While Dennis Houska has seen a lot of change in Fort Collins in the 31 years he's run the family automotive repair shop, the people who frequent his business haven't changed much.

 

V. Richard Haro/The ColoradoanDennis Houska, right, his son, L.J., and his wife, Noreen, run Houska Automotive in Fort Collins. L.J. is holding a photo of his grandfather, Chuck Houska, who started the business in 1952 at the same location.

 

Those who need mechanical repair trust that Houska and his "family" of mechanics will treat them with the same respect and care Houska's father gave decades ago.

It's one of the reasons Houska Automotive Services Inc. was named Best Family Business in the Coloradoan's 2005 Best in Business contest.

"We try to cure their transportation problems," Houska said. "And we try to look beyond repairing the car to helping fix the other problems, such as getting a car towed, finding a rental car or arranging transportation while the car's in the shop."

We've even picked up kids from school. We have one fella here who does nothing but help people all day long."

Houska took over the business in 1974, in the same shop where his father first opened the doors in 1952.

"We were outside the city limits at one time," Houska said, noting the growth in Fort Collins. "Now we're seeing a lot more people coming in from out of state and a lot less agriculture. Some of our best farmland has gone to housing developments."

Houska's wife, Noreen, keeps the books and "hands out the paychecks — the important part," he joked.

Working alongside him is his son John, called L.J. "At one time we had four Johns in the shop and we were calling them Big John, Little John and anything else we could think of to keep them straight," Houska said. "That's how John — Little John — became L.J."

Houska said his staff of 25 is largely responsible for the respectful service and success of the business. "They're all more like family than employees, and they really make it work," he said.

Giving back to the community is high on Houska's list. To that end, he set up the Houska Houska 5K race 14 years ago to raise funds for a bone marrow registry — its name is a spoof on the Bolder Boulder race. In the summer of 2004, he bicycled from Washington state to Florida to raise awareness about the national registry.

A marrow donor himself — he donated to a 9-year-old boy in California — Houska has seen the miracle of marrow donation firsthand.

"He's 17 now, and he comes here each year to compete in the race," he said of his marrow recipient. "The money helps pay for (marrow) typing so we can get more people on the registry.

"When they're not in the shop, Houska joins his wife in doing charitable work, then heads for the outdoors to bicycle, ski, hike, fish and enjoy the scenery.

Working together all day then going home together at night hasn't been a problem for the couple through the years.

"It's all in the communication," Houska said. "We are respectful of each other and listen to each other's opinions. And we don't talk business at home … we work on our other interests."

Originally published February 3, 2006   Back to top

 

 

Cyclist Rides to Raise Awareness About Need for Donors

Thursday, August 05, 2004

The owner of a Fort Collins, Colo., auto repair business will pedal across America this summer to raise awareness about the need for people to help others by donating blood, organs and tissue.

Dennis Houska, who owns Houska Automotive Services, will join 14 riders on a 4,000-mile ride from Seattle to Florida.

The riders will begin Aug. 25 in Seattle. They will stop Sept. 12 in Fort Collins’ Old Town Square. The ride will end Oct. 15 in Titusville, Fla., adjacent to the Kennedy Space Center.

Sponsored by LifeSouth Blood Centers in Gainsville, Fla., the ride is called Five Points of Life. The name is designed to raise awareness about the need for five types of donations that people can make: blood; bone marrow; cord blood; organ and tissue; and apheresis, which gathers red blood cells, platelets and plasma.

“It’s a really easy way to really change someone’s life,” said Houska. “There’s so little that you have to do to donate.”

Houska started donating blood in 1978 when his mother was dying of cancer. He donates on a regular basis and has even give bone marrow, a process that involves surgically removing liquid marrow from the pelvic bone.

“I donated bone marrow to an 8 year-old boy in California,” said Houska, “and now he is 16.”

In addition to making blood and marrow donations, Houska raises funds for the Rocky Mountain Marrow Donor Center at Poudre Valley Hospital by holding an annual run and walk called “Houska Houska.” This year 250 people participated in the late May event, raising $7,000.

There will be 14 persons in the Five Points of Life ride. Two are from South Africa.

“What we’re doing with the ride is to let people know how easy it is to donate,” said Houska.

When the riders reach Old Town Square on September 12, Poudre Valley Hospital’s Garth Englund Blood Center will have its bloodmobile available there from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. for people to give blood. Current donors will need to call the donor center to schedule an appointment. New donors will need to contact the center for a screening.

The center is located at 1025 Pennock St. #205. Phone number: 495-8965. No walk-ins will be accepted on the day of the event.

More information about donating blood through the Garth Englund Blood Center can be found at the Blood Center web page. Information about the ride is available at LifeSouth.

 

For more information, contact: Kim Barone, Public Relations, (970) 495-7501 Gary Kimsey, Public Relations, (970) 495-7427

 Back to top