Grayson Subaru presents vehicle to Ijams; image courtesy of Ijams

When Grayson Auto Group Marketing Coordinator Dan Moyers invited Ijams Nature Center’s Amber Parker and Cindy Hassil to come to Grayson Subaru for a surprise, they weren’t sure what to expect.

Grayson Subaru has been a longtime supporter of the nonprofit nature center, most recently partnering with Ijams on work to clean up and restore a 14-acre property named The Grayson Preserve. However, there was stunned silence when Grayson Subaru Sales Manager Randy Carter and Moyers gestured to the lot of new vehicles, saying, “Let’s go pick out your new car.”

“Dan knew how badly Ijams needed a new vehicle for outreach programs and general business, but Grayson Subaru had never presented a car for such use before,” Ijams Executive Director Amber Parker said. “That’s what makes this so special. Our friends at Grayson Subaru believe in the mission of Ijams so much that they wanted to help in a significant way. We are truly grateful to the Grayson family, Randy and Dan for making this possible.”

The 2019 Subaru Outback features a full-color wrap showing children learning and playing in nature. The wrap was created by Great American Sign Company.

“This car is a wonderful reminder to people of all ages to get outside and enjoy the great outdoors,” Moyers said. “Ijams Nature Center and Subaru both believe that nature is something to enjoy and protect.”

“We knew an Outback was the perfect car for Ijams,” Carter added. “Even the interior is made for easy cleanup after transporting animals or wet, muddy gear. We’re proud to partner with an organization that is working to make a difference in the world.”

Ijams Nature Center is a nonprofit, 315-acre educational nature center for all ages, abilities and walks of life. Ijams’ mission is to encourage stewardship of the natural world by providing an urban greenspace for people to learn about and enjoy the outdoors through engaging experiences. Located just three miles from downtown Knoxville, Ijams features 12 miles of hiking and mixed-use trails, a public access river dock, swimming, boating, biking and more.

The center offers hundreds of educational programs annually, from school field trips and off-site programs to on-site outdoor and classroom education programs that focus on topics from birding and wildflowers to yoga hikes, cooking classes and art programs. The Ijams grounds and trails are open every day from 8 a.m. until dusk. The Visitor Center is open Monday through Saturday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

For more information, visit Ijams.org or call 865-577-4717.