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We get it. Car dealerships haven’t always had the best reputation. We work hard everyday to prove that dealerships have come a long way since the “anything to sell a vehicle” days. We do this by putting customer satisfaction above all else, and by presenting all of our information in a transparent, easy-to-understand way. With a wealth of knowledge at customers’ fingertips (from websites that rate our vehicles, to articles about the buying process), often the most helpful thing we as a dealership can do is lay out all of the information and make ourselves available to customers' busy schedules. That’s why our Toyota store introduced the Milton Ruben Toyota VIP Service Team. Ingram Jansen, the Milton Ruben Toyota VIP Service Manager This new department is a resource for customers who are curious about where they stand on their car payments and are perhaps beginning to consider buying another vehicle. Instead of going straight to our Sales Department, customers can now visit the VIP Service Team, located in our Toyota Service Waiting Area. “We are the informative instrument for the customer,” said Ingram Jansen, the VIP Service Team Manager. Along with VIP Service Team Consultant Aaron Tanner, Jansen sits down with Service customers as they wait for their vehicle’s routine maintenance or repair to be completed, and, if the customer asks, runs the numbers. From trade appraisals to existing payments, this department can now answer all of your questions about your current vehicle, and can even show you new vehicles at lower payments. Aaron Tanner, the Milton Ruben Toyota VIP Service Consultant How does this differ from an interaction with a Sales Consultant? There’s no pressure for the VIP Service Team to sell a car. “If we can make our customers aware of programs that might allow them to be put in a better financial situation, then why wouldn’t we implement them?” explained General Manager Chuck Easters about his decision to create the department. Because the VIP Service Team only interacts with people who already have a relationship with Milton Ruben, the department's largest priority is to prevent buyer’s remorse and make sure that vehicle owners feel comfortable about their situation. This assurance can be done by answering questions about a vehicle’s features or by taking another look at the monthly payment and interest rate. Simply stated, the best thing we can do is be available. Think of the VIP Service Team as the library of the dealership. It's full of knowledge, and exists to help you, and you don’t have to pay for inquiring about something. To us, that sounds like a great thing to have. Though we sell cars, SUVs and trucks everyday, we never forget how big of a decision it is for an individual or family. And the more resources we can provide for this life-changing choice, the better we consider our dealership to be. —— To schedule an appointment with the Milton Ruben Toyota VIP Service Team, contact ijjansen@miltonruben.com or (706) 426-0187.

Here at Milton Ruben, we work hard to be professional at all times. In manners and appearances, we believe that professionalism in all of our departments is the key to our customer service. From name tag to pants-length, we have a dress code to ensure that this uniformity reaches all of our employees. On Monday, July 4, though, we’re bending our rules a little, in the name of charity. We’ve given all of our employees the opportunity to wear jeans and tennis shoes if they buy a red, white and blue ribbon from us. One hundred percent of the sales from these ribbons will go straight to the Augusta area chapter of the Red Cross, which will then be used to help local families of veterans. Tank Commander Randy Hirneisen attaches his ribbon in the Toyota Showroom. Randy, like others at Milton Ruben, will be wearing jeans on Monday in order to help the Augusta chapter of the Red Cross. Chartered in 1917, the American Red Cross of Augusta provides direct service to Wilkes, Taliaferro, Lincoln, Columbia, McDuffie, Warren, Hancock, Washington, Glascock, Jefferson, Richmond, Burke, Emanuel, Jenkins and Screven counties. We know that the money we raise will stay in these areas, and our employees are thrilled to help the entire surrounding community. So, when you see us dressed a little casually on Monday, don’t worry. We’ll be back to our slacks, button-downs and the occasional tie on Tuesday. In the meantime, we’re celebrating July 4th by honoring the U.S.A.’s legendary trait of giving back to those in need. And we plan on looking good while we do it.

