By Steven Stilt
A Centralia High School alumnus has assisted a current CHS student by making a special donation. According to automotive instructor Robert Mensen, student James Sprehe was in need of a vehicle after crashing his truck during inclement weather earlier this winter. Mensen reached out to Reed Lampe, a 2018 CHS graduate who now owns Lampe Motorsports in Union, Missouri. Lampe responded that he had a used Ford Mustang at his dealership that seemed suitable for Sprehe.
Lampe not only chose to donate the Mustang to Sprehe, but brought the vehicle to Centralia himself and topped off the gas tank as well.
Lampe says he didn’t know Sprehe personally prior to making the donation, but greatly enjoyed his time in the automotive program at CHS and was happy to help out.
Sprehe says he greatly appreciates Lampe’s assistance.
“It means a lot to me, honestly. I’m really grateful for the car and what he’s done just by doing the extra amount for it, and I thank him a lot and he deserves to go further.”
Mensen says he always tries to help his students out and was glad to facilitate the donation.
“Any time I can help out a student, I do so. You can check with my students; I take them as my own children. I’ve been doing this for 23 years, and I’ve been able to help a few. It makes it even more special to me that an alumni student from my class — he was from 2018 — was able to reach back and help pay it forward, in a sense. So that makes me feel good, that I’ve got some quality students coming through.”
In addition to delivering the Mustang and filling the gas tank, Lampe donated $500 for repairs to the vehicle. Mensen says Sprehe is doing most of the repair work himself.
