Rivals off the golf course hit balls on the green together

Money raised for collision repair education at I-CAR sponsored golf tourney

Several collision repair industry vendors, shop owners and insurers put their differences aside and participated in the Northeast Florida I-CAP, chapter's fourth annual golf tournament to raise money toward collision repair education in Jacksonville, Fla.

The event, which took place at the Deerwood Country Club, has continued to grow, getting bigger and more popular every year. "We had such a great response that we had to cut off the tournament at 144 golfers," says Bob Campoli, events coordinator for Jacksonville I-CAR. But it's not because Florida boasts many well-- manicured, year-round golf courses. It's because everyone in the industry recognizes the importance of working together to keep collision repair viable. "It's a great venue for getting everyone together on a neutral court for the same reason-to hit a golf ball and raise some money," Campoli says, "and to establish some camaraderie between insurers and body shops."

Campoli says just shy of $24,000 before expenses was collected at the golf tournament. After recouping expenses, that leaves between $8,000 and $9,000 to put toward autobody repair education in the Jacksonville, Fla., area. Last year, Jacksonville I-CAP, made a "sizeable donation" to the Florida Community College at Jacksonville (FCCJ), Campoli says, although not indicating the specific amount. He says that much of the money went to buy curriculum and for instructor training. "Whenever we have an I-CAR class, we have to scrounge for instructors," Campoli says. "We're funding FCCJ to certify its instructors to be I-CAR instructors so we have our own on-site ones."

At press time, Campoli says Jacksonville I-CAR wasn't exactly sure how the fund-raiser money was going to be distributed or awarded this year, "but it will be for the benefit of the industry in the Northeast Florida area," which includes FCCJ.

Students from FCCJ also helped with the golf event. About 40 percent of the golfers were from the insurance industry, 50 percent were from body shops, and the remaining 10 percent was a mix of vendors and suppliers.

"It's a time when competition and fighting for every dollar comes to a stop," says Steve Carey, chairman of Northeast Florida I-CAR in Jacksonville, Fla., and a re-inspector for Sentry's Florida Unit. He says people put aside what the insurance company did to them on the last job or the fact that the shop down the street got the job based on another shop's estimate.

"Nobody holds a grudge and rivals play golf and have beer together," Carey says. "You see vendors in direct competition during the week sitting down together to have lunch, laugh and enjoy the day. In most cities, you can't get two shops in the same room without a fistfight breaking out. It's events such as this that brings the collision repair industry together-as one community."

[Author Affiliation]

By Tina Grady

Senior Associate Editor