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www.insideHALTON.com | OAKVILLE BEAVER | Thursday, September 25, 2014 | 24 Getting families in need on the road again by Nathan Howes Special to the Beaver Being raised by a single mother helped Oakville's Scott Weller understand the importance of having a working vehicle. That's why the local Glenleven Chrysler general manager is partnering with Kerr Street Ministries (KSM) to provide car servicing for one family every month. The initiative, which started earlier this month, involves KSM selecting families for repairs -- with costs of $500-$1,000 covered by Glenleven. "We're going to help families get on the road. We will help them get to their job (and) help kids get to sporting events and extracurricular activities because too often obstacles are put in front of these families," said Weller. "If we can help these families get to work, they're going to improve their lives. If we're going to get these kids to their sporting events or their schools, we're going to enhance their lives by bettering their environment." Weller knows too well the burden of not having an operational vehicle. As a child, he was an active hockey Kerr Street Ministries' Michelle Lockhart, left, and Glenleven Chrysler general manager Scott Weller, right, recently struck a partnership between the two organizations to help service one Oakville family's car each month. | photo by Graham Paine ­ Oakville Beaver (Follow on Twitter @halton_photog) player but he couldn't get to games or practices because his mother's car was ineffective, he said. "We managed to buy a car that totally tanked. She lost her job. Had someone been there to give a bit of a repair, she wouldn't have lost her job and our lives would have been enriched," said Weller. "She would have been working and she would have felt better about herself and not living on (social assistance)." The general manager wants to use his childhood experience to help others so they may not have to face the same challenges. "I turned my life around and didn't become a product of that environment. If I can help families (do that) then that's what we're going to do. We get these cars working in a safe way and then it opens up an opportunity for the family," said Weller. When he was introduced to KSM through friends of his who volunteer at the Oakville charity, Weller discovered how much of a need there is for this "wonderful organization," he said. "It's disappointing to discover how many people don't even know about Kerr Street Ministries. It's also disappointing to find out how many people are actually in need," said Weller. KSM family program co-ordinator Michelle Lockhart noted Glenleven approached the charity in early June to discuss a partnership to service families' cars. "For some families, particularly those who need it for work, it's something that's vital. When you're struggling to pay your rent and put food on the table, even though servicing your car is important, I think people will put it off until the very last minute because there are other things that take priority," said Lockhart. KSM has already listed three or four individuals for servicing, Lockhart said, noting the organization is prioritizing the families that have the greatest need. "We have a woman right now who needs a vehicle for travelling to and from work. She's been going to school and working on getting hours for her program and she has to do a bunch of hours in places across Halton that aren't accessible by bus," said Lockhart. She said while someone may not get their car fixed immediately, "it doesn't mean they won't get an opportunity" down the road. "They will just have to wait a month or two before their cars get serviced. Right now we have families (scheduled) that will take us up to Christmas," said Lockhart. The KSM family program coordinator noted Glenleven will service a second family's car in the same month if the cost of both repairs fits within the allotted amount. Glenleven will also support KSM's upcoming food drives, toy drives, youth contests and Christmas Wonders and Beyond program, among other initiatives. "They're not just about repairing a car or throwing money at something and walking away, the partnership for them means they want to invest in Kerr Street Ministries and everything that is happening here, which is a huge blessing for what we're doing," said Lockhart. For more information, visit www. kerrstreet.net. GRAND RE-OPENING SEPT. 27 NORTH SERVICE ROAD WEST OAKVILLE Join us on Saturday, September 27 from 10am - 3 pm for our Grand Re-Opening Celebration. · CLOWN · FACE PAINTING · GAMES · BALLOONS NOW SERVING CAKE! LIVE MUSIC! PRIZES! MEET WENDY! ©2014 Wendy's International, LLC. W NOP EN RE-O CHECK OUT OUR NEW LOOK! NEW NEW NEW FREE WI-FI COMFORTABLE SEATING WITH FIREPLACE FLATSCREEN TV 1530 North Service Road West, Oakville