AAC is Giving Away It’s 4th Vehicle During The Deserving Rides Car Giveaway Program in Walworth Co.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – November 26, 2018 – (Delavan, WI) | AUTHOR: Tony Lynn
Committed to helping others and to making a positive impact on the Community
“Our team at Advanced Auto believes in rebuilding rides to rebuild lives,”.
After successfully running three “Deserving Rides” reliable vehicle giveaways, the Advanced Auto Clinic team is proud to be moving forward with another pro-community initiative on Saturday, December 15th starting at 10:00AM. Committed to helping others and to making a positive impact on their surroundings, everyone at Advanced Auto Clinic is thrilled to be coming together once again and collaborating on something that has been so well-received by locals in the past. AAC invites everyone to come and enjoy complimentary refreshments and snacks during the Deserving Rides Celebration!
Advanced Auto Clinic’s owner Tony Lynn said the “Deserving Rides” program is something his business got involved in back in 2016 to honor people who have contributed to the community and provide a dependable automobile to someone who really needed it. Advanced Auto Clinic takes a vehicle that a customer donates, makes it mechanically sound, and spruces it up a bit to give to a deserving person in the local area. The Deserving Rides program is based on a fairly straightforward process: local community members nominate someone from the area who is deserving of a free vehicle, which Advanced Auto Clinic then gives away.
“The program reward a Walworth county resident who consistently puts the needs of others before his or her own,” an information sheet revealed.
To date, nominees have received a Chevy Tahoe, a Subaru Outback, and a Ford Fusion.
“We refurbish a vehicle and ask people in the community to nominate a worthy person who could really use a reliable vehicle,” Lynn said. “It’s a way for us to give back, using our mechanical skills and expertise.”
AAC gave a Subaru away last December to recipient Jonathan Bradley. Jonathan has been using his new wheels to deliver food to people in need.
“Tony and his crew fixed up this beautiful Subaru Outback (which just happens to be my favorite car) to give away to someone who serves the community. Unbeknownst to me, some incredible friends of mine had nominated me and I ended up being blessed enough to win this beautiful car,” Commented Jonathon on Facebook.
Tony has since replied to Jonathan’s comment, saying that…
“The car is a token of our appreciation for people like yourself that are part of our community. Without people like you our world would not be as good as it is.”
In 2017 AAC received a donated GMC Yukon from Fred Krablean of Neenah and decided to give it away right away. Because this vehicle was an SUV, he marketed the give-away as for a deserving family. The winner of the Yukon was Patty Sonheim of Delavan. Lynn said Sonheim was the first choice of three judges and the second choice of the other two. She was the only nominee that was named on all five ballots. There were nominees from Clinton, Elkhorn, East Troy, Whitewater and Lake Geneva in addition to Delavan for the Yukon.
Lynn said Sonheim has been a single mother to her children for most of their lives and has given much to the community. She has volunteered at Twin Oaks Homeless Shelter, sat on the board of directors for Community Action, is on the Park and Recreation Committee for the City of Delavan, and has volunteered at Sophos, the youth center in Elkhorn. She has also been a youth group leader at her church in Elkhorn and gos to Chicago every year with that group to help feed and clothe the homeless.
Sonheim has gone on at least seven mission trips to help other people. Just a few weeks ago, Lynn said she heard about a family in need on People Helping People and donated $100 worth of food to the family. She also recently helped people who experienced flooding a few weeks ago in Elkhorn through Noah’s Ark Elkhorn 2017. She has adopted families during the Christmas season and when she hears about someone in need she posts it on her Facebook page to get the word out.
According to Lynn, Sonheim is often referred to as a half-way house because she often takes in nieces and nephews and other teenagers into her home when they have needed a place to stay. About six months ago, she took the children of a friend who was dying of cancer under her wing.
“I got help when I needed it, now I give back,” Sonheim was quoted in the nomination.
