FREDERICK, Md. (Aug. 16, 2016) — West Michigan Auto Auction (WMAA) of Wayland, Mich., has earned the inaugural 2016 Midwest Auction of the Year Award from the National Auto Auction Association. The award honors excellence in community service.
West Michigan Auto Auction is one of four auctions – one selected from each of NAAA's membership regions – to win the award. Each regional chapter award winner receives $5,000, which will be donated to the charity or charities of its choice.
The NAAA's National Auction of the Year Award will go to one of these four regional award winners. The auction that earns the national honor will receive an additional $10,000 to be donated to the charity or charities of its choice. In addition, NAAA’s On the Block magazine will feature a January 2017 cover story about the auction and its charitable efforts.
The auction will also grace the cover of the 2017 NAAA Member Directory. The National Auction of the Year winner will be announced on November 17, during the NAAA/NRC Convention's Presidential Gala.
NAAA Midwest Chapter President Jason Cotton said West Michigan Auto Auction’s efforts have helped so many people and have been an inspiration to many. He said felt honored to be able to announce them as the award winner during National Auto Auction Week.
“West Michigan Auto Auction stands out for their efforts, and we are pleased they will represent the Midwest Chapter for the inaugural Midwest Auction of the Year Award,” said Cotton, Dyer Auto Auction Vice President of Business Development. “Everyone from the Midwest Chapter wishes them well.”
NAAA President Mike Browning said he is pleased to be president during the creation of this new award. “We want to congratulate West Michigan Auto Auction and thank those involved at the auction who consistently give unselfishly of their time, effort, and money to so many wonderful community service organizations,” Browning said.
WMAA engages in numerous charitable and community service activities, not the least of which was an employee who befriended a dealer client, and later donated a kidney to the man.
Other efforts include raising $42,000 for the family of a Michigan auction worker who died in a car accident and each year holding a memorial ride for his family’s continued support. WMAA raised $12,000 for a dealer client whose wife contracted terminal cancer, and the amount raised was matched by the auction. Numerous vehicle repairs for financially challenged individuals in the community also have been made. Other efforts include charity golf sponsorships, food pantry collections, and raising $3,000 for a nonprofit that donates water filtration systems to countries where people don’t have access to clean water. Contributions and fundraising activities have been numerous and have not been limited to weeks, but years, of giving. For the past eight years, the auction has donated $100 for each vehicle sold in a special lane for ‘Rights for Kids,’ a service organization that provides underprivileged children with a safe environment and opportunities to develop for future success.
NAAA Chief Executive Officer Frank Hackett said this award is designed to not only honor the efforts of NAAA members, but to boost awareness of the many worthy causes that auctions around the country support.
“I’m continually pleased to see the efforts our member auctions take to support their local community’s charities and service organizations,” Hackett said. “If we can play a small role in helping them help others, it’s a very good result.”