Hertrich family honored with USO Freedom Award
The Hertrich Family of Automobile Dealerships was honored Nov. 16 at the 21st annual USO Delaware Gala at Dover Downs Hotel & Casino. Stephanie Weaver, media coordinator and executive assistant, and Caitlin Cain, communications director, attended the gala to accept a USO Freedom Award on behalf of the company.
The award honors the Hertrich family for donating $10,000 in May as part of the Weekend to Remember Memorial Day Event ($10 for every test drive and $5 for every post of a service member's or veteran’s name on the Hertrich Family of Automobile Dealerships Facebook wall, in two weeks' time, totaled a whopping $10,000 donation to the USO of Delaware).
The evening honored service members, veterans, USO employees, countless volunteers and the community. The gala featured a silent auction, dinner, chairman's reception and a finale performance by the Bella Electric Strings group - the all-female, all-electric violin quartet made famous by "America’s Got Talent."
The silent auction held more than 200 donated items including an autographed NASCAR helmet signed by more than 30 past and present NASCAR greats, packages of autographed popular books and CDs, local food and business gift certificates, a signed guitar from Toby Keith, a wheelbarrow full of wine and specialty liquors, paintings, gift cards, getaway packages and a snowboard, to name a few.
Retired Marine Corps Lt. Col. Mike Strobl was the evening’s keynote speaker. Strobl joined the Marine Corps in 1983 and served in Saudi Arabia and Kuwait during Desert Storm. He then settled into a office position. During Operation Iraqi Freedom, Strobl wanted to actively help his country, so he volunteered, despite his higher rank as an officer, to escort the remains of a fallen Marine, PFC Chance Phelps, to his home in the United States.
During the trip, Strobl kept a detailed account in his journal. After his mission, Stobl compiled his notes and journal entries and wrote an essay about the experience. He later shared this essay with Phelps’ father. In 2009, HBO decided to produce the movie “Taking Chance” starring Kevin Bacon, based on Stobl's and Chance’s incredible journey. Strobl currently works at the Pentagon.
After the touching and heartfelt keynote speech, Cain and Weaver took the stage to accept the USO Freedom Award for Corporate Sponsorship. “We are so grateful for and truly inspired by all that the USO - their directors, employees and volunteers - do for our service members,” said Cain.
The Hertrich Family of Automobile Dealerships was founded in 1963 with its first location, Frederick Ford in Seaford. Since then the family has grown to include 13 dealerships in Delaware, Maryland and New Jersey. It has been named one of the Top 100 Dealerships in America by Ward’s Automotive.
Go to www.hertrichs.com or Hertrich Family on Facebook.
