Have you been ignoring the tell-tale sound of grinding metal that your car makes when it needs new brake pads because you just can’t afford it right now? Do you pretend not to hear the laughs or see the stares from you fellow commuters every time you approach a stop sign or traffic light? Now is the time to stop putting it off and head over to Gabriel’s Automotive & Towing in Chino where their annual “Brakes for Breasts” campaign to help end breast cancer will begin October 1st and last through the entire month. Every year in October Gabriel’s Automotive, along with 139 other auto repair shops across the country, offer FREE brake pads with any brake service (up to a $109 value). But the best part is that, for the entire month of October, Gabriel’s Automotive (and any other participating auto repair shops) will donate a portion of what you pay for the brake service to the Cleveland Clinic Breast Cancer Vaccine Research Fund!
Here’s how it works: During October, auto repair shops across the United States work to raise money that goes to support the research being carried out through the Cleveland Clinic Breast Cancer Vaccine fund. More and more auto repair shops join the cause every year, offering free brake pads to their customers.
For every brake service that is performed at one of these participating auto shops, customers only pay for labor or additional parts for brake services—not the brake pads! Every single shop then donates 10% of their brake service earnings directly to the Cleveland Clinic Breast Cancer Vaccine fund.
So what, exactly, is the “Brakes for Breasts” Campaign anyway? Well, back in 2011, Leigh Anne Best and Laura Frank, two auto shop owners in Ohio, started the Brakes For Breasts fundraising program with 5 other auto mechanics in their area. The success of the program lead them to expand it to 27 shops across 17 states in 2012, allowing them to raise a total of $66,499.29 for breast cancer research! Over the next few years, the program continued to grow and the amount of money raised has grown along with it.
Just how much can one repair shop do, you ask? The answer is a lot! Here are a few statistics to give you an idea:
- $10,000 raised by 5 independent auto repair shops in the state of Ohio in 2011
- $32,848.48 raised by 27 independent auto repair shops across 16 states in 2012
- $66,499.29 raised by 66 independent auto repair shops across 27 states in 2013
- $115,236.53 raised by 136 independent auto repair shops across 28 states in 2014
- $141,868.76 raised by 174 independent auto repair shops across 32 states in 2015
- $125,867.37 raised by 131 independent auto repair shops across 35 states in 2016—the most on record to date!
In total, independent auto repair shops just like Gabriel’s have raised a grand total of over $492,000 in the last six years!
Breast cancer is a serious disease that has affected the lives of so many of our friends and loved ones. Chances are, you know someone who has fought against breast cancer, whether it’s someone close to your or an acquaintance. That’s why everyone at Gabriel’s Automotive is proud to stand up to show their support through giving, along with other auto repair shops who participate in the campaign. But they couldn’t do it without the support of their customers, friends and families. So Gabriel’s is asking you to help them make a difference. Help in the fight against breast cancer so that our daughters and granddaughters will never have to fear for their health and safety due to this disease.
And now there’s proof that the Brakes for Breasts campaign is making a difference in the fight against breast cancer. Last year, Cleveland Clinic’s Dr. Vincent Tuohy and his team tested a breast cancer prevention vaccine in the lab—with great success and clinical trials for the vaccine began in 2016. Visit Gabriel’s Automotive and Towing on the web at gabrielsauto.com or go to http://giving.clevelandclinic.org/ to learn more about the Cleveland Clinic’s research. We can do this together! If you’re in need of brake repair, October is definitely the month to get it taken care of—for a good cause! Come to Gabriel’s Automotive and Towing located at 13654 Central Ave. in Chino. Their business hours are: 8:00 am to 6:00 pm, Monday through Friday and 8:00 am to 4:00 pm on Saturday and Sunday. You can contact them at (909) 464-9005 or visit them on the web at gabrielsauto.com.