We want to see your Jeep! To us, summer is the unofficial season of the Jeep (though we've never been one to turn down a Jeep adventure at any point in the year). To celebrate, we want to see what you, the CSRA, do with your Jeep. Is it clean and meticulously detailed? Or at this point is it just a muddy Jeep-shape? Show us how you live your life by sending us a photo of your proudest Jeep moment. It's easy: send us a photo of you with your Jeep, we'll put it on our Facebook page, and the photo that gets the most likes will win $100! Here's your step-by-step guide to becoming $100 richer: Email a photo of you and your Jeep with the following information to socialmedia@drivebaby.com, or message the Milton Ruben Chrysler Jeep Facebook page by Monday, July 11: Name Address Phone Number Preferred Email Address One to three sentences about why you love your Jeep We'll put your photo on our Facebook page on Tuesday, July 12. Share the photo with your friends! The photo with the most likes by Wednesday, July 27 gets a $100 Visa gift card! Official Rules: No purchase necessary to enter to win. A purchase does not improve your chances of winning. There are no prize substitutions and the prize has a $100 cash value. Enter to win by sending a photo of your personal Jeep with your name, address, phone number and email to socialmedia@drivebaby.com, or message the info to the Milton Ruben Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram Facebook page. Entrants are encouraged to include one to three sentences about their Jeep and their favorite thing to do with their Jeep. You or a family member must live in the Central Savannah River Area area to enter. (map) Entries will be accepted from Friday, June 24, 2016 through Sunday, July 10, 2016 until 11:59 p.m. Finalists will be announced on our Facebook page on Tuesday, July 12, 2016 before 5:00 p.m. The contest will end at 12:00 p.m. on Wednesday, July 27. At that time, the photo with the most “likes” will be announced as the winner. Finalists must be 18 years of age or older. Grand Prize is a $100 Visa gift card to one winner. The winner will be determined by the photo on the Milton Ruben Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram Facebook page which earns the most “likes” in the given time period. Only one entry per person per household. All photos entered in the contest must be appropriate for people of all ages. Milton Ruben Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram reserves the right to disqualify any image that we deem inappropriate. Milton Ruben Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram reserves the right to disqualify any contest winner if it is determined that the winner did not follow the rules of the contest. Milton Ruben Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram reserves the right to determine an alternate winner. Winner must show proof of ID. Only photo ID is acceptable. Winner must sign a release form to claim $100 Visa gift card. By participating in the contest, all participants and winners grant permission to use their names, characters, photographs, voices, videotape, and likenesses in connection with promotion of this and other contests and waive any claim to royalty, right, or remuneration for such use. This applies to over the air, internet and social media. If the contest entry includes any creative material from the participant, by submitting your entry you agree that your disclosure is gratuitous, unsolicited and without restriction and will not place the company or contest sponsors under any fiduciary or other obligation, that the company is free to disclose the ideas on a non-confidential basis to anyone or otherwise use ideas without any additional compensation to you. You are verifying that you are the owner and producer of the submitted material and that no third party ownership rights exist to any material submitted. The value of any prize awarded to a winner may be reported for tax purposes as required by law. Employees of Milton Ruben Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram and their immediate families, contest sponsors and immediate families, or any employee or family member of any Milton Ruben entity are not eligible to participate. “Immediate family” shall include spouses, parents, children, siblings, grandparents, grandchildren and cohabitating “significant other”. Residents of the same household are also considered “immediate family”, whether or not related by blood or marriage. All decisions are final. Milton Ruben Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram and all associated properties are not liable for any damages incurred through the use or misuse of any prizes provided. All persons receiving such items agree upon acceptance to assume all responsibility and liability. Further, all associated entities, sponsors and others shall be harmless to the same. Facebook in no way is responsible or liable for this contest.