Lynn thanked his own technicians for donating time to recondition the Yukon, NAPA for $500 donation to pay for parts, and Recreational Upholstery in Walworth for helping to beautify the interior of the vehicle. WSLD broadcast live and gave away a pair of tickets and a limousine ride from Abracadabra Limousine to Wrigley Field to see the Zac Brown Band on Aug. 26. WSLD and Lynn also provided door prizes and Sorg’s donated brats and hot dogs. The band “Most Wanted” performed live music for the event. The food and the music were free to those who attended.
Lynn said he was born and raised in Delavan and this event was a way to give back to the community.
“We wanted to give back to someone who has given to the community,” Lynn said about the gift of an SUV to Sonheim.
On Dec. 10, 2016 AAC gave away a 2007 Ford Fusion to Bob Geist during the Deserving Rides program. When the nominations came in, a committee of five people evaluated the needs of 72 nominees before choosing the winner.
“Seven people nominated Bob Geist,” said Lynn. “ He is retired and spends his time volunteering for the Twin Oaks Homeless Shelter and area food pantries. He won last year’s Herb Kohl Helping Hands Award. So when Geist found himself without a car, not only did he suffer, but so did the many people who depended on him for help.”
Lynn and his employees volunteered their time on evenings and weekends to put the car into shape.
“We replaced a blown engine, brakes, suspension and gave it a new interior to replace the one that was pretty much shot,” said Lynn. “We completely detailed the car and made it look like new. NAPA Auto Parts donated $500 worth of equipment for the car. By the time we had finished, we had put about $6,000 worth of work and parts into it.”
AAC combined the Deserving Rides presentation with the denouement of WSLD Radio’s Santa Sleigh promotion. People from the radio station presented $3,500 worth of prizes to winner Stacy Fate. Then AAC staff handed the key to the Fusion to Geist, who was obviously overcome by the gift. The 65-year-old Geist, who retired in 2012 after working as a supervisor at the Wag-Aero shipping warehouse in Lyons, Community Action. This year he handled the fundraising for the annual Twin Oaks golf outing.
There were approximately 150 people on hand for the ceremony at Advanced Auto Clinic on December 10. One of the attendees was so impressed by the program that they donated a car for next year’s project. Lynn said he isn’t sure whether they will conduct another program in the summer, or make it an annual December event.
Pictured above: In attendance at the Dec. 10, 2016 ceremony were (from left): Brad Deschner, WSLD Radio; Advanced Auto Clinic owner Tony Lynn; Santaʼs Sleigh winner Tracy Fate; WSLDʼs Reggie Michaels and Deserving Rides winner Bob Geist. Photos by Pure Concept Media.
Advanced Auto Clinic owner Tony Lynn is always looking for ways to give back to the community and to make a difference in people’s lives, and by spearheading Deserving Rides, he has set himself apart as both a community leader and as someone who not only cares but is motivated to do good in the world.
A business that cares about the people they serve, Advanced Auto Clinic in Delavan is aware of the hardships that people face from time to time, and in recognition of hard-working people of integrity, they have gifted the Deserving Rides Program to Walworth County. Taking even a cursory survey of the Walworth area, it is clear that the people here are appreciative of all that Tony and the whole Advanced Auto Clinic family has done and continue to do.
Without the support of the community AAC wouldn’t be able to provide Deserving Rides to others. AAC is proud to be part of the team and family that make Deserving Rides a success. This is their way of giving back. Thanks again to everyone who give back and pay it forward!
Do you know a DESERVING PERSON in need of a vehicle?
Advanced Auto Clinic in Delavan knows everyone this time of year goes through some tough times, whether it’s illness, loss of a job or facing many other challenges in your lives. There are good people in our community who are just down on their luck. Here at Advanced Auto Clinic, we want to give a deserving person a reliable car!
NOMINATE A DESERVING PERSON & THEY COULD WIN A FREE VEHICLE!
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