Dozens of residents braved single-digit wind chills Thursday morning to watch what was to have been a groundbreaking of the new Dwane Shank Motors car dealership in Greensburg become yet another demonstration of corporate largesse.
   A pair of General Motors executives were on hand from Detroit—one to pledge GM’s aid to the dealership rebuilding in as “green” a fashion as possible, the other to present the keys to seven, brand new cutting edge vehicles for use by the City and school district.
   Once Environment and Energy Policy Manager Kristin Zimmerman spoke of GM taking pride in acting as a partner in the sustainable rebuilding of the car dealership leveled in the May 4 tornado, Don Butler stepped to the podium to show actions often do speak louder than words.
   The executive director of truck marketing for Chevrolet, Butler first handed the keys to four shiny Tahoe two-mode hybrid SUV’s to Greensburg City Administrator Steve Hewitt, before placing the keys to three new E85 flex-fuel Chevy Suburbans in the hand of South Central Community Foundation Executive Director Denise Unruh.
   Unruh in turn handed the keys to Superintendent of Greensburg Schools Darin Headrick, signifying the eventual destination of the three vehicles.
   “There’s some restriction as to why GM can’t directly donate the vehicles to the school, so they actually presented them to the Foundation,” Headrick said.  “But title to all three will be signed over to us shortly.”
   Headrick said the three Suburbans will be put to use shortly in a variety of ways.
   “Staff will use them for official business,” he said.  “And we’ll use them for small groups where we don’t need a bus, like scholar’s bowl, golf team, and so forth.”
   Hewitt indicated the four Tahoes will likely be doled out to department heads for their official use.
   “Probably one will go to the head of utilities, public works, streets and administration,” he said.  “It’s not only the giving of these vehicles that’s important, but the kind of environmentally friendly vehicles they are.  This is right in keeping with what we’re trying to do here to not only rebuild, but rebuild in a responsible, sustainable way.  These are vehicles that are just now finding their way to GM showrooms, and we’ve got four of them free of charge.”
   Headrick was even more effusive, saying he was “ecstatic that GM has given these (vehicles) to the City and School District and committed to helping bring back our car dealership in a sustainable form.
   “By giving us these vehicles they’ve helped lighten our budgetary burden a bit on transportation, and allowed us to use some of that money in other ways.  That’s also a bit of relief to taxpayers.”