“I want to make sure we’ve done the right thing by the customer.” That quote pretty much sums up Bridget Jones’ time with Milton Ruben Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram. Originally hired as a Cashier in the Service Department, Jones moved to the Concierge team until last month, when she was announced as Milton Ruben’s first Service Advocate, a position created with the sole purpose of enhancing the customer experience. Service Advocate Bridget Jones formerly served in the Service Department as a Cashier, then Concierge. Jones has also taken advantage of the partnership Milton Ruben has with Strayer University. Though Jones has always helped customers, as a Service Advocate, she now works with customers from the beginning to the end of their visit. After looking at customer surveys, Chrysler’s corporate office formed the position, and worked with Jones to define the role. She sees herself as a sort of mediator between the busy Service Advisors and the customers who can’t be in the dealership while their vehicle is being worked on. “We needed the customer to have a voice between them and the Service Advisor, and I’m that voice,” Jones explained. Armed with a phone, walkie-talkie, computer and desk in the exact middle of the Service Department, Jones spends her day interacting with customers and colleagues. After meeting with the managers each morning, Jones walks around and collects updates from the Service Advisors. At her desk, Jones is always on the phone. The questions she answers can range from a quick price quote to an ongoing issue that she then handles in one of two ways. She either puts a customer in contact with their Service Advisor, or speaks with several colleagues to get information that she then digests and explains to the customer. With the little free moments she has, Jones walks the waiting area and makes it a goal to speak with every person. Service Advocate Bridget Jones gets an update on a customer's vehicle from Service Advisor Chris Barnwell in the Service Lane. While Jones’ days are full, she still has plans for her position. Currently, she’s working on the appearance of the department. From cleanliness of the waiting area to ensuring that employees are wearing name tags and planning team-building activities, Jones chalks it all up to professionalism. “When a customer is walking in, you want a professional presentation,” she said. “And it’s easy to make that happen." Though Jones has only been the Service Advocate for a month, the position is quickly becoming essential to the department. For the Service Advisors, she’s a source to stay in contact with the customer, and holds them accountable for what they’ve told customers. Service Advocate Bridget Jones confirms an appointment with a customer. While the department is adjusting to having her as this type of resource, Service Manager Mike McNutt can already tell that Jones is the right person for the job, saying that she’s great with customers and that she “brings an added value to the customer experience." For Jones, her goal is simple: Make people excited to visit. While Milton Ruben is in a convenient location, she doesn’t want that to become a crutch for the department. “I want people to want to bring their vehicle to us and trust that we’re going to do a good job,” Jones said, before returning to her ringing phone.

We are pleased to announce our winners of the first Lose Baby competition of the year! This time our weight-loss competition, held between Jan. 19 and April 19, 2016, had two winners, as males and females weren’t competing against each other. Both winners received a check for $500 to celebrate their victories. The final results: Men Winner: Eddie Jones (Detail Department) with 12.6 percent of total body weight lost 2nd Place: John Ruffin (Detail Department) with 10.3 percent of total body weight lost 3rd Place: Donovan Sims (Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram Service Department) with 9.5 percent of total body weight lost Women Winner: Connie Johns (Chevy Sales Department) with 6.7 percent of total body weight lost Second Place: Julia Brown (Accounting Department) with 4 percent of total body weight lost Third Place: Nicole Cain (Accounting Department) with 3.2 percent of total body weight lost We spoke with the winners about the habits they developed over three months, and got a few tips on how to stay on track and lose in a healthy way: Lose Baby Winner (Men) Eddie Jones (left) of the Detail Department shakes hands with manager John Ruffin. Ruffin won the first Lose Baby competition in 2015, and had a side competition with Jones (Ruffin placed second in this competition). Eddie Jones attributed his results to diet and will power. Though he still dreams of rice and gravy, he’s given it up. He’s staying away from starches, meaning no white rice and no white bread. After giving up sugary drinks, tea and beer, Eddie only drinks (sometimes flavored) water. His motivation came from the people around him. Eddie’s wife joined Weight Watchers last August, so he was able to learn effective habits from her. And Eddie's manager is John Ruffin, who, after losing 60 pounds, was the first Lose Baby winner in 2015. The two had a side competition going on, with Eddie losing slightly more weight than John. This environment helped Eddie enjoy the competition. “I’m having fun doing it, it’s not like I regret doing anything,” he told us. "And I’m still doing it!” Chevrolet Sales Manager Connie Johns (right) accepts a check from Chevrolet General Manager Chris Snader. The two had a side competition going on during the company-wide weight-loss competition, which helped motivate Johns to become the Lose Baby (Women) champion. While Chevrolet Sales Manager Connie Johns also focused on food (her biggest diet change was not eating late at night), she also revamped her workouts. Connie joined a kickboxing class twice a week, and focused on weight training two other days in the week. Connie offered the following advice: “Never let yourself get hungry, prepare your meals everyday and have a support system in place. Your support group is your best friend when you’re trying to make life changes. And you need to make it fun.” Connie’s support group, luckily, was her fellow Lose Baby participants. To make it fun, she had a side bet (we’re sensing a pattern among our winners) with boss and Chevrolet General Manager Chris Snader. Lose Baby is our ninety-day contest that focuses on healthy weight loss. We keep a confidential record of percentage weight lost per individual, and help one another stay on track with informative and educational materials on proper diet and fitness. Our top priority is overall physical and mental health, being positive, supportive and encouraging throughout, and keeping our eye on successfully working as a team to be a healthier company. We look forward to another Lose Baby competition in the summer. Until then, stay healthy and Lose, Baby!

