Curry Auto Center, Inc. has been a Bloomington staple almost by motor vehicle itself. “We advertise very little,” said Cary Curry, president and fourth generation of the family-owned agency. “We are more involved in the community.” Liz Peterson, an occupational therapist and certified driving rehabilitation specialist at IU Health Bloomington, agrees – from firsthand experience, she knows that the name Curry is synonymous with giving.
For more than a decade, Curry Auto Center has provided vehicles used for motor rehabilitation to help patients return to driving despite neurological disorders and other medical conditions.
Curry provided the first vehicle for the program in 2011: a sedan equipped with adaptive equipment needed for Peterson’s patients to drive safely, such as the gas pedal on the left foot and buttons. presses as well as manual controls instead of traditional gas and brake pedals. Curry Automotive Center recently contributed a second vehicle—an updated crossover SUV—as well as a monetary donation that Peterson says will secure the program’s future.
“A lot of us take for granted the ability to get in a car and drive wherever we want,” says Peterson. “My patients are grateful to the rehabilitation sedan because it helped them regain their sense of normalcy.” Peterson said nearly 1,000 patients had been assessed for their ability to drive hired by Curry.
After completing equipment training, each patient is given a “vehicle prescription” noting the specialized equipment they need to make driving viable—ensuring they can live independently. “Thanks to Curry, I feel the weight has lifted off my shoulders knowing that we will be able to continue to make a difference in our community,” she said.
