Most cars donated to Good News Garage have one of a few destinations. Roadworthy cars are repaired and placed with neighbors who need reliable transportation. Others are sold to help fund transportation access. And some have simply reached the end of the road. But last night, one old car got an unexpected final shot at glory.
The Good News Garage team partnered with Essex Automotive to strip down a rusty 1997 Toyota Avalon with 222,000 miles that was next in line for the scrapyard, get it derby-ready, and send it into the first heat of the Demolition Derby at the Champlain Valley Fair as Car #10.
And we had just the person to put behind the wheel. Good News Garage Ready To Go program manager Stephanie Ball Wojtyna is no stranger to racing. Her father, Rusty Ball, was a fixture of the local racing community in Keene, NH, and Stephanie grew up around the track. So when GNG needed a driver willing to give an old car the ride of its life, she was game.
The fun started well before the green flag. What was originally planned as a night of employee recognition turned into a weekend of teammates rolling up their sleeves, working on the car, breaking out the spray paint, and getting #10 ready to compete. For GNG Director of Operations Tyler Sullivan, that may have been the best part: watching a team outing turn into a team project. “It may not have been the kind of car placement we usually celebrate, but this one definitely went out in style.”
As the derby was about to begin, the cars lined up nose-first against a row of Jersey barriers. Once the green flag waved, chaos ensued!
Stephanie quickly backed car #10 away from the barriers to avoid getting pinned in, slamming into car #22 with a powerful thud. She threw it into drive and escaped the melee—but only briefly. Moments later, car #10 sputtered to a stop and waved its proverbial white flag, making it clear it had given all it had.
While the car may not have lasted as long as we’d hoped, the memories the team made—and the thrill of those few action-packed moments—will live on.
At Good News Garage, we believe there’s value left in almost every donated vehicle. Our first goal is to repair safe, reliable cars and put the keys into the hands of neighbors who need them. When a vehicle isn’t a good candidate for placement, it can still generate funds that help more people access reliable transportation. That means your car doesn’t have to be in great shape to do some good. Whether you have a roadworthy car you’d love to see help a neighbor in need or an old car sitting in the driveway that you’ve been wondering what to do with, give us a call. We can’t promise it’ll be in a demolition derby, but we can promise it’ll be put to good use. Donate online or call 877-GIVE-AUTO (877-448-3288). Free towing/pickup available.