It’s an exciting time to be a part of the automotive industry. Technology is developing quickly, and we’re often surprised at the many ways our vehicles can ease our customers’ lives. If you haven’t purchased a vehicle recently, you may not recognize the dashboard and its sleek touchscreen tucked in between secret storage spaces and wireless charging stations. We’re always proud that our companies put the customer first when designing their vehicles. We’re also proud that these brands seem to be using their influence to help the environment. From developing eco technology to changing the way their factories operate, Toyota, Chevrolet, Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep and Ram have proven their commitment to going green, and are already seeing dramatic results. As Earth Day approaches, we want to highlight each of our companies and their approaches to sustainability. Toyota: In addition to all Prius models, our Toyota store currently has hybrid models of the following on the lot: Avalon, Camry, Highlander, RAV4. Toyota’s sustainability plan is divided into five priorities: Carbon, Water, Materials, Biodiversity and Outreach. From cultivating beehives on their Kentucky assembly plant to recycling the water used to rinse new vehicles as they're being painted in the Ontario assembly plant, Toyota’s strategy extends far beyond their finished products. However, their vehicles are truly impressive. As of 2014, their hybrids had saved approximately 500 million gallons of gas each year. For almost two decades, the word “Prius” has been synonymous with the eco-car movement. Now, all eyes are on the Toyota Mirai. The fuel cell car is fueled by hydrogen and emits only water vapor. Toyota’s plan is so comprehensive (and so result-producing) that in 2015, Toyota Motor North America won the Partner of the Year Award, Large Business Category, in the E.P.A.'s WasteWise Awards. Chevrolet: At the push of a button, this 2015 Chevy bi-fuel Impala runs on compressed natural gas (CNG), saving you money and reducing carbon dioxide emissions. While the Malibu hybrid has an estimated 47 MPG in the city and the company’s work with E85 ethanol and CNG vehicles is inspiring, Chevy’s line of electric vehicles is exceeding expectations. The all-electric Bolt will debut later this year, and has an estimated range of 200 miles. Meanwhile, the Spark EV is paired with a lithium-ion battery, and the Volt EV seamlessly switches between an electric charge and a tank of gas. With the number of EV charging stations growing in the CSRA (including public places like Whole Foods, the Georgia Power Customer Service Center and yours truly), electric vehicles are only becoming more efficient for daily use. Chevrolet’s parent company, General Motors, focuses on “Customer-Driven Sustainability” instead of separating their sustainability initiatives from other areas of their mission. This strategy has evolved in recent years, and now prioritizes the following: Identifying areas of impact and value creation Establishing and aligning corporate policies and positions Designing and implementing processes for consistent global execution Developing sustainability reporting practices and publishing reports By utilizing advanced technologies to create quality products in the form of sustainable vehicles in factories that minimize their environmental impact, GM aims to build a culture that promotes these values. GM's changes are tangible. For example, in this article posted to their website, the company argues why producing zero waste is a desirable business strategy. Our 240-volt EV (electric vehicle) charging system fully charges a Chevy Volt in about 4.5 hours. The Volt comes with a 120-volt portable cord that recharges the vehicle in approximately 13 hours. Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep,  Ram: Last year, the CEOs of both General Motors and Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (parent company of Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep and Ram, among others) signed the CEO Climate Leadership for Automotive Declaration to decarbonize automotive transport. In alliance with this goal, FCA added more than 4,300 environmental projects to their plants worldwide. In addition to saving millions of dollars during production, these implementations resulted in 38 percent less water being used per vehicle produced (vs. 2010) and 1.2 million pounds of materials kept out of landfills. This 2015 Dodge Durango on the lot has a Flex Fuel engine, meaning that gasoline or gasoline-ethanol blends of up to 85 percent ethanol can both be stored in its tank. Between 2014 and 2015, fuel economy in FCA cars in the U.S. rose 6.4 percent (2.7 percent in trucks), due in part to a variety of efficient design changes like improved aerodynamics and weight reduction. Specific fuel saver technology in V-8 5.7 and 6.4 liter HEMI eight-cylinder engines improved automatic versions of the Jeep Grand Cherokee, the Chrysler 300, the Dodge Durango, the Dodge Charger, the Dodge Challenger and the Ram 1500. The 2017 Chrysler Pacifica and its hybrid version are almost here, and we have several Flex Fuel vehicles on the lot already. Additionally, the Ram 2500 Heavy Duty CNG is the only natural gas pickup truck in the country. CNG vehicles generate significantly less CO2 emissions, and can be renewable, unlike traditional gasoline. An EcoDiesel engine is currently available for the Ram 1500 and the Jeep Grand Cherokee, resulting in less stops at the pump and lower CO2 emissions. The Jeep Grand Cherokee with 3.0L EcoDiesel V6 engine can tow up to 7,400 pounds (best-in-class), and the Ram 1500 HFE (with 3.0 L EcoDiesel V6 engine) has the best fuel economy of any full-size pickup.

While we have already received many awards as a dealership, Milton Ruben Toyota is proud to announce that eight of our employees have been honored as Southeast Toyota PROS. PROS, or Professional Retail Outstanding Salespeople, are Toyota employees who have exceeded performance expectations while attaining above average customer satisfaction scores. Salespeople must have completed all Toyota certifications in order to qualify for this prestigious award, while Sales Managers' employees must also be certified. All Sales employees must receive higher than 95.5 percent customer satisfaction, and their dealership must reach its sales objective throughout the year. In addition to being certified, Assistant Service Managers must maintain customer retention, and meet key objectives during the year. Here are our 2015 Toyota PROS: Assistant Service Managers: Dana Kent Freddie Parker Salespeople: Kelton Hayes William Jenkins Russ Marshall Al Pleming Sales Managers: Jeff Hennen Paul Nopper Back Row L - R: Paul Nopper, Russ Marshall, Al Pleming, Dana Kent, Freddie Parker Front Row L - R: William Jenkins, Jeff Hennen, Kelton Hayes We’re ecstatic to have eight PROS in our store. Having this many award winners under our roof is an incredible honor, and we can’t wait to continue learning from them and feeding off of their passion for Toyota vehicles and customer comfort. Please visit our Meet Our Staff page to find contact information for our award winners, and, while you’re there, schedule an appointment with one of our PROS!

