Friday, December 06, 2013

Donations of Used Vehicles and Farm Equipment Giving Greene County Extension a Financial Boost

Contact: David Burton, civic communication specialist
County Program Director - Greene County
Tel: (417) 881-8909
E-mail: burtond@missouri.edu

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. -- The first proceeds are coming in from an effort rolled out in the spring of 2013 to encourage the donation of used vehicles and farm equipment to Greene County Extension.

Initially, marketed as “Donate Your Hunk of Junk,” the program was linked nationally to a company known as AutoWranglers. This partnership allowed Greene County Extension to receive the benefits of donated vehicles without owning or transporting them.

“Just as we were starting to get calls on donations we had a hiccup,” said David Burton, county program director for Greene County Extension. “Following a family tragedy that caused the owner of AutoWranglers to temporarily close his business it became necessary to find another partnering business and develop a locally sustainable program.”

The owner of AutoWranglers used his contacts to get Greene County Extension set up with Copart. This national company has a location just east of Rogersville along Hwy. 60. The company specializes in online auctions of vehicles, boats and farm equipment. Auctions can be viewed at www.copart.com.

Donors can now contact Greene County Extension directly (by phone or email) with their name, address and phone number, along with make, model and year of the vehicle, mileage and VIN. Similar information is needed for boats or farm equipment.

“We can arrange for the pickup of the vehicle by CoPart or donors can deliver the vehicle to the Rogersville location and save Extension the towing fee. Donors sign over the title but can take the sale price of the vehicle as a tax donation. Best of all, Greene County Extension receives the proceeds when the item sells,” said Burton.

CoPart charges Greene County Extension $145 per item to process the title and sale. The Greene County Extension Council has three donated items selling during December: two cars and one six-foot farm disc.

“This is a perfect way to contribute to Greene County Extension and help maintain Extension programs. But best of all, I think this is a valuable service and a great way to clean up a yard or farm. For no cost, you can get rid of a heap of junk and the extension office gets money to keep operating,” said Burton.

Funds remain tight at the Greene County Extension office which has been funded as part of Greene County government since a local office was established in 1947. Since 1914, residents of Greene County, Missouri (and adjoining counties) have sought help from MU Extension in areas related to agriculture, gardening, Master Gardeners, 4-H youth, nutrition, cooking, families, Master Naturalists and business and community development.

For more information on this program or to learn how to financially support Greene County Extension, call (417) 881-8909 or go online to http://extension.missouri.edu/greene.
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