Owners of Highlift Auto recognized for commitment to community and supporting children with medical needs
The New Brunswick Community College (NBCC) has awarded its Alumni Award to two entrepreneurs from the Woodstock area for their dedication to the community and their philanthropic efforts supporting children with medical needs.
Darcy and Mark Culberson, owners of Highlift Auto Service in Jacksonville, were honoured in a ceremony at the Beaverbrook Art Gallery on Oct. 22.
During the award ceremony, NBCC officials Darcy and Mark are “the kind of people who make a community feel like a home.”
Family and friends gathered with them as they accepted the award.
In an NBCC media release, the Culbersons were characterized as “equal parts grit and grace, partners in life and work who have built not only a successful business, but also a legacy of kindness.”
“Our community built us,” said Darcy during the ceremony.
For more than 22 years, she and Mark have shared their skills, generosity, and hearts in the greater community where they grew up.
In the award citation, NBCC said when they walked across the New Brunswick Community College (NBCC) graduation stage in 1995, Darcy, from the Office Technology program, and Mark, from the Automotive Trades program, drove full speed ahead into their careers.
However, in their late twenties, life handed the Culbersons a defining challenge. Both were suddenly unemployed with two young children at home. They had a choice: give up or take a new direction.
“We made it [High Lift Auto Service] work because we had the training, and we had the determination,” Darcy recalls. “We had a baby and a toddler, and we had bills. And we both had a strong education, and we put it to use.”
With determination, training, and a jumpstart, they opened High Lift Auto Service in a single-bay garage. Over 20 years later, the Culbersons’ one-bay dream has grown into a thriving business.
“Today, when you step inside their auto shop, you’ll notice the scent of motor oil and the steady hum of tools filling the air. Most of all, you’ll feel its welcoming warmth,” noted the news release.
“Customers are greeted with friendly smiles, hot coffee, and conversations that turn complicated car troubles into lessons they can understand. Seven employees are proud to call High Lift Auto Service their workplace, and countless apprentices have found mentors in Mark’s calm, relatable teaching. Every tire changed and every question answered reflects the values the Culbersons nourished and honed during their time at NBCC: belonging, developing strong relationships, and leading with integrity.”
For Darcy and Mark, success has always meant more than the number of cars in their shop — it has meant giving back to their community.
“They’ve sponsored more than 100 free community swims, offered bursaries recognizing the grit of students entering skilled trades, volunteered with Project Linus to gift new quilts to seriously ill or traumatized children, and stood beside local shelters and recovery centers in times of need,” said the news release.
One of their bigger commitments to giving back is through the Joan Charlotte Galloway Memorial Fund, created in memory of Darcy’s late mother.
The fund enables children with different abilities to learn, grow and heal through play: the delighted squeals of a child firing an adapted Nerf gun; the quiet concentration of a little one balancing while stacking blocks; the joy of using a speech device to shout “Look!” at sea creatures on a group trip. These moments are medicine no insurance plans cover—but the Culbersons do.
“In receiving the 2025 NBCC Alumni Recognition Award, Darcy and Mark embody what it means to be NBCC Alumni and stand as an inspiration to students and graduates alike. Their story is a reminder that challenges can be turning points, education is never wasted, and there’s opportunity in growing your local roots,” said NBCC officials during the ceremony.
In honour of the award, NBCC’s Robertson Institute for Community Leadership, which supports communities through its Community Engagement Fund, made a $250 donation in the Culbersons’ honour to a non-profit organization of their choice.
Fittingly, the Culbersons chose the Joan Galloway Memorial Fund – Helping Kids be Kids, which is facilitated through the Chalmers Foundation.
