Stratford, Ontario — May 25, 2018 — For many sons, learning about the basics of car maintenance from their fathers is almost as much of a rite of passage as getting a driver’s license. Daughters, unfortunately, are not always so lucky, making them a little more dependent on those who are in-the-know. It is a problem that Fix Auto Stratford owner Katie Tapley and her team are working on overcoming.
For the past few years, Tapley has been running an evening event – Ladies Night – where women are invited into the store after hours to learn about some essential vehicle management skills. Last Wednesday, the team hosted the third such event – and it was a resounding success.
The relaxed affair welcomed close to 30 guests of all ages participate in the workshop. With some of the proceeds of the $20 tickets going to a local women’s shelter, Tapley was thrilled by the community’s continued interest in the programs.
“We are so pleased to host this event again and have a great turnout,” said Tapley. “It’s great to be able to give women the opportunity to learn some new vehicle maintenance skills in a no-pressure, fun learning environment.”
The night got off to a start with a presentation from a local police constable who shared some general safe driving tips. The participants were then split up into groups to take part in some hands-on excersizes on four cars loaned by Discount Car & Truck Rental. The exercises covered how to check oil and other fluids, the best way to safely boost batteries with jumper cables, an overview of tire pressure checking and the use of vehicle jacks.
“Our goal with this event is to teach some important vehicle maintenance skills in a relaxed, social environment,” said Tapley. “Not everyone has someone they can ask, so we’re happy to host this Ladies Night and give everyone a chance to learn.”
Tapley’s initiative has been welcomed by Fix Auto’s leadership team. In fact, Daryll O’Keefe, general manager for Ontario and Manitoba, is thrilled to see a Fix Auto location taking practical steps to help with a real-world problem.
“We are proud to support the Fix Auto Stratford team and this fantastic initiative,” he said, adding that, “The Fix Auto Network family has many dedicated franchise strategic partners across the country, like Kate and her team that host events for their customers and fund raise for their communities.”
