Corrosion protection
  • Removing spot welds
  • Draining radiators and discharging ac systems; Vacuum filling radiators and charging ac systems
  • Set up and measure on frame rack and floor pull set up
  • Tram measuring and reading/following manufacturers measurement specifications
  •  Repairing bumpers
  • Sheet metal adjustment and fit
  • Small dings and dents
  • Medium sized metal and filler work, metal shrinking
  • Weld on panel mapping, removal and preparation
  • Resistance welding
  • Plastic welding
  • Plastic repair with epoxy
  •  Introduction to mocking up and fitting weld on outer panels
  •  Demonstrate the ability to replace bedsides and door skins from start to finish (resistance welding only)
  •  Basic knowledge of outer weld on panel joints

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3M Hire Our Heroes

The 3M Hire Our Heroes 500 during 2018 SEMA Show raised funds to support scholarships and tool grants to military veterans and their families.

 

Collision Repair Industry’s Top Shop Owners, MSO Leaders and Industry-Leading Companies Raced to Claim the Honors

Donate to the Collision Repair Education Foundation to support the 3M Hire Our Heroes campaign

 

Hire Out Heroes 500 logoWhen the tire smoke cleared and the final results tallied, Gary Boesel, owner of CARSTAR Alpine and CARSTAR Jordan Road took home the top honors with a fast time of 153.87 in the 3M Hire Our Heroes 500, outpacing representatives from top collision repair companies and industry partners.

3M Automotive Aftermarket Division, along with the Collision Repair Education Foundation, put its effort to provide collision repair education opportunities for military members into high gear this year, hosting the 3M Hire Our Heroes 500 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. This year’s program raised more than $150,000 for the 3M Hire Our Heroes program, which provides scholarships and tool grants for military members who want to enter the collision repair industry. All donations for the 3M Hire Our Heroes 500 went to the 3M Hire Our Heroes scholarship fund.

“That was one of the most incredible experiences in my life,” said Boesel, who competed in drag racing as a young adult. “To have my family here and take home the trophy is amazing. Then to have Richard Petty present it to me is unbelievable. What an honor to race for the team at CARSTAR Alpine and CARSTAR Jordan Road and represent the CARSTAR brand.”

Richard Petty (l) presents Gary Boesel with the 3M Hire Our Heroes 500 Trophy at SEMA.

On Tuesday, October 30 during the 2018 SEMA Show, representatives from top MSO and independent collision repair companies industry partners competed in NASCAR stock cars from the NASCAR Racing Experience at Las Vegas Motor Speedway for bragging rights as the fastest collision repair professional in the industry. Legendary automotive designer Chip Foose waved the green flag for the field. The winner was presented the race trophy by NASCAR Hall of Fame member Richard Petty on Wednesday, October 31, in the 3M Automotive Aftermarket Division outside booth at SEMA.

Companies that competed in the race included:  CARSTAR, Gerber Collision & Glass, Auto Body Evolution, Lindsay Collision Centers, Brandywine Coach Works, Skeeter’s Body Shop, Caliber Collision, Fix Auto, Berkshire Hathaway Automotive/English Color and Supply, Certified Collision Group, CARSTAR Jordon Road/CARSTAR Alpine, Garmat and Enterprise Rent-a-Car. 

Each participant generously donated to have a car in the field. All proceeds benefit the 3M Hire Our Heroes program.

“What a great night with many of our colleagues in the collision repair industry,” said Dale Ross, U.S. Marketing Operations Manager for 3M Automotive Aftermarket Division. “There was racing excitement in beautifully branded race cars under the lights at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Chip Foose waved the green flag, top painters from around the country showed off custom helmets for each driver and it all benefited an important cause – providing scholarships and tool grants for military members who want to work in the collision repair industry. This was a unique, once-of-a-lifetime event that engaged many of our collision repair industry’s leading companies in a race for an amazing trophy – and bragging rights. We’re honored to have everyone’s support.”

The partners in the 3M Hire Our Heroes 500 included 3M Commercial Solutions Division, which provided the graphic film for the cars, TriMaxx Graphics, which printed the film, Graphix GearWerks handled the installation, and NASCAR Racing Experience provided the race cars and managed the on-track event.

“The 3M Hire Our Heroes program has been an incredible initiative that will help launch a rewarding career for our scholarship and tool grant recipients and benefit our industry overall,” said Clark Plucinski, Executive Director of the Collision Repair Education Foundation. “The generosity of the industry in supporting this program is heartwarming, and they are playing a critical role in building the success of our industry for years to come.”

This is the sixth year that 3M has partnered with the Collision Repair Education Foundation in support of our industry and our nation’s veterans. Since 2013, the 3M Hire Our Heroes program has generated more than $1.2 million to be used toward scholarships and tool grants for military veterans and their family members. Nearly 330 military veterans and their families have already received scholarships and grants.

If you prefer, you can mail your donation to Collision Repair Education Foundation, 5125 Trillium Boulevard, Hoffman Estates, Illinois 60192. If sending a check, be sure to identify “Hire our Heroes” in the memo section of the check.

Check out the videos below with Hire Our Heroes Grant Recipients