Volunteers needed for C4 Ministry that offers free car service to women in need
JARED FIELDS • PICAYUNE STAFF
MARBLE FALLS — It’s a scene that would impress even the elves at Santa’s workshop.
More than 300 volunteers at 36 bays in the First Baptist Church of Marble Falls parking lot will provide maintenance and basic repairs for more than 100 vehicles May 4.
It is the sixth year the church and community have joined forces for C4 Ministry to offer their services to widows and single women who don’t have other means to get their vehicles repaired.
“The fun part about this is it’s been exciting how the community has stepped up,” said Todd Hickingbottom, the mission’s minister at First Baptist and one of the directors of the C4 Ministry, which stands for Christian Community Car Care.
Registration for the event was capped at 100 cars, which was reached weeks ago, Hickingbottom said.
What is needed, he said, are volunteers. Although the event is at First Baptist Church, Hickingbottom said a number of churches are involved in the event, as well as mechanics and auto parts stores in town.
“We’d love for anybody to volunteer; it’s a community event,” he said. “You can work with cars as a shade-tree mechanic or with people serving food or work with children.”
Volunteer registration is available online at www.c4ministry.org. People are needed for a variety of services at the church, 501 12th St., from 6:30 a.m. to about 1:30 p.m.
Along with mechanics of all levels of experience, people are needed for child care, check-in and registration, welcomers, safety officers, setup and tear-down, food prep, parts delivery, paper work, mentoring and a number of other services. Donations also can be made on the website.
When a car comes in, a mechanic will go over a 40-point checklist with the vehicle. Basic repairs and maintenance from oil changes to tire rotation and brake services will be done as needed. If more major work is needed, the women will be told what’s going on with their car and referred to a local shop that’s partnered with the C4 Ministry to provide more work.
The last care car event two years ago serviced 120 vehicles with more than 300 volunteers, Hickingbottom said.
“It’s embraced pretty well by the community, the churches and the ladies that get their cars worked on. It’s a pretty cool event,” he said.
jared@thepicayune.com