ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1997, Roanoke Times
DATE: Wednesday, March 5, 1997 TAG: 9703050066
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: C-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: LESLIE TAYLOR STAFF WRITER
AT TODAY'S SALVATION ARMY auto auction, you can give an old car new life while helping abused women and children turn their own lives around.
Capt. Stephen Long eased between a row of cars parked on a lot covered with wet mulch.
He stopped beside a white 1984 Chrysler Fifth Avenue, slapped its vinyl roof and peered through the right front window, marveling at the car's red leather interior.
"Beautiful," he gushed.
Long stepped over to a 1962 Chevrolet Corvair, berry blue, its odometer showing 97,932 miles.
"It's a classic," he said. The woman who'd owned the car bought it new and kept it in tip-top condition, Long explained.
It showed. The car still had its original hubcaps with their berry blue emblems.
Long demonstrated all the qualities of a good used-car salesman as he strolled from one car to another - qualities that can make the worst of cars worth a second glance and the best of them downright irresistible.
But Long is not a car salesman. He is commander of the Salvation Army's Roanoke corps, who has had gumption enough to take charity fund raising to a whole new level.
Today, the Salvation Army will auction 22 cars and two boats, all donated to the corps. Proceeds will support the Turning Point, the corps' shelter for abused women and their children.
Up for grabs are such well-worn gems as a 1969 Mercedes Benz 220 sedan with a quirky ignition, a 1986 Buick Electra station wagon whose owner was moved to tears as he recalled family road trips in the car, and a 17-foot 1972 Wellcraft motorboat and trailer.
"There were probably as many different people making donations as there are cars," he said. "There were older individuals and young people, a mix of individuals from all over the Roanoke community."
Some donors had cars that were wasting away in alleys. Others had children who'd grown up and left the nest, leaving behind their old cars. For some donors, two cars were plenty; they had no use for a third vehicle.
But most of those who were generous enough to part with cars and boats recognized the larger value of their contributions - helping the Turning Point shelter, Long said.
The shelter has "a hard time keeping money to run our program," said Darlene Young, shelter director. "It takes a lot of money to run a program like this. We have to get it any way we can. Fortunately, here at the Turning Point, people have been really good to us."
Long said he prefers to look at the shelter as "cost-worthy" rather than "costly" to run. The 60-bed shelter has an annual operating budget of $295,000. On an average day, 40 of those beds are occupied.
The auction will raise not only money for the Turning Point but public awareness as well, Long hopes. Each buyer will receive a brochure about the shelter.
Long borrowed the auction idea from a Salvation Army corps near Washington, D.C., that for several years has solicited donations of vehicles and auctioned them twice a month. The auctions have raised $2.5million annually for that corps' adult rehabilitation center.
"We really need to look for different ways folks can help support the Salvation Army," Long said. "When times change, resources must change."
The Roanoke corps' kettle drive and mail campaign - its major annual fund-raisers - were marginally successful last year, Long said. The kettles brought in a little more money than in 1995; the mail appeal was a little lower, he said.
Long said he wants to hold the auto auctions as often as possible. The corps has a standing call out for vehicle donations.
Today's auction - which will be conducted by auctioneer Barry Cole of Roanoke - "is a way for people to help us help others have a peaceful life," Long said.
The Salvation Army's Roanoke corps will hold its first benefit auto auction today at its community center at 724 Dale Ave. S.E. Bidding will begin at 5:30 p.m. For more information, call 343-5335.
LENGTH: Medium: 82 lines ILLUSTRATION: PHOTO: ERIC BRADY STAFF. Capt. Stephen Long shows off a berryby CNBblue 1962 Chevrolet Corvair that the Salvation Army's Roanoke corps
plans to auction off today, along with 21 other cars and two boats.
color.