Linhard's Auto Repair Gives Back Through Good Deeds

Deserving Couple Receives Free Car Repair and Maintenance

Cockeysville, MD — Today, Linda Miller and her husband Paul are doing what many people take for granted. They are driving their car to run errands, transport their children and get to and from work. Moreover, they are doing it happily, despite soaring gas prices. Thanks to the good deeds of Linhard's Auto Repair in Cockeysville, Maryland, the Millers are now able to drive their used Subaru, which had sat, unusable, in their garage for close to two years.

Joe Linhard, owner of Linhard's Auto Repair, selected the Millers to receive a free, complete repair and maintenance package as the prize in a contest he held between this past Thanksgiving and Christmas. In the spirit of the holidays, Linhard was looking for a great person with a not-so-great car with the idea to do something nice for someone who does nice things for others. At the time, he said, "It's a terrific time of the year to say ‘thanks' and recognize somebody special who just makes the world a nicer place."

Debra Maude nominated her sister Linda (Lin) Miller and brother-in-law Paul by writing a letter to Linhard. In the letter, she described her sister as "a great person who has had a terrible run of bad luck." She wrote, "Lin and Paul are hard working people who have put others ahead of themselves, and unfortunately have not been able to help themselves in their own time of need. It would be great, if for once, they could have something nice done for them. I am sure you have many people that are in need, but I ask that you please give this couple consideration."

Married for 19 years, with two children, the couple's lives were turned upside down when Paul was run over by a tractor and suffered a traumatic injury four years ago. He eventually recovered, but missed work for close to a year.

In her letter Maude told Linhard, "During that time my sister cared for Paul and the kids and never complained. She was involved with her kids' school and even managed to work and be a member of the PTA. She has been there for friends during their own personal tragedies and is always there to give others a helping hand, a hot meal or even a few dollars to get them by. Two years ago, they bought a used Subaru from someone they thought was reputable, but after a few months the car died. They couldn't afford to have it fixed, so it has sat in the garage unused for 2 years. Lin is driving (another car) that has fallen apart and has a giant hole in the back seat where rats chewed through it. Paul is still driving (a high mileage car), but it was hit a few months ago by an uninsured motorist and has still not been fixed."

Linhard explained, "We put the Idea out to the community to try and give something back and we got a handful (of letters). I looked at them all and picked this one, due to the fact that it was a very solid car and would be a very nice, reliable car when we fixed it up."

However, the Millers' car needed a motor, and that was more work than Joe Linhard anticipated doing. Undeterred, Linhard told Paul and Linda that he would make some phone calls and see if he could get some help.

"I contacted Chaz at Chaz's Used Auto Parts at 6035 Taneytown Pike in Taneytown, Maryland and explained to him what I was trying to do," recalled Linhard. He said he would gladly help, but he would need a few weeks to find a car to get the motor from if we could wait. I then explained to Paul and Lin that we would fix up their car if they could wait a few weeks. They were very grateful."

"Well, it took about 6 weeks, and we finally got a motor. I then picked up the car and towed it down to the shop, and we got a list of what it needed to have a complete makeover. I contacted Paul at Firestone Tires in Timonium, and he donated 4 tires. I called Brett at Timonium Napa Auto Parts, and he said he would donate all the parts (brakes, belts, hoses, filters, gaskets, tune-up parts, etc.) My final call was to Brian at Auto Spa in Cockeysville to see if he would donate a detail job and he said he would gladly do it. Well it took a little longer then we would have liked, but we are ready to deliver the car to Linda and Paul Miller this Wednesday morning, April 23, 2008."