ASHEVILLE, N.C. (828newsNOW) — Representatives from Appalachian Wildlife Refuge and Linville-Central Rescue Squad drove off the Land Rover Asheville lot Thursday in customized Defender 130s. The vehicles and $25,000 cash prizes were Defender Service Awards given by Land Rover in partnership with Chase, S&P Global, Disney, ei3, PELICAN, Hearts & Science and OUTSIDE Interactive Inc.

Nonprofit organizations are the unsung heroes of our communities, Land Rover officials said.

“We’ve all been through some pretty serious stuff in the last six months,” Land Rover Asheville General Manager Charlie Schieren said Thursday. “This is just a little something that we can do to help however we can.”

This year, Land Rover awarded six customized Defender 130 models to six United States, Puerto Rico and Canada nonprofits and charitable organizations that support their communities every day. The groups, two of which were from the Asheville area, chose their accessories and exterior wrap designs.

Two local charities — Appalachian Wildlife Refuge and Linville-Central Rescue Squad — have each been awarded a customized Defender 130
Two local charities — Appalachian Wildlife Refuge and Linville-Central Rescue Squad — have each been awarded a customized Defender 130
Two local charities — Appalachian Wildlife Refuge and Linville-Central Rescue Squad — have each been awarded a customized Defender 130
Two local charities — Appalachian Wildlife Refuge and Linville-Central Rescue Squad — have each been awarded a customized Defender 130
Two local charities — Appalachian Wildlife Refuge and Linville-Central Rescue Squad — have each been awarded a customized Defender 130

 

“We are thrilled to have a car now,” Appalachian Wildlife Refuge’s Nancy Vergara said.

Vergara, who is the team leader of the hotline transport and rescue team, said members had been using their own vehicles and “hoping that we have all the equipment in the cars.”

“So we’re like, you know, if I use my car, I had to make sure that I have the catch equipment, the enclosure, the gloves, all that,” she said. “Now, having one that’s already fully equipped, it’s just jump in the car and go. So, it’s great.”

When the rescue team gets a call, it goes to the animal and assesses and captures it.

“Half of the roads that we go on are dirt roads, curvy roads, so four-wheel drive is a must. So, we’re thrilled that this is going to help us get to these places,” Vergara said.

Linville-Central Rescue Squad members said the Defender 130 will be a great resource for the rough terrain the Mountain Rescue Team sometimes has to traverse.

The squad’s Mountain Rescue Team is an all-volunteer search and rescue team that provides critical support to the community by locating, treating and transporting individuals from remote and rugged wilderness areas, including water.

Linville-Central Rescue Squad Chief Robert Calloway said thousands of people visit the area in the summer.

“Our trails, our streams, our fishing streams and to recreate. And when that happens, accidents and emergencies sometimes happen far out into the wilderness,” Calloway said. “We have a very strong 40-, 45-person search and rescue team, and we go up and bring people down.

“You know, being presented with a Defender 130 as a new rescue vehicle is really great. I think it is really going to allow us to better serve our community and provide life-saving search and operations, you know, in the demanding conditions that we have.”

Charities were nominated by dealerships. The charities then submit a video application. Once the finalists are selected, the public votes online for their preferred charity. Land Rover picks one winner from each category.