news-record.com

BURLINGTON -- Natalia Gonzalez was left shaking with surprise on Thursday when she first set eyes on her new car.

She was selected to receive a silver 2003 Buick Lesabre from Westcott Automotive Group as part of the third annual Wheels for Work program, which selects someone in need to receive a vehicle.

Gonzalez, of Burlington, had been without reliable transportation for the past three years and sometimes had to get a ride with a fellow co-worker or even walk to her job at Ruby Tuesday on Huffman Mill Road. Gonzalez has worked at Ruby Tuesday for nearly two years and was recently offered a management position, which requires her to have reliable transportation.

A group of family and friends gathered at the front entrance of Ruby Tuesday to surprise Gonzalez with the good news. Gonzalez had no idea at first what was happening.

"I am shocked," Gonzalez said as she was handed the keys to her new car.

Greg Westcott with Westcott Automotive Group said there were about 300 applications considered for the Wheels for Work program. The number of applications doubled from those submitted in 2010.

Westcott said that Alamance County Service League was tasked to review all of the applications and decided to select Gonzalez to receive a free car based on her need.

"It took about a month to go through all the applications," Westcott said.

Gonzalez didn't realize that her friends had submitted her name for the program. They offered letters of support as to why she was the best applicant.

"I thank everybody so much," Gonzalez said. "I believe things happen for a reason."

Gonzalez said she looks forward to using her new car for taking trips, taking her son where he needs to go and using the car to get to and from work. Her days of walking to work are over.

Last year's Wheels for Work program winner, Aisha Copeland, was also at Ruby Tuesday on Thursday to congratulate Gonzalez on the good news.