Marine family to be presented with new car

Left to right, Justin Frost, Michael Wandrey and Pedro Nolasco of Caliber Collision, congratulate Sgt. Steven Gilbraith and his family on their new Recycled Rides car, as Caliber’s Trina Ruiz (far right) looks on. Courtesy photo

A U.S. Marine Corps family from Camp Pendleton will have much to celebrate this weekend when they are presented with keys to a newly restored 2017 Toyota Highlander in recognition of May Military Appreciation Month and Mother’s Day from Caliber Collision and Allstate Insurance.

Reliable transportation is critical for Sgt. Steven Gilbraith and his wife Ilze. With three children ages 1 to 7, life is hectic. The car donation will help the family juggle transportation for Sgt. Gilbraith to get to and from Camp Pendleton, while Ilze manages school and extracurricular activities for the children, as well as special therapy and speech classes for a son who recently was diagnosed autistic.

The car donation from Caliber Collision and Allstate Insurance is part of a national program to repair and donate vehicles to individuals in need of reliable transportation. The Allstate-donated vehicle was restored by technicians at Caliber Collision-Huntington Beach who volunteered their time  as a community service.

The Gilbraith Family was nominated for the car donation by Armed  Services YMCA (ASYMCA), a nonprofit organization whose mission is to strengthen military families.

The car donation by Allstate Insurance and Caliber Collision is part of the National Auto Body Council’s Recycled Rides™ program that connects collision industry companies to repair and provide cars to individuals in need. Local Allstate agent Jason Feltman will be in attendance to hand keys to Sgt. Gilbraith and family. Allstate Insurance has been involved with the Recycled Rides program since 2010. In 2018 alone, Allstate donated 122 vehicles to military service members, veterans and others in need of transportation.

Over the past six years, Caliber Collision and its industry partners have donated nearly 300 cars valued at over $4 million.