CARSTAR Turns Up The Volume On Its Support Of America's Veterans And Active Duty Military With National Military Month Celebration

OVERLAND PARK, Kan., Nov. 8, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- This November, CARSTAR Auto Body Repair Experts will honor America's active duty and military veterans with a special celebration for National Military Month.  It will include a national partnership with iPods for Wounded Veterans, which is a charity dedicated to helping wounded service men and women by providing a diversion and easing the boredom of recovery by donating iPods, iPads, eReaders and other materials that improve their quality of life.

During the month of November all CARSTAR locations around the country will collect donations of new or gently used iPods, iPads, Nooks or Kindles.  Supporters can also donate iTunes gift cards or make a financial contribution for iPods for Wounded Veterans to purchase the electronics directly.

The collected items will be donated in December to recovering military members at select military hospitals around the country.

Jeff Hammond, NASCAR analyst for SPEED and Legendary crew chief, has joined forces with CARSTAR to help share the program with automotive enthusiasts and racing fans around the country.  Hammond, widely recognized for his ongoing support of America's current military members and veterans, just returned from a trip to visit the troops at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center.

"It's an honor to be able to lend my support to such a great program to help our military members during their recovery," said Hammond.  "These men and women have served so honorably and bravely.  It's the least we can do to provide them resources like iPods, iPads, Kindles and Nooks that help them during their time in our nation's military hospitals."

Hammond joins Jim Marshall, owner of Marshall's Autobody CARSTAR in Billerica, MA, and an Air Force veteran, as the ambassadors for the CARSTAR Military Month iPods for Wounded Veterans program.

Marshall began working with iPods for Wounded Veterans in 2011 and is leading all of the CARSTAR stores around the country in the collection effort this year.  He has been supporting iPods for Wounded Veterans since November 2011, collecting donations from customers, vendors, friends, family and other local businesses, totaling more than $18,000 for the program. He had an opportunity to visit Walter Reed National Military Medical Center earlier this year to present the iPods, iPads, Kindles and Nooks to the troops.

"People want to help, they just need the avenue and direction," said Marshall. "The gift of an iPod, iPad, Nook or Kindle, or even magazines and books, provides much needed distraction from the grueling rehabilitation processes these soldiers face.  It's been an honor to work with this program over the past year and help these soldiers in need.  And I'm proud to lead the CARSTAR owners and our customers around the country in expanding awareness and support of the iPods for Wounded Veterans program to touch even more of our troops."

For more information visit www.carstar.com.

SOURCE CARSTAR