FORT CARSON, Colo. – Fort Carson recently held an abandoned vehicle auction Dec. 14, 2023, raising over $57,000 for future quality-of-life incentives for Soldiers and their Families.
“These services benefit our Soldiers and Families. It could be a large-scale event, or it could be new equipment at a fitness center. All the money that we generate goes right back into the community,” said Sean Stewart, chief, Nonappropriated Fund (NAF) Support Division, Fort Carson Directorate of Family and Morale, Welfare and Recreation (DFMWR)
Stewart noted this was the first DFMWR auction in roughly 20 years and due to its success, there are plans to hold the auctions quarterly.
The auction featured 31 vehicles up for bid during a two-week time period, all of which were sold. Vehicles included a 2017 Dodge Journey, 1983 Chevrolet K10 pickup truck, a 2014 Mazda 6 and an Audi A4.
During the auction, the highest bid went to the 2017 Dodge Journey at just over $8,000, while the lowest bid went to an Audi A4 that sold at just over $200.
The abandoned vehicle process is lengthy and starts by submitting a form online to report a vehicle and ends after months of trying to contact the last registered driver.
“There are currently 250 vehicles abandoned on post with approximately 20 vehicles being towed every month,” said Mike Hubbard, Fort Carson’s automotive mechanic supervisor at the Auto Skills Center.
Hubbard explained the type of vehicles his team received.
“The vast majority were running but there were some that had no engines, no transmission, no nothing. So just as a shell, some buyers wanted them just to build a race car as a project,” said Hubbard. “We also received a boat trailer, a small utility trailer an ATV and a motorcycle.”
Stewart explained the benefit for having the auction.
“The auction ended up being a win-win for the installation as it gets abandoned vehicles off post while also raising money to support Soldiers and their Families,” said Stewart.
The next auction is expected to take place in late March or early April and vehicles will be posted on Fort Carson DFMWR social media pages.
Social Sharing