Understanding a Hobbyist’s Love
Patricia Seidel learned about the Collectors Foundation from a newsletter. Her husband had died unexpectedly nine months earlier, leaving her with a collector car that was very special to him – a white T-topped 1981 Pontiac Trans Am with a burnt orange bird on the hood. When she read about what the Foundation was doing to encourage and support the younger generation’s interest in the hobby that her husband loved, she decided to donate the car to the Collectors Foundation.
In order to help the Foundation generate more interest in its cause and award grants and scholarships to preserve our hobby, the Trans Am will be sold on eBay.
The gift of the’81 TA to the Collectors Foundation served Patricia’s needs in a few ways: It honored her husband’s memory through the proceeds of its sale going to help others enjoy the hobby her husband loved; the Foundation provided immediate help in getting the car out of her garage, handled the paperwork, and lifted an emotional load from her shoulders; and the price at the eBay auction will establish the value of the gift and Patricia will receive a tax deduction in that amount.
Collectors or their families can help the hobby proceed to the next generation. In this case, the gift that stemmed from her husband’s love affair with an ’81 Trans Am translates into helping others enjoy the hobby.
For information on the Collectors Foundation’s Vehicle Donation Service, visit www.collectorsfoundation.org or contact Bob Knechel at 231-932-6835 . It may be just the tool you’ve been looking for to honor a loved one or to pass on your own enthusiasm to another generation of hobbyists.
