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The gift of ‘Carma’

The Carma Project gives away two cars to two Kelowna families in need
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Rolling up in style, two Kelowna families are given a gift that could change their lives.

Two cars donated through The Carma Project were fixed up by Integra Tire and handed over to these families in need.

Since its inception in 2010, the Carma Project has given away 14 cars including the two donated on Monday.

The concept, created by Penny and Bruce Stranaghan, is that a vehicle is donated by a member of the community, fixed up by Integra Tire and then given to an individual or family who is in need of a car.

This spring, the Carma Project was fortunate enough to have two vehicles donated, which will help both Marie Brumbach and her sons, along with Katie O’Brien and her young daughter.

The recipients are chosen through Kelowna Community Resources and Penny Stranaghan says as long as the individuals are involved with a program that is helping to improve their life then the Carma Project will ensure they can meet their goals.

“A lot of (former recipients) have told me that without those sorts of resources they could end up in a rut and end up going into a rut,” she says. “They say to me you’ve changed my life.”

The hope is it will change the lives of Brumbach, O’Brien and their families.

Brumbach says she lives in Rutland but her sons go to school in the Mission and taking public transit isn’t always easy to do.

“I want to go to college in the Mission, so this will make it a lot easier getting there and back.”

While O’Brien says there might be more of a financial burden on her to care for the car at first but in the long run it will help her to get where she needs to be.

Both families were treated to a makeover and given gift certificates for clothing stores, car insurance and vehicle first-aid kits.



Jen Zielinski

About the Author: Jen Zielinski

Graduated from the broadcast journalism program at BCIT. Also holds a bachelor of arts degree in political science and sociology from Thompson Rivers University.
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