A memorial reads names, but a community carries the weight. We sit down with Jeffrey Godwin to explore how the International Towing and Recovery Museum turns remembrance into real support through the Wall of the Fallen and the Survivor Fund—and why hearing those names aloud changes how we see risk, service, and family. Jeffrey explains their careful process: contacting companies first to ease the burden on families, approving cases quickly so funds reach homes when they’re needed most, and building a peer network so owners and teams aren’t alone after a tragedy.
From there, we step inside the museum’s evolving home in Chattanooga. Recent grants refreshed the roof, HVAC, and the Hall of Fame flow, and a new remembrance room offers a quiet space to reflect. Yet the mission has outgrown a converted grocery store. Low ceilings limit modern displays, from carriers to rotators, and the team is pursuing a larger building to tell a fuller story of towing technology and culture. Until then, off-site storage and rotating exhibits will bring fresh vehicles and artifacts to the floor.
Growth runs through community. The annual fundraising auction fuels operations while welcoming new Hall of Fame inductees. Membership tiers make it easier to join and make a difference, and donations—financial or artifact—put history in front of the next generation. There’s even a hometown twist: the Chattanooga Lookouts’ Wreckers games amplify Slow Down, Move Over messaging and celebrate the city where the tow truck was born. With a new stadium opening, Wreckers weekend promises a bigger stage for safety education, museum events, and industry pride.
Help us preserve stories, support families, and expand what’s possible. Become a member, make a pledge to the Survivor Fund, plan a trip to Chattanooga, and share this episode with someone who needs to hear it. Subscribe, rate, and leave a review to help more listeners find the show.
