Wheelers for the Wounded/WFTW

JimBeam · Jun 6, 2009

I dont know how many of yall have been involved in the WFTW program...but per another website that the founder and i both frequent...and where i found out about it...i found this letter...

It seems as there has been a severe lack of funding and the program is now dead...

First, as some of you may have noticed, I deleted the WFTW MySpace page
the other day. This was a no-brainer. I posted a bulletin on there weeks
back stating the program was dangerously close to ending and some
donations would go a long way. Out of the over 1,550 "friends" on that
page, I received two donations for a few bucks each. Obviously the
MySpace thing was a big waste of time, so I got rid of it.

At any rate, the program is over. I can no longer keep going. I have
less than $300 to my name. Fortunately, the Virginia event host club
raised some funds and paid my Jeep payment for May, otherwise my Jeep
would have been taken by the bank in June. I told you all a few weeks ago
that I had no money to pay for that and I wasn't joking. I'll never be
able to thank them enough.

The nail in the coffin is that I have a bad tooth (molar) that's killing
me and I can't even afford to go to the dentist because I have no
insurance. I sprained my ankle about a month ago and couldn't go to the
doctor because of the same reason. I'm surviving off the cheapest foods I
can find (usually sandwiches and hotdogs). As thin as I was when I began
the trip (6 foot, 155 pounds), I've even lost weight. This is no way to
live. I have to take care of myself and haven't been able to do so.

Currently, I'm staying with a friend in Nevada. This is a very good thing
because it's not costing me anything and he's letting me stay here for a
few more days until I have to drive up to the Rubicon event. By my
estimates I have just enough money for gas for that event. The host of
the Reno event is giving me a free room, and given its close proximity to
the Rubicon event, I might be able to make that one as well. After that,
I won't even have enough gas money to get me back to Florida.

Because of this, I will end the program there and return to my friend's
place where he said I can rent a room from him for cheap. I'll then get
some random job to get me back on my feet and hopefully keep the Jeep from
being repossessed by the bank.

I hope you all know that I did everything I could to keep this going.
I've worked on this program non-stop, every day since February 2007. For
it to have to end early sickens me. I know many of you have put in
numerous hours, so I'm disappointed in myself for letting you all down.
I'm sorry. Despite my failure, I will sleep fine at night because I know
that it was worth the effort. Broke or not, those we honored deserved the
chances I took.

Certainly you all who have events planned may continue them if you so
choose to do so. I know first hand that this program works, so it would
be good if our country's wounded service members could attend an event I
know a lot of them have been looking forward to...only, it will be in
memory of an organization that is no longer up and running.

I'm not writing this email to you all in order to get money from you. I
don't want any. The economy is in shambles, you all have families to
support, and you should put that money towards them rather than trying to
get me from event to event. I never expected any of you to pony up the
cash to keep the program going...I expected corporate America to do that
for us...they chose not to, so it's that's that.

For the rest of today I will be emailing the program's sponsors to let
them know that this is over. I'll then explain it to various other people
who have been helping me out with accomplishing various tasks. I'll then
have to tell my family, as well as explain to them they won't be seeing me
for quite some time yet...not looking forward to that conversation at all.

The last order of business will be the forum and website. I will delete
all the forums sometime around the Reno event, if not before. You all who
still want to take wounded service members out for a weekend of fun don't
really need that forum anyway. As for the website itself, I'll most
likely delete that around the same timeframe. I would just delete it now,
but I want to keep it up a bit longer so that you all who want to continue
with your event will still have a little more exposure. As I've been
doing, I'll keep forwarding you all the emails I get pertaining to people
wanting to attend and/or help out with those events still being planned.

For those of you no longer wanting to hold your planned event, please let
me know and I'll delete it from the schedule ASAP.

Thanks for everything you all have done. If you feel I've let you down, I
apologize...just know that whatever ill will you have towards me for
failing doesn't even hold a candle to the way I feel about myself right
now.

Jason
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its unfortunate that this has happened and that more of us couldnt help support the program...

jdkeller · Jun 6, 2009

Interesting. What was this all about? Who are "the wounded"? Veterans? him?

