For the past five years or more, I've had an idea that won't go away. Before I get into that, a brief glimpse into who I am and my motivations is in order. This idea probably stems from an auto accident I was in, back in the mid 90s. Overnight, I went from doing sports such as motocross and rock climbing to wondering if I would walk. The first surgery left me despondent and in pain. (I've had two) I was recently divorced (one month) and now unemployed with no money and living on $1150/month of disability insurance; $500 of which I gave to my ex as child support. I had a rented room and no bed; I was at the bottom; blinded by pain and despair, all I could think about was suicide. Stuck in my room, a co-worker stopped by to pick up my work laptop; he returned four hours later with a bed he had bought me! Initially, other friends began to trickle by in an effort to cheer me up but I was a mess. After a couple of months, I could tolerate sitting upright in a car, so a friend took me for an excursion up to the highest point in Georgia; Brasstown Bald. That simple act of kindness snapped me back to reality and gave me hope that I could rebuild my life. I went on to educate myself in a new career (IT) and even remarried. My wife and I live in the northern suburbs of Atlanta, where I am a Solutions Architect for a global IT consulting firm.
As I watched the disabled Vets returning from the gulf, I began to remember the difference that small trip made to my mental health. As such, a desire to pay it forward began to grow to the point I can no longer ignore it. Hence this post. My idea is to build at least three rigs that are custom configured to allow for the needs of para & quadriplegic riders. I want to get them OUT of their current circumstances for a day, and into the sun and beautiful scenery of the North Georgia Mountains. Taking them to lunch destinations such as Helen, Dahlonega and Brasstown Bald. I want them to understand their life, however modified can be rich!
I have registered a 501c3 in the State of Georgia called Dream Rides. I have just finished my business plan which is being "fixed" (LOL) by a relative who's a banker. Once complete, I have another friend who used to be in insurance that has contacts into the specialty insurance world (think Loyd's of London), to which I will submit my plan. This is my last unknown expense. Once I know that, I will start the process of filing with the IRS to receive an approved 501c3 status. Once that filing status is in progress, I can start to legally raise funds. I plan on using "crowd funding" to see if enough money can be raised for the first year of operational expenses. All monies raised will remain in escrow until IRS approval is given. At that time, the money will be released and tax deduction receipts issued....and the REAL work begins!
The excursions are only one leg of a three legged stool I have planned for Dream Rides. I also hope to create a "Consumer Guide for the Disabled" and begin to manufacture medical devices at the lowest possible profit...to get them into the hands of those that need them the most.
OK...so I might have bitten off more than I can chew, but as Elizabeth Browning wrote: "Oh that a man's reach should exceed his grasp, or what's a Heaven for?" 🙂 I'm posting here because I need help. Perhaps something about my brief story above strikes a cord with you? Perhaps you feel you'd like to give back to those suffering while enjoying your sport? Maybe you have financial contacts in who's hearts might discover a soft spot for our goals? The creativity of the "village" of motorcyclists has always amazed me; I could use a little creativity now! Please consider using your special talent(s) or contacts to get this project moving.
To the forum editors: It just occurred to me that I might have violated some forum rule on solicitation. Please forgive me if I have and let the beatings commence!
Thanks for reading,
Tim Hungerford
Tim, I hope your name will be a omen.
Hungerford may mean in ancient German "the river crossing of starvation" (I wouldn't even wonder if there does exist a village with that name somewhere in the South)
or much better "Hunger go away".
(Many family names have a profound meaning and often coincide with the family philosophy, example in my own family surrounding Inge Lottermoser)
As suggestion I propose, present yourself and participate actively over some time in the forum and for sure you will receive positive help from us all.
The personal story you tell sounds tough and inspiring at the same time.
Reminded me A LOT to my personal life. I passed many years with partial paralisations and not knowing what was a day without pain.
Due to that after emigration I built up a private personal development helping business 25 years ago.
Its tough luck to try to make a living on beneficial work. it can be done, if it pays out is written on another sheet of paper.(for me it doesn't any more the last 4 years - had to find a new side job that pays several times and subventions the development work)
650 bucks as monthly budget doesn't sound as the basic survival bills are paid for.
So some info about back ground and "business plan" are needed.
Anyway there is only one really important thing in life:
!!!!In the Morning when you shave yourself, that you are able to look straight into your own eyes!!!!
