Five Lowcountry people acquire cars and trucks as Christmas shock

AWENDAW, S.C. (WCBD) – Just one Lowcountry gentleman is dedicating his time to assisting families in rural places. On Christmas working day, five people woke up to a vehicle in their driveway.

It is many thanks to Eliot Middleton who founded Middleton’s Village to Village Basis. Just after hosting a food stuff push previous 12 months, numerous attendees told Middleton they walked, some for miles, in buy to decide up food stuff. That”s when he realized a larger problem.

“People out listed here in the rural regions, they have to have automobiles. Because if they really do not have motor vehicles, they just can’t get again and forth to good jobs, they just can’t get back and forth to physician appointments,” claimed Middleton.

The cars and trucks are donated to Middleton who then fixes them up. Just before opening a restaurant in Awendaw, Middleton was a mechanic for 17 several years.

“Out listed here with no transit, no bus, no uber, no taxi, a car or truck is like the number one precedence before something can genuinely occur for you out listed here,” claimed Middleton.

As soon as the automobiles are ready to be donated, he finds households in need to have. Aspect of that method is talking to leaders in rural cities, like Andrews or McClellanville.

Just one recipient of a auto on Christmas is Melanie Lee of Andrews. Middleton found her via the Mayor of Andrews, Frank McClary.

Lee experienced a truck but it just lately gave out soon after several visits to Charleston.

“I had a truck that I have had for about 7 many years and it was running quite good. Then my son bought unwell in August and I was back and forth to charleston each single working day,” explained Lee.

Then in November, her son handed absent. She was remaining with grief and several other considerations.

“Now, right here I am possessing to fear about how am I gonna go verify on his kids each and every day, convey them to the dwelling, feed them, and get them no matter what they want,” she reported.

Thanks to the surprise vehicle donation, Lee now has a way to make confident her family members is taken care of.

“My baby that I lost…his two girls? 1 of them lives about 8 miles from me and I’m with her each individual day,” claimed Lee. “So she’s back and forth. It is gonna support me get her to dance class. It’s gonna support me get the other types to things they would do with their father.”

Middleton claims this is a Christmas he will never neglect and he hopes to go on his motor vehicle donation method to assistance as numerous individuals as he can.

If you have a vehicle you’d like to donate or know anyone who would be a great prospect for the program, get hold of Eliot Middleton at [email protected].

The business is also on the lookout for towing devices and mechanical tools. Middleton says he’s also hoping to stimulate any youngsters or people today who want to understand mechanical competencies to attain out as he is arranging to incorporate volunteer possibilities into the software.