Combat-wounded veteran honored with keys to new vehicle
Photo News Release | July 7, 2021
Wells Fargo and West Herr Automotive Group donated a 2021 Jeep Renegade AWD through Military Warriors Support Foundation
Buffalo, N.Y. – July 6, 2021 – For combat-wounded veterans, transitioning from the military back to civilian life can be a challenge. That, combined with the cost of a new vehicle, can put added burdens on our nation’s military service members and their families. To help, Wells Fargo teamed up with West Herr Automotive Group and Military Warriors Support Foundation to present a payment-free 2021 Jeep Renegade AWD to retired U.S. Marine Corps Lance Corporal Mark Beyers during a special key ceremony on Tuesday, July 6, at the West Herr Corporate Office.
“After a year of recovery and learning to walk with a prosthetic leg, my wife and I moved our family to the country-side of East Aurora and bought a ranch that could be wheelchair accessible. We started a small farm soon after, teaching our kids the meaning of hard work, perseverance and knowing where our food comes from. Some day we would love to expand our farm and have a greenhouse, a big barn, and more farm equipment and supplies. Receiving this car helps us take a huge financial burden off our shoulders and blesses us with a reliable and dependable vehicle.” shared Retired U.S. Marine Corps Lance Corporal Mark Beyers.
The donation was made through Military Warriors Support Foundation’s Transportation4Heroes program, which awards payment-free vehicles and provides one year of family and financial mentorship to combat-wounded veterans and Gold Star families. According to the Foundation, the counseling has helped families in its program pay down, on average, about $30,000 in debt.Mark Beyers grew up in New York and decided to join the Marine Corps in 1998 with his then-girlfriend, now wife. Together, they served with India Co., 3rd Battalion, 25th Marines and 4th Marine Division, stationed in Buffalo, New York. In 2005, while deployed to Iraq, Lance Corporal Beyers sustained injuries while supporting combat operations and later received a Purple Heart for wounds incurred on active duty. After eight years of service, he medically retired and received many awards for his bravery, including a Combat Action Ribbon, Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal and more. Today, he lives in East Aurora, New York, with his wife and two children.Wells Fargo Auto, a division of Wells Fargo Consumer Lending, started the Sponsored Vehicle Donation Program in 2015, and since then have worked with auto dealerships across the country to sponsor the donation of more than 50 payment-free vehicles and family and financial mentoring, valued at over $1.5 million, to combat-wounded veterans and Gold Star families through Military Warriors Support Foundation’s Transportation4Heroes program.About Wells FargoWells Fargo & Company (NYSE: WFC) is a leading financial services company that has approximately $1.9 trillion in assets and proudly serves one in three U.S. households and more than 10% of all middle market companies and small businesses in the U.S. We provide a diversified set of banking, investment and mortgage products and services, as well as consumer and commercial finance, through our four reportable operating segments: Consumer Banking and Lending, Commercial Banking, Corporate and Investment Banking, and Wealth & Investment Management. Wells Fargo ranked No. 30 on Fortune’s 2020 rankings of America’s largest corporations. In the communities we serve, the company focuses its social impact on building a sustainable, inclusive future for all by supporting housing affordability, small business growth, financial health and a low-carbon economy. News, insights and perspectives from Wells Fargo are also available at Wells Fargo Stories.Additional information may be found at www.wellsfargo.com | Twitter: @WellsFargo.About Military Warriors Support FoundationMilitary Warriors Support Foundation is a 501(c)(3) non-profit charity, founded by LTG Leroy Sisco (Ret), in 2007. Their mission is to provide programs that facilitate a smooth and successful transition for our nation’s combat-wounded heroes and Gold Star families. Their programs focus on housing and homeownership, recreational activities, transportation assistance and leadership development. Through select programs, they have awarded nearly 900 mortgage-free homes and payment-free vehicles to combat-wounded heroes, Gold Star spouses, and their families in all 50 states. In addition to the home or vehicle, the families receive family and financial mentoring. For more information, visit MilitaryWarriors.org.About West Herr Automotive GroupWest Herr Automotive Group, which was founded in 1950, started as a single point Ford Dealership in Hamburg, New York, is the largest automotive group in New York State. With 29 locations in Erie, Niagara, Monroe and Ontario counties representing 23 franchises and over 2,300 employees. In 2020, West Herr sold over 51,000 vehicles and serviced more than 450,000 vehicles. West Herr has received Business First of Buffalo’s “Best Places to Work in WNY’ award for 17 consecutive years and Better Business Bureau “Torch Award for Marketplace Ethics” eight times. The West Herr Automotive Group is dedicated to absolute excellence in customer service provided by honest, responsible, and respectful people. West Herr supports individual pride, company spirit, and community involvement.Media Contact InformationWells FargoJim Baum, 215-341-0273James.A.Baum@wellsfargo.com@WellsFargoMilitary Warriors Support FoundationJohn Hill, 210-204-6863 ext. 112Media@militarywarriors.org@WarriorsSupportWest Herr Automotive GroupMatt Lasher, 716-926-7060MLasher@westherr.com@WestHerr