An unusual partnership

Aug. 12, 2009

Volunteer Coordinator Lani Lawrence, left, was showing Cassie Duncan through the Friendship Trays kitchen Wednesday, just as she does with every other new volunteer driver. But this was an unusual partnership that might result in a $500 donation.

That's because Duncan, a psychology major at UNCC, had chosen Friendship Trays as the place where she would do some community service in fulfillment of the requirements of an automobile manufacturer's marketing plan.

Duncan was one of 100 "agents" chosen from 4,000 applicants for a chance to drive a 2011 Ford Fiesta for six months. Ford has sold the Fiesta for many years in Europe, but will introduce the small car into the U.S. market next year. In exchange for use of the car, Duncan and others must create videos once a month and post them on YouTube, showing off the car in use with their friends and such. Most of the "agents" appear to be in their 20s. Ford runs a website where all this material is located. The company has promised to donate $500 to the nonprofit group of each agent's choice.

So after her tour Wednesday, Duncan delivered a route and reported back that it went fine. Lawrence said she did not know when Duncan would return to volunteer again. But as some of the pictures below attest, Duncan has already started gathering material for her next video. The video was later posted here.