HANOVER COUNTY, Va. -- An independent Ashland auto shop wants to give you free brake pads for your car in an effort to find a cure for breast cancer.
Economy Auto Care is taking part in a nationwide movement called Brakes for Breasts.
Under the program, they'll give you free brake pads, as long as you pay for the labor. Ten percent of your payment will be donated directly to support cancer research.
"Not a lot of shops take it on," Cathy Dennison, a service manager for Economy Auto Care, said. "It's a big thing to ask a parts store to go 'Can we have free brake pads for an entire month?' It's really hard. It take a long time to build that relationship."
Dennison said Economy Auto Care is owned owned and run by women, and while breast cancer isn't something that personally affected anyone at the shop, it was an important issue for them.
Customers have responded well to the deal.
"People that are brand new, that have never been to us before they say 'Hey, we heard you're doing this, my mom was affected' or 'I have a sister, I want you guys to do my brake work or service my car.' It's been getting a good response," Dennison said.
Brakes for Breasts was started in Ohio in 2011, with five independent shops raising $10,000.
Last year 131 auto shops, in 35 states. raised $125,867.
Economy Auto Care said it has a goal this year of $2,500.
Brakes for Breasts said 100 percent of the proceeds from the ‘Brakes for Breasts’ fundraiser goes directly to the Cleveland Clinic for research on a Breast Cancer Vaccine.
The fundraiser campaign runs for the entire month of October.
Economy Auto Care Center is located at 11263 Air Park, which is off Sliding Hill Road, near the Hanover County Municipal Airport.
