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Sioux City car dealership closes for Veterans Day to serve veterans at home

Harry November 12, 2024

SIOUX CITY (KTIV) – It was a day of service in honor of Sioux City auto dealership veterans taking a day off from sales to give back to the community.

Sioux City Ford Lincoln and ABRA Auto Body employees made a pit stop at the home of Army Veteran Edward Redenius on Monday.

“This is really great,” Redenius said. “I can’t believe this,” he looks at the dozen volunteers standing in front of his house.

Redenius lives in South Sioux City, Nebraska, is wheelchair-bound, and the house has had a gravel driveway since he lived there.

He said he needs a new driveway to provide better access to his yard, mailbox and vehicle.

Redenius, an Army Veteran from South Sioux City, Nebraska, is wheelchair bound and needs a new... — Redenius, an Army Veteran from South Sioux City, Nebraska, is wheelchair-bound and needs a new driveway to provide better access to his yard, mailbox, and vehicle.(KTIV)

“Right now, they get too close to the ramp of the van, and then I get out under it and get in,” Redenius said.

He was selected as one of the veterans who will receive a day of service from Sioux City Ford Lincoln and a free driveway to accommodate him after all he has done for our country.

“Then I got a call and they said they would come and help me,” Redenius explained.

This is one of 16 projects Ford is undertaking in the Sioux City metro area on Veterans Day.

Wendy Modlin, General Sales Manager, Sioux City Ford Lincoln has been planning a “turnaround” of the dealership for nearly two years.

“This is truly the coolest thing we’ve ever done, and we’ve done some pretty cool things at Sioux City Ford, but this was by far the biggest project we’ve ever undertaken. We feel lucky to be able to be here in this beautiful weather and help our veterans who have done so much for us,” Modlin explained.

Closed and out of the office for the day, dealership employees took time to care for the veterans nominated for this day of service.

Modlin said: “We have yard work like painting sheds, moving furniture, moving tree branches. All 90 of our crew are on duty.” He continued: “This has been a great project. It has been extremely rewarding and we are so happy to be able to give back to these veterans.”

In addition to the projects, volunteer teams also left care packages and blankets for each veteran.

“He just arrived this morning!” Army Veteran Rollin Kluender said as he sat in the car with his new blanket.

While Ford employees were outside working on lawn maintenance, Kluender, a man of few words on camera, was heartbroken. This project helped brighten Kluender’s day and made life a little easier with a simple act of service.