2024 Defender Service Awards Winners

APPALACHIAN WILDLIFE REFUGE AND LINVILLE-CENTRAL RESCUE SQUAD RECEIVES KEYS TO CUSTOMIZED DEFENDER 130 AS A 2024 DEFENDER SERVICE AWARDS WINNER

  • Defender has awarded six charitable organizations across the U.S. and Canada a custom Defender 130 vehicle, to further their ability to service their communities - with two located in the Asheville area.
  • For more information about the Defender brand, vehicles, and the Defender Service Awards Presented by CHASE, please visit https://www.landroverusa.com/defender/index.html

Two local Asheville charities have each been awarded a customized Defender 130. Appalachian Wildlife Refuge of Candler, NC and Linville Central Rescue Squad of Newland, NC, received their customized Defender 130 on Thursday, March 6, 2025, for winning the Defender Service Awards Honoree Award in the 2024 "Defender Service Awards" presented by CHASE. The vehicle handover took place at the Land Rover Asheville dealership in Arden, NC, where the two winning organizations accepted the keys to their new Defender. With its eye-catching wrap design and array of accessories, the Defender is equipped to effectively promote both organizations.

The British adventure brand, Defender has continued its legacy of supporting global humanitarian and philanthropic efforts. Inspired by their outstanding community service efforts as well as exemplifying the brand's values, the six winning organizations have received a customized Defender 130 SUV to support their steadfast dedication to aiding their local communities. Featuring three rows of seating accommodating up to eight volunteers, along with 88.9 cubic feet (2,156 liters) of load capacity, the Defender 130 will aid them to further their mission of service and build on the enduring legacy of Defender vehicles' global philanthropic efforts.

Each winning organization had the opportunity to customize their new vehicle with purposeful Defender accessories, robust enough to support their unique demands, along with a personalized exterior vehicle wrap. These charitable organizations have also received a $25,000 grant from the respective category sponsors.


About Appalachian Wildlife Refuge


With a mission to rescue, rehabilitate, release and relate, Appalachian Wildlife Refuge supports the wildlife rehabilitation network by being licensed to help all native western North Carolina species and by educating the community regarding the critical importance of wildlife conservation and coexistence. Since opening their facility in 2018, they have received over 20,000 calls to their emergency hotline and have provided quality care to over 8,500 injured and orphaned wildlife. Through their work, released species can once again fill their critical roles in the environment, supporting a healthy ecosystem and a sustainable community for all.

About Linville-Central Rescue Squad


Linville-Central Rescue Squad and their Mountain Rescue Team is an all-volunteer search and rescue team serving Avery County, North Carolina. Their team provides critical support to their community by locating, treating and safely transporting individuals from remote and rugged wilderness areas. Members dedicate their time to being medically trained from EMT to paramedic level, as well as Mountain Rescue Association accredited in high-angle rock rescue, snow and ice rescue, and wilderness search. They also provide vehicle extrication and water rescue services.


About Defender
Defender embraces the impossible. Each member of the Defender family is purposefully designed, highly desirable and seriously durable. A modern-day hero that respects the past but at the same time anticipates the future.

Available in 90, 110 and 130 body styles, with up to eight seats, each has a charisma of its own.

A beacon of liberty since 1948, Defender supports humanitarian and conservation work with the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies and the Tusk Trust. The Defender brand is underpinned by Land Rover - a mark of trust built on 75 years of expertise in technology and world-leading off-road capability. 

Defender is designed and engineered in the UK and sold in 121 countries. It belongs to the JLR house of brands alongside Range Rover, Discovery and Jaguar.