eBay Motors Blog “Charity Auction: Shelby Mustang Signed by 2,000 Wounded Warrior Families”
http://www.ebay.com/motors/blog/charity-auction-shelby-mustang-signed-by-2000-wounded-warrior-families/
This 2011 Ford Mustang Shelby GT-500—packing a 550-horsepower V8 engine—is expected to bring close to $1 million in an eBay auction that started on Friday, Oct. 16, and runs through Oct. 26.
But there’s no way to put a price on the value of this red, white and blue ‘Stang—for what it means to veterans and service members who incurred a physical or mental injury in the line of duty. Claire and Jack Miller, the owners, are giving 100 percent of the proceeds to WoundedWarriorProject.org.
The Wounded Warrior Project provides variety of programs and services to support service members and their families. The 501c3 non-profit takes a high-touch and interactive approach—to both nurturing mind and body, and encouraging economic empowerment. It’s a lifeline for wounded returning soldiers.
The Millers, who have been married for 56 years, bought the car in a charity auction in 2012. By that time, it had been driven more than 15,000 miles, across 48 States in 35 days. On this journey, it was signed by the relatives and friends of many Veterans who made the ultimate sacrifice in service to our country. The total number of signatures, approximately 2,000, include those who were seriously injured, and those who suffered emotional trauma as a result of combat exposure—in American conflicts going back to the Second World War.
“I was never in the service, but I had a lot of friends who were killed in the line of duty,” said Jack Miller. “It’s a great charity. Ask Donald Trump and David Copperfield. It’s their favorite, and I think they’re both going to bid.”
After buying the car, the Millers put it on display at Mustang Barn Car Museum, which they own and operate. During that time, at various charity events, legendary sports figures—including Joe Namath, Bob Griese, and Dan Marino—added their signatures. The winner of the auction will be given a round-trip flight (from anywhere in the continental United States) to Jupiter, Fla., where they will be given a personal tour of the museum. Then, the winner will be invited by the entire Miller family to dinner at the first location of the Miller’s Ale House, the restaurant chain owned by Claire and Jack Miller.
Miller’s Mustang Barn, in Jupiter, Fla.
“I have 69 Mustangs,” said Jack Miller. He called out a couple highlights, including a 1957 Ford Galaxy 500 Skyliner and 1968 Shelby GT-500 convertible. But the meaning and value of the Wounded Warrior Mustang goes way beyond automobiles. “This Mustang, and the charity auction, means a lot to me,” said Miller. “It comes from my heart. It’s for the soldiers.”