Group helping teens learn life and auto skills expanding
INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) – A group in Indianapolis is out to help teens tune up their lives through teaching car repair skills.
It is called City Life Wheels and was started on the near east side about five years ago. The mission behind the group is to take teens’ inherent skills and help put them on a path for success by using donated cars that the students are able to learn and operate on.
“We have a lot of youth that are just trying to figure out how do I get from where I am now without much of a path to the opportunities that are out there,” said City Life Wheels Director Nate Hershey.
Recently City Life Wheels expanded into a new building. Hershey said 3,000 volunteer hours went into the building renovations. The hope is that they will be able to reach more teens throughout Marion County.
The program serves teens aged 14 to 19. Those who go through the program learn basic car maintenance skills, but even more life skills such as the importance of being a good employee and reliable person.
“I was looking for opportunities to learn about mechanics and I came across this program and I didn’t really know all about it. So, I decided to try it out,” said Aiden Potter, who is a student.
“Before I came here I was always nervous, nonstop nervous, in school, everything. I never wanted to talk,” said another student Marcus Fussel.
Tuesday from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., an open house will be hosted at the new East Washington Street location. This is a chance for the community to come out and check out what is going on.
The program is free for teens and that is made possible by sponsors and those in the community who donate. For donation information, click here.