It’s award season all over the world, and our Milton Ruben stores are no exception. Don’t worry, we’ll skip the long speeches and happy tears. Because, really, we only have you, our loyal customers, and our impressive employees to thank. 2015 was truly a memorable year for us. Thank you for everything, CSRA, and we can’t wait to see what 2016 brings. As the awards roll in, we’ll update this list. Milton Ruben Toyota #1 Volume Dealer of the Month in District 7 (Feb. 2015 - Jan. 2016) Presidents Award Southeast Toyota Elite Edmunds.com 5-Star Dealer Car Gurus Customer Service Award Dealer Rater 5-Star Award Dealer Rater Dealer of the Year Milton Ruben Chevrolet #1 Dealer in the Zone #1 Dealer in the District Edmunds.com 5-Star Dealer

Are you ready to lose? Since that New Year’s resolution may already be long forgotten, we’re proud to bring back another round of Lose Baby! Our first weight-loss competition, which ended in September 2015, was such a success, and we can’t wait to create another supportive and light-heartedly competition in all of our stores. We have more employees than ever signed up, and today they're all huddling around the scale to record their starting weights. Our focus on this ninety-day round is healthy weight loss, keeping a confidential record of percentage weight lost per individual, and helping one another stay on track with weekly healthy goodies, and informative and educational materials on proper diet and fitness. Our top priority is overall physical and mental health, being positive, supportive and encouraging throughout, and keeping our eye on successfully working as a team to be a healthier company. If you’re an employee deciding whether or not to sign up for Lose Baby, what can we say to convince you? We can spout the many benefits of a healthy diet, and recite the same old sayings about teamwork, but we’d rather you hear from our own weight loss hero. Details Department Manager John Ruffin lost 60 pounds (16.2 percent of his body weight), during last year’s Lose Baby, and we sat down with him before the competition started. “I had a couple of health issues, like high blood pressure,” said Ruffin about his decision to enter the competition last year. "Really, I just wanted to live longer in general.” Ruffin certainly achieved his health goals: In addition to his blood pressure lowering, he reported that he now has more energy and sleeps better at night. His advice to those trying to significantly lose weight is to stay focused and to cut out starches, bread and sweets, adding, "When I was going to fall off the train, I just thought of my kids and future grandkids.” Ruffin recommends the three-month competition to all of his colleagues, and plans to enter again. “I’ve definitely gained a couple of pounds since the last one ended, but I’m planning on losing it easily. Last time I was on my own in my department, but this time I’ll have a couple of guys in the department with me. I’ve actually got a lot of people saying — joking — that they’re not entering because I’m in it again!” Don’t let him scare you away, employees! While Ruffin was awarded $1,000 for losing the most weight in September of last year, the grand prize will now be split up, with $500 each for the male and female who lose the most. Before the final weigh-in day, we’ll have guest speakers and instructors to teach our employees how to develop healthy habits. Employees, check your emails for these dates, as well as a link to a private Facebook group to join for motivation and messages. We can’t wait to Lose, Baby!

Online and in email surveys, we’re constantly reading about how shocked people are by how simple the car-buying process is nowadays. While we attribute a large part of this industry shift to our salespeople and finance managers, we have to give kudos where kudos it due. The internet has changed car sales, and we think it’s for the better. TrueCar was invented with the singular purpose to reinvent how people buy a vehicle. With info collected from dealerships, TrueCar posts what real, living, breathing people have paid for their car. We’re the only Verified TrueCar Dealership in the CSRA, but we join a nation-wide team of more than 10,000 dealerships who have committed to transparency and ease through TrueCar. Even brands like USAA, AAA, Consumer Reports and American Express use TrueCar to inform their members. In fact, the average person who uses TrueCar when purchasing a vehicle saves $3,221 off of MSRP. Here’s how it works: Start with the brand and model of vehicle, as well as the zip code that you’re looking to buy in. Customize features like color and trim level, if desired, and then get a breakdown of the average price, and how it compares to MSRP. You’ll also find general information about vehicle features, and can compare different models and brands. Like the numbers you see? Print ‘em out! The best part about us being a verified TrueCar dealer is that we’ll honor their prices on all in-stock vehicles. It’s just another way that we’re finding you the best price possible in the easiest, most hassle-free way possible.