I might not be successful and will have to close my machine shop....but for sure I have a calm conscience.
The only thing we are able to take with us into the next life!!!
By the way rig pushing is what makes life worth living and for sure I use every opportunity to give (at least offer) to handicapped persons a ride, as incentive to keep on fighting.
Life is the greatest gift we have got and should be appreciated as such.
Have a look to our best example here in this other forum:
http://www.sovietsteeds.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=10&t=35075
So please introduce yourself a bit more and give some more information about your plans.....
............
Sorry work is calling I might continue later.
Good Luck
Sven Peter
Thanks for the comments, Peter. Actually, I can trace my ancestors back to the town of Hungerford in SW England. Some of them held high positions in gov't...and some lost their heads because of it! LOL. I didn't mean for my motivation story to be such a sob story, perhaps one day I'll share the WHOLE story; that will surely get your attention! I've been riding and sometimes racing motorcycles since about 13. Sidecars are the last frontier for me. I've always had an interest, but now I'm motivated. I WILL get Dream Rides going; I don't know how to quit. I just thought some of my local riders might be interested in getting involved...at what ever level...just being an escort for a single ride would be welcome.
BTW...I'm not quitting my 'day job' as an engineer. The foundation will simply exist as a service.
When you have funds, we can work with you with a discounted price for wheel chair specific sidecars as we already build many each year and have finally rather then making each one custom settled on a specific design which keeps costs down.
We also build rigs for people with different abilities to ride. We just finished up a 2014 Softtail equipped with one of our Expedition sidecars and full hand controls for a disabled vet. We have done several rigs built around Burgman scooters as they come with only hand controls and being a step through design are easier to transfer out of a wheel chair. Many disabled passengers also use our M72 and Expedition type sidecars as with the cut down side and relatively high seating position are among the easiest sidecars to transfer into. For some we have put electric seat lifts into the sidecar in order to make it easier to transfer in and out of. We even built a one off sidecar for some one who legally is a quadriplegic, he has limited use of his arms but not his fingers. For this rig we built it with the sidecar on the left as he drives while still in the sidecar. We added power assist to the brakes, started with an electric shift bike, and added reverse to the rig along with an electric ramp.
Jay G
DMC sidecars
www.dmcsidecars.com
866-638-1793
Hello Tim,
After that explanation I reread and finally seem to fully understand.
Ok, I hope that the last 25 years did not turn me into a too bad gremlin.
2 years ago I did start a traffic education activity by handing out 40 reflective vests to motorcycle messengers, which stated: "cortesia ayuda a todos"
"courtesy helps everybody" or in other words "courtesy is a public benefit"
...in 2 years I met ONE messenger using it in ONE single occasion...
No more words needed about the relation between costs and time invested versus donation and follow up requests. In both cases about 8:1 or worse.
That is Costarrican reality and you will fast learn that not everybody out on the street will accept, get enthusiastic and help with your project.
Once upon the time: back in old Germany we used to camp out twice a year at a rehabilitation internate for brain damaged kids...each time a few hundred rigs and solo bikers showed up and gave a great weekend to the kids. In winter and early summer.
I guess there is a nationwide action called "ride for kids" in US... Good idea for you to get hooked up with them,,,you may search here several threads related to those activities.
Plus: There are many purple heart, veteran activities and parades, there should be quite a few around in Atlanta too, The people who organize and participate in those activities will be a good contact for you as well as for advice as for connections to the right persons.
Jay is very active in building rigs and may help you in a practical way, but sadly on the other side of the continent.
Closer to you should be Claude Stanley, (freedomsidecars.com) a very knowledgeable expert. I'd suggest you to give him a visit and learn about the things that are involved on the technical side of the coin.
Remember in not any job you should be too enthusiastic, as there is always a hair in the soup. And in our profession as engineers we see it daily that you have to investigate deep into the matter and analyse from all points of view and aspects before you can give a durable solution.
Hope these ideas help for something.
Never give up when you know you are doing something good for public benefit. There will always be many wolf criers and only few who will give active support. The tough part of the project is not finance and legal structure, but to find the right buddies, who wade into the mud and push out the stuck ox cart together with you.
Best regards and wishes for your project from a former Saint John's volunteer, who spent half of his life as development helper in a once 3 rd world and now 2 1/2 world country.
And never forget: Attitude makes the difference!
Sven
