For Edward Martin, Veterans Day is a time to remember and celebrate his own service.

Martin – who served four years in the Army in the 1980s – has taken Veterans Day off from work for as long has he can remember. This year, he took advantage of Meineke’s free oil change for veterans promotion after hearing about it on the Internet, and dropped his car off at the 543 Dartmouth Street location.

“I was actually way overdue for an oil change,” Martin added.

Martin was one of about 60 veterans who made an appointment, which was required to keep things orderly and quiet, said Operations Manager George Gonsalves. However, signups soon overflowed into a waiting list.

“We wanted to give back to veterans,” Gonsalves said. “We also do a 23-point inspection. We look under the hood and under the car just to help them know what they need and keep them safe.”

Usually, an oil change costs $34.95, but the cost of doing them for free is well worth it for Gonsalves.

“We don’t look at it that way,” Gonsalves said. “By thanking service members for protecting us, it’s a small price to pay.”

Gonsalves added that he’s seen a variety of current and former service members taking advantage of the promotion. He said it’s been exciting for him to watch everyone share stories about their service while waiting for their oil change.

Given the success of this year’s promotion, Gonsalves is already looking forward to offering free oil changes to veterans next year, as giving back to the community is an important goal for the new shop. Meineke Car Care Center opened on September 1.