Earlier this month, on Jan. 7, Marmies Great Bend took possession of a very special vehicle, purchased August 10, 2013, by Donald and Kathleen Damon, owners of D & B Motors, LLC of Great Bend, from the Reno/ Tahoe Barrett-Jackson Auction. The 2014MY Ford Shelby GT500 convertible brought in $500,000  for the Brain Injury Association of America. Thursday, Jan. 9, the Damons were met by Great Bend Mayor Mike Allison, who handed them the keys, and offered his appreciation for their continued economic and charitable activity.  
Barrett and Jackson Auctions has been holding charity auctions since 1967, first raising money for local charities around Scottsdale, Ariz., and later on a much larger scale, providing this sort of major injection to many national charities. In 2014, the company is known as the “Grandfather of the Collector Car Industry,” auctioning the best and rarest expertly collected and restored automobiles.
During the course of an auction, several cars are sold with all proceeds going to a particular charity chosen by Barrett-Jackson Auctions.   
The Damons won a Powerball lottery in 2009 worth $96 million. Soon after, the couple started their business, D & B Motors LLC, in an old GM dealership in Great Bend, and have since purchased several charity auction cars from the Barrett Jackson Auction. They deal in unique, high-value restored vehicles, many one of a kind. They have also made investments in other locally owned businesses, according to Mayor Mike Allison.
The Mayor was on hand  Jan. 9 to turn over the keys to the Shelby.
“The Damons have been very generous with their good fortune by donating to different charities,” Allison said.  “This particular donation hits home, due to one of our local young men, Cody Clark, sustaining a traumatic brain injury in 2013.”
The mission of the Brain Injury Association of America (BIAA) is to advance brain injury prevention, research, treatment and education and to improve the quality of life for all people affected by brain injury. The organization is dedicated to increasing access to quality health care and raising awareness and understanding of brain injury.
“We at the BIAA are overcome with gratitude,” said Susan H. Connors, president and CEO of the BIAA in a press release issued by the Ford Motor Company. “This Ford Shelby GT500 sale provides vital funding for research, treatment and education to help the 3.5 million Americans who suffer from traumatic brain injuries. It’s been a pleasure to collaborate with Ford and  Barrett-Jackson.”