Ken Lucas estimates his Columbia County automotive repair business performs $20,000 to $30,000 in free vehicle repairs each year. But the company recently helped one of its own team members who’s dealing with a family tragedy.
Lucas owns the Evans location of Christian Brothers Automotive at 4481 Washington Road in Evans. The Christian-based company has more than 250 locations nationwide. One of his employees, Ernie Randall, lost his 13-year-old granddaughter, Julia Chavez, last Monday, Feb. 13. Chavez, a Harlem Middle School student, died of leukemia.
“We have a foundation in our Houston office,” he said.
The foundation paid the entire cost of Chavez’s funeral. Randall has worked for Christian Brothers for about five years.
The company also helped a local family dealing with the father’s terminal cancer.
“We did free repairs and the foundation paid their mortgage for six months,” Lucas said. “We try to do things if there’s a definite need in the community.”
He said one of the business’s community outreach projects is helping single parents by repairing their cars for free.
“It’s the first time we’ve done community outreach for a local team member,” Lucas said. “The family had zero cost; it’s one less thing to worry about and they’re dealing with enough.”
