Kaskaskia College’s automotive technology program has received a $30,000 donation to enhance educational opportunities for students in the automotive industry. Earl Flack, President of McKay Auto Parts, presented the check to Kaskaskia College President George Evans and Charles DeBernardi, Assistant Professor of Automotive Technology at McKay Auto Parts headquarters in Litchfield, Illinois.
The funds were made available with the Automotive Parts and Service Association of Illinois, an automotive service and parts store professional organization, chose to dissolve in 2021. The organization originally planned to return funds it had accumulated to its members; however, Flack, argued successfully the funds should go to educational institutions such as KC, to further educational opportunities for students learning skills to enter the automotive repair industry. “I say step up or step forward,” said Flack. “It’s about giving students a chance who may not have or know how to prepare for their future.”
DeBernardi notes the decision to focus on education shows Flack’s commitment to the future of the industry. “Earl Flack is an out-of-the-ordinary forward-thinking individual. Through his leadership, APSA decided to invest in the education of future generations of automotive technicians.”
DeBernardi is working with the college’s automotive technology advisory board to determine the best way to use the funds donated by the APSA.
