Soap, sponges and smiles filled the Great Neck Alert Fire Company parking lot on Sunday, July 13, as volunteers came together to raise money for Special Olympics New York: Champions For Life.
The car wash fundraiser, which is organized by Erin Lipinsky, has been going on for two decades.
“I’ve been doing this for 20 years,” Lipinsky said. “It gets better every year.”
The Special Olympics New York “provides inclusive opportunities for people with intellectual disabilities to discover and unleash the champion within,” according to its website. The Special Olympics New York is held throughout nine regions of the state and takes place in the summer and winter seasons.
This year Lipinsky’s fundraiser raised approximately $2,000. Half of the proceeds went to the Special Olympics and will be used to fund equipment, training and health screenings for the participants.
“We did well. We had a lot of help,” Lipinsky said. “A lot of people were here.”
Lipinsky also participates each year in a Special Olympics Polar Plunge. Held in February, participants donate money to the Special Olympics and then jump into the freezing water of North Hempstead Beach Park.
From his family members and volunteers to townspeople and local businesses, Lipinsky has a team of people that help plan and organize the fundraisers each year.
This past year at the Polar Plunge, Lipinsky helped raise $32,000 for the Special Olympics, which was a record for this event.
The car wash exceeded expectations as well with the number of cars that came to donate and participate in the event.
“I didn’t expect all these cars to come,” Lipinsky said. “We had a line all the way in the middle of the road.”
Lipinsky credits children with disabilities as his motivation for the fundraisers.
“I do it for the kids,” Lipinsky said. “I don’t need the spotlight. We don’t do it for that.”
