NEWS

Staff and members of IGNITE Davidson with "keys" to their new car. (News of Davidson photo by Lyn Batty)

Refurbished Car with Unique Design Donated to IGNITE Clubhouse in Davidson

On Thursday, January 8, the IGNITE program in Davidson celebrated the receipt of a beautifully refurbished 2017 Jeep Grand Cherokee.

IGNITE is a ‘peer-to-peer’ community center for young adults with high-functioning autism or Asperger’s Syndrome, offering activities, skills training, and educational workshops that foster social, financial, educational, and employment independence for its members.

Importantly, IGNITE offers a social environment where members can connect with others and experience a sense of community. IGNITE’s membership-based community program is operated by the Autism Society of North Carolina.

Ray Evernham, Legendary NASCAR Crew Chief and founder of the Evernham Family-Racing for a Reason Foundation. (News of Davidson photo by Lyn Batty)

IGNITE was founded in 2012 with support from the Evernham Family-Racing for a Reason Foundation, a non-profit organization with founding support from legendary NASCAR Crew Chief Ray Evernham through the Evernham Family-Racing for a Reason Foundation. Evernham retired with 60 wins and three NASCAR Cup Series championships as a crew chief and car owner for NASCAR legends Jeff Gordon and Bill Elliott, among others.

The donation of the Jeep Grand Cherokee to IGNITE was made possible by the National Auto Body Council (NABC) Recycled Rides® program, vehicle donor Allstate, and repair partner CARSTAR Auto Body of Cleveland. Since 2007, NABC® Recycled Rides® program has presented more than 3,750 vehicles to veterans, military families, single mothers and others in need of reliable transportation.

The Jeep’s journey from vehicle donor, Allstate, to IGNITE is the result of a well-tuned collaboration. Cars are chosen for donation by Allstate if they have light damage or have been recovered after theft. The cars are identified by Allstate through their insurance claims process. The cars are typically in great condition, but have already been declared a loss. Cars are matched to individuals and non-profit organizations who have requested a vehicle from the program. Cars are transported to local auto body shops where technicians donate their time doing the meticulous refurbishing work. 

The gleaming Jeep donated to IGNITE was refurbished by technicians from a local CARSTAR shop located in Cleveland, NC. CARSTAR is part of the Driven Brands family of automotive brands and is an I-CAR Gold Certified network. CARSTAR Auto Body of Cleveland has refurbished and gifted a number of vehicles for people in need in North Carolina. The technicians love this work.

Jason Zander, owner of CARSTAR Auto Body of Cleveland, and eleven other independent body shops across North Carolina, was in Davidson last Thursday to deliver the car. With him was Wes Schaefer, the technician who led the rehab work on the vehicle. They were nearly as excited as the IGNITE members.

This was a “special job,” Jason and Wes explained. The IGNITE members had created a number of their own original design concepts for the vehicle. The members made a series of drawings along with specific paint schemes. They sent several different options to the technicians. At the body shop, the technicians reviewed all of the design concepts with an eye toward how they would look on the specific vehicle. Then the techs voted on their favorite design. The final design concept was kept under wraps until the car was presented to the IGNITE members.

Refurbished vehicle in front of IGNITE Clubhouse on Delburg Street in Davidson before the official unveiling. (News of Davidson photo by Lyn Batty)

Before the unveiling, the new car was wrapped in blue fabric, decorated with a bow, and parked in front of the IGNITE Davidson Clubhouse on Delburg Street in Davidson.

Speaking to the crowd before the unveiling of the car, Ray Evernham shared what led to the creation of the IGNITE program in North Carolina. When his son, Ray J, was about to graduate from high school, Evernham discovered that there weren’t places in North Carolina designed to help young people who were on the autism spectrum in their transition from high school into the community.

Evernham contacted the Autism Society of North Carolina to ask whether there were any local programs that actively supported young adults in this important stage of life, and they said, “not really.” But the Autism Society thought it sounded like a great idea. So, Evernham and his family’s Racing for a Reason Foundation worked to raise the resources needed to create the IGNITE program along with the Autism Society of North Carolina. There are now two IGNITE programs in North Carolina: one in Davidson and one in Raleigh.

Evernham told the crowd that the IGNITE program has been a remarkable success. “We have an incredible staff of people who operate this place with love, with care. Our members have come so far socially, many of them have reduced their medication, have great successful jobs, relationships, and friendships.”

Evernham said, “it's very important that we educate the rest of the world about autism, that it just takes a little bit of patience, a little bit of understanding. It takes managing our expectations, but people on the autism spectrum have great potential!”

Current members of IGNITE Davidson gathered close to their new car to join in a countdown to the unveiling. Jason and Wes from the CARSTAR Auto Body shop stepped up to the car to pull back the blue covering. When unveiled, the Jeep was adorned with a brilliant green, star-studded design that flowed along the sides of the car.

Jason Zander and Wes Schaefer of CARSTAR Autobody of Cleveland unveiling the newly refurbished car. (News of Davidson photo by Lyn Batty)

The members loudly shouted their approval. Evernham’s son, Ray J, a long-time member who now works for IGNITE Davidson, was very pleased with the design. He was a major proponent of the vivid green color used in the design. Ray J was the first official member of IGNITE Davidson and helped to create the organization’s original logo and color scheme.

IGNITE members stood in a group after the unveiling, describing and evaluating the car’s unique design. “The electric green color is so bright, like a food, but not quite. It evokes a vibe, that particular shade of green, like an edible emerald,” declared IGNITE member, Keegan Guyer.

Another member, Brandon Spears, weighed in, saying “the design is excellent. It’s very bright. It looks like something that was done not just by some kid in art class, but by a serious, professional designer.” He also stated that the Jeep is “very comfy inside,” after trying out the back seat.

They are all looking forward to using the car for trips around the area. When they were asked where they want to go first in their new car, it only took a moment for them to declare in unison: “Carowinds!”