Photo/Scott McCloskey During a special presentation at the Straub Honda showroom in Triadelphia Friday afternoon, Straub Automotive representatives present a total of $21,000 to representatives of Wheeling Hospital, Ohio Valley Medical Center and WVU Medicine Reynolds Memorial Hospital to assist local breast cancer patients with financial needs. Participating in the presentation are, from left, WVU Medicine Reynolds ambulatory care assistant Susie Hinerman and Dr. Nabiel Alkhouri, Straub Manager Bryan Fato, OVMC representatives cancer center Manager Breezie Ogilbee and nurse practitioner Shawn Ware, Adelina Bartolovich of St. Clairsville, Straub Automotive President Ginger Fato, and Wheeling Hospital Nurse Manager Amie Matyas and research and outreach Coordinator Bonnie Funkhouser.

WHEELING — Breast cancer patients are benefiting from an initiative a local business started to honor the memory of a woman who was lost to the illness.

For the past several years, starting in late September and throughout the month of October, Straub Automotive in Triadelphia has created a special fund to assist local breast cancer patients who are uninsured or have needs that are not covered. A portion of the proceeds from every car sold during this period go to the fund, and the money helps cancer patients cover expenses including utility bills, groceries, child care, transportation for treatment and lodging.

During a special presentation at the Straub Honda showroom in Triadelphia Friday afternoon, Straub representatives presented a combined total of $21,000 to representatives of three local hospitals. Wheeling Hospital, Ohio Valley Medical Center and WVU Medicine Reynolds Memorial Hospital all received money to help local breast cancer patients with their financial needs. Dozens of representatives from all three medical facilities attended, as each hospital accepted a check in the amount of $7,000 to support the cause.

Straub Manager Bryan Fato took a few minutes to thank everyone in attendance and spoke briefly about Straub’s efforts to contribute toward this special cause.

“For the sixth consecutive year, the entire staff and management of Straub Automotive is honored to donate contributions we’ve collected to assist breast cancer patients with financial support on behalf of our loyal Straub customers. Sadly, we lost one of our Straub Automotive family members, Lenelle Chiudioni, to this terrible disease,” Fato said. “In Lenelle’s memory, we are proud to again be able to partner with our local world-class medical facilities, including Wheeling Hospital, the Ohio Valley Medical Center and Reynolds Memorial Hospital to assist breast cancer patients.”

Chiudioni’s daughter, Adelina Bartolovich of St. Clairsville, was on hand for the event. She took a moment to thank the Straub family for making the donations in her mother’s memory and for being so comforting and such a “godsend” to her mother and to her family.

Straub Automotive has been serving the automotive needs of Wheeling and surrounding communities in the Ohio Valley for more than 75 years. The family-owned company owns and operates the Straub Honda, Hyundai and Nissan new and used car dealerships located in Triadelphia just off Interstate 70 across from The Highlands shopping center, as well as Straub’s Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, Ram new and used dealerships, located at 1502 Wheeling Ave. in Glen Dale and at 2638 National Road in Wheeling. The family now also owns and operates the new Straub Ford dealership in Moundsville.