Shannon Family Automotive, fellow businesses, community volunteers unite to help others
Shannon Family Automotive in Folsom saw one of its busiest days of the year Saturday, but they didn’t make a single penny on this particular day as it was dedicated to giving back to a local population in need of services
In a unique act of generosity, the locally owned shop hosted a charitable event aimed at helping single moms by providing complimentary automotive services. The idea was inspired by a similar event held by another shop out of state last month that inspired the local shop to do their very own event. Over a four hour period, the shop staff, along with a slew of volunteers provided oil change services for anyone who made an appointment, along with gifts from another local automotive business.
The invite became quite popular very quickly. Today, just about any standard oil change can run in the neighborhood of one hundred dollars or more in California. It’s an expense many can’t endure in economic times and by forgoing such a service, can face many more expenses in auto repairs later do to a lack of such maintenance.
“I have a couple of friends who became single moms in the last year, and just seeing what they’ve been going through, we thought, ‘We could do that too,’” said Colleen Shannon, who owns Shannon Automotive with her husband, Larry. “So we pulled the whole thing together in less than three weeks.”
From there, the Shannon’s put up a post on social media inviting those that had such a need to text them to book an appointment Saturday.
The event, which ran from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m, was a great success that brought many smiles and appreciation by those that took advantage of the kind offer. “We scheduled 78 appointments for today and had already completed 40 by 11:30,” Shannon explained. “Typically, without volunteers, we’d only be able to handle about 25 or 30 oil changes in a day. Doing this many in such a short amount of time is incredible.”
“It was just about figuring out which employees were willing to help for the day. Once we knew that, we figured out how many volunteers we needed and how many people we could fit in during a five-hour period,” explained Shannon, who treated all of them to coffee and pastries in the morning and pizza for lunch. “The turnout of volunteers was amazing, Folsom always comes together.”
Shannon Automotive’s generosity was amplified by the support of their community. O’Reilly’s Auto Parts donated the oil filters for all the complimentary oil changes, and Folsom Glenn Car Wash contributed gift certificates for every participant. In addition to receiving a free oil change, each car was vacuumed and had its windows washed. “Our standard oil service includes vacuuming and washing windows, so every car got that as well,” Shannon noted.
While the many mothers had their vehicles serviced, their children enjoyed an array of activities. The event included snacks, beverages, and an indoor bounce house for kids, making it a family-friendly experience. “We wanted to create an environment where moms felt comfortable and kids could have fun while waiting,” Shannon shared.
The event’s success was made possible by the generous effort of some 40 volunteers, including Shannon Automotive employees and community members. “I saw their post about wanting volunteers and immediately wanted to help, this is a great gift they are doing for those in need,” said Adrian Blanco, owner of Adrian Blanco Jewelry.
Blanco recruited a number of fellow volunteers to join him in the effort as well and was one of many familiar faces on hand, all of whom pitched in and were not afraid to get their hands dirty. Just during the time that Folsom Times paid a visit to the event, longtime Folsom resident Ian Cornell was working to check fluids in incoming cars, Phil and Evangeline Scott of Reliance Home Loans were getting their hands grubby helping as well, with countless others. Together, they created a smooth and efficient operation, ensuring every car received top-notch service.
“The skills of the professional mechanics combined with the spirit and camaraderie of a fun group of community volunteers allowed us to bless a lot of single mothers with oil and filter changes over the course of a few hours,” said Cornell. “It was a great way to celebrate Colleen Shannon’s 43rd birthday.”
For Shannon, the event held even a more personal meaning, giving back to the community on a special day of her own, her birthday. “This was my birthday present to myself—being able to give back,” she said. “Single moms do so much magic during the holidays. Moms carry a lot of the burden. I know dads do too, but we thought, if we can help them check one thing off their list, they can put that money, time, or mental energy toward the holidays.”
The spirit of the event went beyond just providing financial relief. “People need help in a lot of different ways,” Shannon reflected. “It’s not just financial. It’s also about knowing someone has your back. I think a lot of people are afraid to ask for help, so by offering this, they don’t have to ask.”
Founded in 2011, Shannon Family Automotive has become an icon in the City of Folsom for its outstanding service and its charitable contributions. However, the journey to this reputation began long before 2011! When he was just a little boy, Larry Shannon loved to take things apart and put them back together – everything from toasters to Teddy Ruxpin to his bike. He wanted to know how it worked and how to fix it if it stopped working. This curiosity naturally led him to take auto shop in high school and find a job at a small shop in Jackson, California.
After spending ten years at this small shop, Larry left to work in other shops in the Sierra Foothills. None of these shops lived up to Larry’s standards of excellence in either quality of work or superiority of customer service. Like any entrepreneur, he saw a need in the marketplace and set out to fill the need.
Over the years, Shannon Family Automotive has grown in response to the demand for its services. From a small 2 bay shop to its current size of 13 bays, the shop strives to continue the small town values and old-fashioned customer service that gave them their start..
They are located at 1143 Sibley Street, Folsom, CA 95630. Call (916) 675-7896 for more information. They are open Monday through Friday from 7:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. For additional details, visit their website at www.shannonfamilyautomotive.com. Their willingness to step up and give back, supported by local businesses and volunteers, showcases the true meaning of community and generosity.
