As a lifelong Hill Country resident and Kerr County businessman, Tim Crenwelge was crushed by the effects of the July 4 flood. He quickly jumped into action to physically help friends and neighbors and worked within the statewide organization he chairs to help raise funds for recovery.
Crenwelge, owner of Crenwelge Motors and chairman of the Texas Automobile Dealers Association, began fielding calls from fellow auto dealers across the state who asked how they could help Kerr County residents.
“It was just amazing — the outpouring from dealers, and we always say dealers are involved in their communities,” Crenwelge said. “Competing dealers in larger cities came together to raise and donate funds for our area. It was amazing.”
Crenwelge directed all inquiries to the Community Foundation of the Texas Hill Country’s Flood Relief Fund.
“After serving for eight years on the board of the Community Foundation of the Texas Hill Country, I knew the donated funds would remain local,” Crenwelge said. “I think Austin Dickerson is doing a fantastic job.”
Beyond coordinating statewide relief efforts, Crenwelge spent two weekends on the ground shoveling mud and debris from flood-damaged homes. He also sent employees with equipment from his ranch, including a dump truck and bobcat, to help with cleanup efforts for three weeks.
The local auto dealer community came together as well. All three Kerr County dealerships — Crenwelge Motors, Ken Stoepel Ford and Cecil Atkission Motors — participated in the relief efforts. Terry Massey of Ken Stoepel Ford joined Crenwelge in presenting a check from Universal Underwriters to the Community Foundation.
“We talked for like 45 minutes. It was just great,” Crenwelge said of the rare opportunity to spend time with fellow local dealers, who are typically busy running their own operations.
Cecil Atkission Motors gave staff time off to assist with cleanup efforts. Crenwelge’s family also participated, with his daughters Katherine and Jacquelyn helping with recovery work.
The response extended to Crenwelge’s dealer group meetings, where members from different regions of Texas asked about Kerrville’s recovery as their first topic of discussion.
“They saw it on the news,” Crenwelge said. “We say we’re family and we really are.”
Crenwelge was born in Fredericksburg and is a third-generation auto dealer. He found the industry’s response particularly meaningful.
“It just showed since I’ve grown up in the business, car dealers are very involved in their communities,” he said. “They believe in giving back. This was very touching for me to see how they reached out — the whole state, all the dealers.”
Crenwelge will serve as TADA chairman through the end of January, when he turns over leadership to Greg Bruner at the National Automobile Dealers Association convention in Las Vegas.
Recovery continues in Kerr County, with volunteers from other states arriving to help alongside local residents.
“You see the people that traveled here from other states and just roll up their sleeves and helped,” Crenwelge said. “There are a lot of good people in this world.”
Read full article here: https://www.hccommunityjournal.com/article_5a879e5f-c2da-42d5-be61-a1183484b3e7.html
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