When you first browse our website, it may take a minute to realize that we are a superstore made up of different sections: Toyota, Chevy, Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram, and Pre-Owned. Each of these stores includes a Sales and Service Department, and while we work together on several projects, we all like the friendly sense of competition that we’ve developed over the years. And this holiday season, we’re getting competitive over something that truly matters... Which building can collect the most toys and food during our holiday drives? When you visit any of our stores, you’ll see one box for the Marine Corps Reserve’s Toys for Tots drive, and one box for the Golden Harvest Food Bank. While each of our stores will be competing with each other to fill the most boxes, the overall goal will of course be to provide as many unwrapped, new toys and non-perishable food items as we can to local families for the Christmas season. A few ways that you can help: Bring in your donations to one of our buildings. Donate online at these organizations’ websites (see below), or sign up to volunteer your time. Spread the word about us being a collection point. Spread the word about how much these donations will benefit in our community. Toys for Tots’ ( http://www.toysfortots.org) goal in the Augusta community is to deliver, through a shiny new toy at Christmas, a message of hope to needy youngsters that will motivate them to grow into responsible, productive, patriotic citizens and community leaders. When donating a toy, the only stipulation is that the item is new and unwrapped. The organization typically collects toys for children up to age 12, but can also accommodate gifts for those as old as 16. Golden Harvest Food Bank ( http://goldenharvest.org/) is a local charity, with offices and distribution centers in Augusta, Aiken and Williamston. Because they’re so focused on the area, 96 percent of donations go straight to our community. Their vision is to end hunger in their service area within Georgia and South Carolina. They’re certainly on their way; since 1982, the organization has distributed more than 200 million pounds of food and fed more than 11 million people. Toys for Tots will be picking up our last donation on Friday, December 11, and Golden Harvest will end their winter collection on Monday, December 21. That gives us a little more than a month to make a difference. From having presents on Christmas morning to literally just having food to eat that day, these small requests are so easily filled by our generous employees, customers and fellow community members. And we’ll let you in on a secret: We honestly don’t care which building you donate to, as long as you bring in something to help those in the CSRA.

Pull tab, pop top, even pop cap or can tab. What do you call those small metal devices on top of aluminum cans that allow access to a refreshing beverage with a crisp click? At Milton Ruben Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram, we’ll now call them life-changing. Milton Ruben Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram is happy to announce their partnership with Shriners International and their Shriners Hospitals for Children. The Service Department has added a container to their cashier’s center to collect your pull tabs so that these hospitals can afford supplies. We have no problem fixing your ailing vehicles, but we’ll let the doctors at Shriners Hospitals decide how to best use these funds. We’ll simply collect your pull tabs, send them to a recycling center and then use the money earned to donate to these fantastic establishments. From medical equipment to books, these supplies will help the hospitals’ patients in all stages of their care, and every cent that is raised goes straight to the hospitals. The Augusta Shrine Club is helping us with our fundraising by providing materials, donations and publicity. Service Director Dan Fort has a personal connection to Shriners and initiated the pull tab collection. When he reached out to the Augusta Shrine Club, he wasn’t surprised that the president, Frank Valentine, was so eager to help raise funds for the hospital in Greenville. Augusta Shrine Club President Frank Valentine shakes the hand of Milton Ruben Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram Service Director Dan Fort while launching the pull tab collection campaign in the Service Drive. “I learned at a young age, with my father being a Shriner, that they were a large charitable group that has been giving back to children for decades.” Fort said. On Wednesday, Oct. 14, four Shriners stopped by to officially launch the campaign and pose for pictures in their signature fez-and-tuxedo uniforms. To see more photos, visit our Facebook page. The Shriners Hospitals for Children operates 22 children’s hospitals across North America: 18 general hospitals, three burn hospitals and one hospital that specializes in orthopedic, spinal cord and burn injuries. Our efforts are especially important, because treatment at Shriners hospitals is free to patients, their family or any third party. So, help us collect enough pull tabs to make a difference in a child’s life. Approximately 1,430 pull tabs equal one pound of recyclable aluminum, which means that we need every pull tab you can spare (and what else are you doing with them, making jewelry?). Set aside a place to collect them in your kitchen, car or office. And don’t feel guilty for that 4 p.m. caffeine boost -- you’re just trying to help save a life. Click here for more information on Shriner’s Hospitals.