by Blair Moore, Tribune feature writer
TRUSSVILLE — Courtesy Buick-GMC has reached a significant milestone, surpassing $300,000 in donations to Trussville schools and first responders since their community donation program’s inception.
Driven by a commitment to community service, President Josh Gargus and Managing Partner Drew Lolley introduced the program to invest in Trussville, where they both live and work. In 2019, they committed to donate $50 from each car sale to Trussville City Schools. “We just really wanted to give back to the community,” Lolley said. “And what better way to invest in our community than to give to the school system?”
Over the past several years, Superintendent Dr. Patrick Martin has seen the impact the dealership’s generosity has made on local schools.
Contributions from Courtesy Buick-GMC to Trussville schools and police have topped $300,000.
“Trussville City Schools has an amazing partner in Courtesy Buick-GMC, Drew Lolley, and his team,” Martin said. “The funds that they provide not only go to ongoing professional development for staff, but also to supporting students when there is an educational or even economic need.” Contributions also benefit Hewitt-Trussville athletic programs.
Martin values Lolley’s hands-on approach. They regularly discuss ways to maximize the donations’ impact. Recently, Lolley met with a sponsored student in a University of Alabama teaching program to offer motivation and support. “Courtesy Buick-GMC cares about Trussville and more specifically, Trussville City Schools and its students,” Martin said.
As the donation program gained momentum, Lolley and Gargus expanded to include the police and fire departments in 2021. “There are no better first responders than ours anywhere,” Lolley said. “They’re going out there every single day and risking their lives for us and our community, so the least we can do is something to make their lifestyle a little better on a day-to-day basis at work by providing some amenities.”
Both the police and fire departments have expressed gratitude for the support.
“Courtesy Buick-GMC has been a great community partner for many years,” said Fire Chief Tim Shotts. Most donations are reserved to buy fitness equipment for the fire stations, which the team appreciates. “It’s instrumental in making sure our personnel have the tools they need to maintain their physical fitness in order to better perform the tasks that are required during emergency responses.”
Police Chief Eric Rush noted that donations have helped cover costs previously funded by employees such as retirement parties and funeral flowers. The contributions have also been used to buy lunches for the Jefferson County Chief’s Meeting. The police department has a fully equipped gym at their Patrol Operations Facility on Deerfoot Parkway, and much of the equipment has been purchased with the donated funds. “This is a great program that is a much-needed service to our police department.” Rush said. “I want to give a huge thanks to Drew Lolley and Josh Gargus for this great partnership.”
Lolley and his team are pleased to see the impact of the program. They look forward to reaching more donation milestones as their business continues to grow. “There are so many places you can buy a car, but when you do business here, you’re helping us to support and give back to the community we all care about,” Lolley said.
Mayor Buddy Choat praised the dealership as the epitome of a great community partner. “Their impact on our school system and our city tells you everything about their business philosophy,” Choat said. “They continue to be one of the best partners we have!”
It’s easy to understand why so many in the community are thankful for Courtesy’s civic involvement. The dealership’s ongoing support of Trussville’s schools and first responders will undoubtedly strengthen the community for years to come.
