Vehicle Donation Program: AJ Lynn

Special Olympics Maryland’s vehicle donation program was an excellent experience, and I would do it again in a heartbeat!

As a sister-in-law to a phenomenal SOMD athlete, Matthew Weingram, I am fortunate enough to see SOMD’s impact first-hand. An experienced SOMD athlete, with the support of his incredible parents and brothers, Matthew has competed in cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, sailing, kayaking, track, and his favorite sport, distance running. As Matthew will tell you, competing in SOMD has helped him learn about himself and shape who he is – becoming more confident, focused, brave, and independent.

As an SOMD Board Member, I am humbled by the opportunities that the organization, volunteers, and athletes seize upon to grow, compete, and improve. Any opportunity to engage in and support what SOMD is doing feels like a gift to myself.

The Vehicle Donation Program was a gift to myself in a completely new and different way. As our family was growing, it was clear that we needed more space for travel. It was time to give up my car for something bigger. But selling a 15-year-old sedan is not the easiest thing to do and we did not feel a strong connection with other car-donation programs. When we found out about SOMD’s Vehicle Donation Program, everything fell into place. The process could not have been easier. Duke Silvea handled everything, walking us through the process step by step. He was incredibly friendly and easy to work with. Duke even came and collected the car and communicated with us throughout about his great success at auction. It was a wonderful experience, and I would do it again in a heartbeat.

The fact that the resulting donation went to SOMD to help athletes like Matthew is incredibly meaningful to me and my family. I am grateful for the opportunity to participate and would recommend it highly to anyone else.

AJ Lynn