JimBeam · Jun 7, 2009

jdkeller said: ↑

Interesting. What was this all about? Who are "the wounded"? Veterans? him?
Click to expand...

He set up a program to hold wheeling events across the country to take wounded veterans wheeling...vets that normally wouldnt have the opportunity to do so because of various things...in wheelchairs...with prosthetic limbs...etc...

JimBeam · Jun 7, 2009

SecretSquirrel said: ↑

Shame. That was a great idea with the best intentions.
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yep...

i supported him as best i could...but my income didnt allow more...

more from jason

The response from the event host clubs still yet to hold their event has been overwhelming for continuing the program. I had planned on ending the program because I didn't want people to feel obligated to continue if I myself wasn't able to be at the event. Fortunately those hosting events are pushing forward. Since they will still hold the events, the WFTW website will remain active. I'm doing all I can to continue going from one event to the next, but it's impossible for me to say for sure how far past the Reno event I can get. I feel I owe it to those who've put in MANY hours organizing their events, as well as to my sponsors, to continue for as long as I can. I'll only stop when the Jeep is in jeopardy of being repossessed and I no longer have the funds to get to the next scheduled event.

Being no business man, I did not treat the program as such...it was more of a quest. Thus, I made various mistakes in calculating how much it would cost me per month as well as thinking a corporation would want to get involved by helping with funding. Those are my mistakes...they cost me a lot and they're ones I will not repeat in the future.

A few people involved with the program and I will be having a conference call on Thursday to discuss various options. Those options range from me not attending any events after the Reno event, to attending some of the remaining events in various regions, to attending all the events. Of course, I'll keep everyone posted on what transpires.

In the mean time, I've spent the past few days planning for whatever may happen...looking for work, checking apartment prices, crunching numbers, etc. I'm fortunate that I have a good friend here in NV (we were in the sheriff's office together in FL) who's willing to help me get back on my feet. I don't regret giving this a shot...it was well worth the effort. Wether it takes me 2 or 6 months to get things together, I'll eventually do so...just have to tread water until then.

As for keeping the matter private...didn't see the reason to hide behind any troubles. Those in the event host clubs have volunteered a lot of time to the program and I felt they should be informed of what was transpiring. If they chose to post it on other websites, so be it.

As for donations, as I said in the email I sent out, I'm not looking for any. If you'd like to donate to help save my ass (thanks Phil!), obviously it would go a long way in doing so. But, please don't donate funds to keep me going around the U.S. Those in the off=road and military communities have already done so much for the program. Based on what the first two months cost me, I would need $11K to get to the end of the program. The off-road and military communities shouldn't have to foot that bill. If a corporation was to donate that amount it would be better for the money to go to help with the funding of the rest of the events rather than from getting me from one to the next. Some I've spoken to disagree with that and think it's important for me to go to every event, no matter where the money comes from, saying that they've already raised all the funds they need for their events and don't need anymore to make it a success. Guess it's just something I'm going to have to wrestle with.

It's been proven this program works. We've had some truly awesome events and have entertained well over 100 wounded service members and their family members and we've got even more signed up for future events. I heard from a physical therapist in California who works with wounded service members who told me that what I'm doing is a huge part in these service member's recovery process. Because of this, we're doing all we can to ensure it continues.
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Phil...actually, some of them will be annual events. The town where the Texas event was held (Marble Falls) has already invited us back next year. They were very impressed with the program and are going to help us to put on an even larger event next year. The towns Mayor said that from now on the first weekend of May in that town will be dedicated to wounded service members. Other states where events haven't even yet to of taken place are already planning on hosting the event next year as well.

I know that I haven't posted much about what takes place at the events or very many pictures from them. It was suggested I should send pictures of the wounded service members to corporations when requesting funds. I've opted not to do so because I don't want to exploit those service members. Other non-profits use that sort of "pull on your heart string" advertising, but I refuse to do so. If a corporation doesn't want to get involved based on the program's mission, then so be it...I'm not sending them pictures of the guys in wheelchairs, on crutches, etc who have benefitted from the program.
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