Dec. 12, 2025
BY JOHN BAILEY
Catawba County Government employee Mary Morrison is the 2025 Catawba County United Way’s Car Giveaway winner.
She was one of 10 finalists drawn each week since September by RLI-CPA Certified Public Accountants for a chance to win a new car donated by Paramount Automotive Group in Hickory. On Thursday, each finalist had a chance to start a car with a key pulled at random at Paramount.
Sixth in line, it was Morrison’s key that started the car. She’s been a United Way donor for 21 years.
The car giveaway was open to employees of companies who pledged a minimum of at least $100 a month during their company’s Catawba County United Way (CCUW) workplace campaign. The winner was chosen during a special event at Paramount Automotive in Hickory on Dec. 11. This year there were more than 2,600 entries for the car giveaway.
“You know when you put your dollars into the United Way, they know the needs. They know where the pressures are on local families in our community,” Morrison said. “I think people really saw how much the United Way means to the community during Hurricane Helene last year. People wanted to give so much and United Way was that gatekeeper making sure people got what they needed.”
Last year, donor gifts helped fund tutoring programs for at-risk youth, provided shelter for the homeless, supported mentoring programs for local students, provided sexual assault services, supported emergency and disaster services, supported services for seniors and provided help with primary healthcare.
Nick Kincaid, Chief Operating Officer at Paramount Automotive, said this 14-year tradition is all about supporting community outreach by the company.
“Anyway that we can give back to the communities we live and work in is important to us. It just benefits everybody and there is just so much need,” Kincaid said. “That’s one of our main missions, and we want to help everybody we can."
Kincaid announced that Paramount Automotive will give away a car again next year.
The finalists who didn’t win a car received special gifts donated by local companies to help show their support of the United Way.
These companies included: RLI-CPA Certified Public Accountants PC, Pepsi Cola Bottling Company of Hickory, Martin Starnes & Associates CPAs PA, People’s Bank, Truist Bank, Morphis Law & Mediation, Susan Williams PLLC, CertainTeed and Catawba Valley Medical Center.
The CCUW Fair Share Car Giveaway tradition was started in 2011 in partnership with Benny Yount, owner of Paramount Automotive Group. Yount wanted a way to help support the annual Catawba County United Way campaign and its outreach to local individuals and families in crisis.
The United Way’s work is focused on the building blocks for a good life: education, income and health. In 2024, local agencies who received funding from the CCUW helped improve the lives of more than 13,000 individuals in these areas.
2025 Catawba County United Way Car Giveaway Finalists
- Shannon Colpa - Peoples Bank - Sept. 25
- Donald Smithers - Corning - Oct. 2
- Denise Sigmon - Shurtape Technologies - Oct. 9
- Mary Morrison - Catawba Co. Government - Oct. 16
- Tonya Coffey - Martin Starnes & Assoc., CPAs - Oct. 23
- Jennifer Punch - Hickory Chair - Oct. 30
- Teresa Salmeron - Shurtape Technologies - Nov. 6
- Kendra Carey - Corning - Nov. 13
- Pete Shonka - Catawba Co. Government - Nov. 20
- Deb Benfield - Shurtape Technologies - Dec. 4
The Catawba County United Way wants to thank the other local businesses who supported this year’s car giveaway event. Lunch was catered by Cranford Brother’s Barbecue in Hickory. Pepsi Bottling Group provided drinks and Publix in Hickory provided a special cake for the giveaway.
For more information, call the Catawba County United Way at 828-327-6851 or visit ccunitedway.com.