The fabric of a strong community is woven with many threads of support, with various individuals, organizations, and businesses joining together to help those in need. For a collective like the Guelph Garage Owners Association, helping the community while also ensuring the local automotive repair industry remains strong is an ongoing goal of its members.
Now celebrating 20 years of existence, the Guelph Garage Owners Association (GGOA) has been instrumental in helping local garage members remain a beacon of trust and reliability for consumers in need of automotive repair. Originally formed by three local repair shops, the GGOA now boasts 11 members, all fully licensed and regulated professionals and each equipped with expertise in various areas of automotive repair and service.
“What sets GGOA member shops apart is the genuine care and dedication they demonstrate towards their clients and the safety of their vehicles,” said Jaime Hamilton of College Auto Tech, one of the current GGOA members. “This ensures that every visit to a member business guarantees the right service at the right price.”
According to Hamilton, one of the primary pillars of the GGOA mission is to help member shops keep up with advances in automotive technology. The group meets quarterly, bringing new ideas to the table, undergoing new equipment training related to new technology in vehicles, booking public speakers from the industry, and collaborating with local high schools to better assist co-op students looking to train for jobs in the automotive industry.
“Their commitment to continuous learning and skill development ensures that they stay abreast of the latest industry developments, providing clients with unparalleled service and quality,” said Hamilton.
Engaging its members to participate and support community fundraisers is also a big part of the GGOA mission. Past programs have included support for the local Juvenile Diabetes chapter, the Hike for Hospice, the CIBC Run for the Cure in support of breast cancer research, and offering scholarships to the top automotive high school students.
For the month of May, the GGOA is encouraging both its customers and the public to join them in supporting the Guelph Food Bank.
The Guelph Food Bank provides emergency food supports to individuals faced with any form of financial hardships. It also works with and supports other similarly aligned charities and non-profit organizations working to alleviate the effects of poverty. To make a donation, all 11 GGOA members encourage you to drop off your food donations whether coming in for service or just dropping in with food.
You can learn more about the Food Bank by visiting their website.
Although their website is currently being redesigned, you can learn more about the GGOA and how to become a member by visiting their Facebook page.
