Car Dealership Donates New Vehicle to The Nature Conservancy

Pickup is second donation from Parks Motors of Augusta to Kansas Chapter

AUGUSTA, KS — June 4, 2008 — Parks Motors of Augusta and Chrysler Financial recently donated a two-year lease on a 2008 Dodge Ram Pickup to The Nature Conservancy Kansas Chapter. This marks the second vehicle donation Parks Motors of Augusta has given to the Conservancy. Their first donation was in 2006 when they donated a new Dodge Ram Pickup to the Kansas Chapter’s Flint Hills Initiative Program.

The cost of the lease will be split between Parks Motors and Chrysler Financial with each paying half. The pickup is a four-wheel drive quad cab. The vehicle will be used for the Conservancy’s avian monitoring program, which records and monitors bird species all over the state. The vehicle was presented to Robert Penner and Janet Studnicka of the Kansas Chapter by Parks Motors of Augusta owner John Culver, and Chrysler Financial representative Brad Gilbert.

“We are very thankful to the Culvers and Chrysler Financial. To perform our work successfully we need reliable equipment and we are thrilled Parks Motors and Chrysler have stepped up to help,” said Robert Penner, Cheyenne Bottoms and Avian Programs Manager.

John and Saretta Culver, owners of Parks Motors of Augusta have a long-standing commitment to non-profit organizations. They have set aside a separate trust to fund various charitable and non-profit entities. Generally their donations are in the forms of vehicles which are then used for fundraising or research.

“I believe The Nature Conservancy is one of the most effective conservation organizations to give resources to protect our environment. Their commitment to conservation and building partnerships shows that people working together can protect regions like the Flint Hills,” said John Culver. “It’s been a pleasure working with the Conservancy and I hope other businesses will explore ways to benefit the Kansas Chapter’s work, as well.”

The Nature Conservancy is a private, international, non-profit organization established in 1951 to preserve the plants, animals and natural communities that represent the diversity of life on Earth by protecting the lands and waters they need to survive. To date, the Conservancy and its one million members have been responsible for the protection of more than 117 million acres in the United States and more than 30 countries around the world. The Nature Conservancy in Kansas, has helped conserve more than 77,000 acres of natural land throughout the state of Kansas since 1989. For more information about The Nature Conservancy, visit us on the web at nature.org/kansas or call 785-233-4400.