THE automotive industry has again shown its philanthropic qualities with logistics group LINX donating more than $30,000 to children’s charity Very Special Kids.

In a national event in six locations from Queensland to WA, more than 150 employees from LINX Cargo Care Group last week pounded treadmills for 24 hours to raise funds for sick kids and benefit the Very Special Kids charity that helps more than 900 families who have a child with a life-threatening condition.

Melbourne-based father and LINX careers and recruitment manager, Tom Philbin, was one of 1000 participants, including celebrities and sports personalities, in the Very Special Kids 24-Hour Treadmill Challenge.

The Philbin family has been receiving support from Very Special Kids for almost five years.

Mr Philbin’s 12-year old son, Luke, was only a year old when diagnosed with Dravet Syndrome, a genetic intractable epilepsy.

“Late last year at a work conference, purely by chance, it came up that I was the father of a child with a life-limiting illness and that we access Very Special Kids,” Mr Philbin said.

“We recently launched the LINX Cargo Care Group Foundation, which will support various charities, but I was honoured and humbled when Anthony Jones, our Group CEO, suggested we make Very Special Kids our launch charity and throw all our efforts behind the 24-Hour Treadmill Challenge.”

Mr Jones said the foundation enables all employees to contribute and give back to the communities in which they operate.

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“Very Special Kids is a charity close to our heart because their amazing work directly impacts one of our own employees,” he said.

LINX’s contribution to children’s charities is replicated by other companies including auction house Manheim that recently passed the $8.4 million mark in donations to the Kids Under Cover program from the sales of vehicles donated by the public.

Kids Under Cover prevents homelessness by providing shelter to young people via the installation of studio accommodation in family backyards as well as through education scholarships.

Founded by Ken Morgan, former Toyota dealer and backer of the Nine Network’s Hey, Hey it’s Saturday wheel segment, Kids Under Cover has 480 studios on the ground and has awarded more than 700 scholarships.

By Neil Dowling