West Michigan Auto Auction has earned the inaugural 2016 Midwest Auction of the Year Award from the National Auto Auction Association, which is celebrating National Auto Auction Week from Monday through Friday.

The Wayland, Mich.-based auction is one of four auctions from each of NAAA’s membership regions to win the award. Each regional chapter award winner receives $5,000, to be donated at the auction’s discretion.

The NAAA’s National Auction of the Year Award will go to one of those four regional award winners. The auction that earns the national honor will receive an additional $10,000 for its philanthropic efforts. In addition, NAAA’s On the Block magazine will feature a January 2017 cover story about the auction and its charitable efforts.

The auction will also be on the cover of the 2017 NAAA Member Directory. The National Auction of the Year winner will be announced on Nov. 17, during the Presidential Gala at the NAAA Convention/National Remarketing Conference.

NAAA Midwest Chapter President Jason Cotton said West Michigan Auto Auction’s efforts have helped so many people and have been an inspiration to many. He said he felt honored to be able to announce them as the award winner during National Auto Auction Week.

“West Michigan Auto Auction stands out for their efforts, and we are pleased they will represent the Midwest Chapter for the inaugural Midwest Auction of the Year Award,” said Cotton, Dyer Auto Auction Vice President of Business Development. “Everyone from the Midwest Chapter wishes them well.”

 “We want to congratulate West Michigan Auto Auction and thank those involved at the auction who consistently give unselfishly of their time, effort, and money to so many wonderful community service organizations,” said NAAA President Mike Browning, who added that he is pleased to be president during the creation of this new award.

WMAA engages in numerous charitable and community service activities, a highlight of which was an employee who befriended a dealer client and later donated a kidney to the man.

Other efforts include raising $42,000 for the family of a Michigan auction worker who died in a car accident and each year holding a memorial ride for his family’s continued support. WMAA raised $12,000 for a dealer client whose wife contracted terminal cancer, and the amount raised was matched by the auction. Numerous vehicle repairs for financially challenged individuals in the community also have been made. Other efforts include charity golf sponsorships, food pantry collections, and raising $3,000 for a nonprofit that donates water filtration systems to countries where people don’t have access to clean water.

For the past eight years, WMAA has donated $100 for each vehicle sold in a special lane for "Rights for Kids," a service organization that provides underprivileged children with a safe environment and opportunities to develop for future success.

NAAA chief executive officer Frank Hackett said this award is designed to not only honor the efforts of NAAA members, but to boost awareness of the many worthy causes that auctions around the country support.

“I’m continually pleased to see the efforts our member auctions take to support their local community’s charities and service organizations,” Hackett said. “If we can play a small role in helping them help others, it’s a very good result.”