OAKLAND TWP — A Butler Air Force veteran and her family received a life-changing gift Saturday afternoon.

Jessica Watkins, 37, was given the keys to a refurbished 2013 Ford Explorer at an open house at Randy & Bob’s CARSTAR.

The car was given to the Watkins family through Recycled Rides, a program by the National Auto Body Council in which businesses and non profit organizations partner to repair and donate vehicles to needy people or service organizations.

Since 2007, almost 1,000 vehicles have been recycled and donated through Recycled Rides, according to the council’s website.

Randy & Bob’s CARSTAR did minor repairs to the vehicle, which was donated by MetLife Auto and Home.

With the SUV, Watkins and her husband, James, now have the ability to take 2-year-old son Darryl Ray to the doctor or hospital if needed.

Darryl Ray suffers from asthma and has been hospitalized six times in his life. He has had more than six asthma attacks, Watkins said.

Watkins applied to receive a vehicle in March at the Center for Community Resources in Butler after CARSTAR Marketing Manager Natalie Butcherine told her about the program.

She was brought to tears when Butcherine told her that she was selected a couple weeks ago.

“Of course there were tears, I told her it’s very humbling. You hear all the bad stuff in the news about how veterans are treated in this county,” Watkins said. “That has not been my experience at all.”

Watkins grew up in Harmony and graduated from Seneca Valley High School. Then she enlisted in the Air Force, which took her all over the world.

She was a master sergeant and worked as a dental assistant for 20 years. At different times she was stationed in Texas, New Mexico, Japan, and she also spent 45 days in Indonesia on a humanitarian deployment.

She has three children from a previous marriage, ages 10, 12 and 14, who live in Virginia and visit her during school breaks.

After leaving the service last year, the Watkins family moved to Butler. Jessica got a job and James stayed at home to take care of Darryl Ray.

“We decided to come here and settle down in one spot,” she said.

After four months, she lost her job and the family went through a difficult time during which their car was repossessed.

By taking advantage of services offered to veterans at the Center for Community Resources in Butler, Watkins eventually found another job at Avada Hearing Care Center and heard about the Recycled Rides program.

Since CARSTAR is a member of the National Auto Body Council, the owners had heard about the Recycled Rides program and wanted to get involved, Butcherine said.

The Ford Explorer had belonged to someone in Pittsburgh who filed a claim with MetLife after it had been stolen.

Police recovered the car after the claim had been paid out, so MetLife had the ability to donate the vehicle.

Since it wasn’t in an accident, CARSTAR just had to do some minor detailing work to get the SUV ready to go.

The Watkins family met the requirements set by Recycled Rides and also had a serious need because of their son’s medical problems.

“Medical-wise, they thought she fit the bill the best,” she said.

The family was chosen by a committee put together by the Center for Community Resources. Though being a military veteran was not a requirement, the program has a history of supporting veterans, Butcherine said.

Shawn Lamountain, representing MetLife presented Watkins with the keys after a short ceremony.

“We have been excited to participate in such a great program,” he said.

In addition to being given the keys and title for the car Saturday, the family was presented with gifts from several other businesses including gift certificates to cover oil changes, gas and insurance expenses for the vehicle.