Local veteran receives car donation to help others

 

WEST ALLIS, WI (CBS 58) -- Several companies and organizations in southeast Wisconsin teamed up to give a special gift to a local army veteran with an important mission.

DoWayne Shields is a local U.S. Army Veteran who works for a medical transport company based in Madison, where he uses his own vehicle to drive fellow veterans to medical appointments.

"We travel all over the state and down in Illinois. It's rewarding," Shields said. "I just like to help people."

Shields' job is impossible without a vehicle, and his 2002 van broke down last year.

"My younger brother actually had to help me push it, probably half a mile, to the junkyard because it died on the way," Shields said.

Since then, he has been borrowing cars to continue his mission of transporting vets to important appointments.

When the folks at Caliber Collision in West Allis and the National Auto Body Council heard about Shields, they decided he was the perfect recipient for a special donation.

"He's a very deserving man. He's worked very hard for our country, and just needed a little help," said Caliber's Wisconsin brand ambassador, Jill Cunnington.

Caliber Collision partnered with several other companies to help with the donation, like Geico and the Wisconsin Department of Veteran Affairs, which connected them to Shields.

On Wednesday, April 27, a ceremony was held at the Caliber Collisions in West Allis to present Shields with the keys to his newly refurbished 2019 Hyundai Sonata.

"They've all worked so hard to restore the car and restore the rhythm of DoWayne's life, and that's our purpose," Cunnington said.

Shields said he was grateful to be able to continue his commitment to the community in his new ride. 

In addition to his work to help veterans, he's excited to use his new car to travel, which is something he hasn't done much in the past.

Caliber Collision and their industry partners have donated over 500 vehicles nationwide, often to veterans and service members.