Damn, This year was rough. It was like we were being put thru a test. We had one crew member loose two loved ones within 24 hours on Thanksgiving day. We found out from a good friend that his wife had Breast cancer and he couldn't help us this year.
He and I paid to ship the boxes, so everything fell on me and my crew. A couple of weeks before Christmas my little cousin, who is only 3 months old, started to have a hard time eating and was put in the children’s hospital. He had to be fed thru his belly. The little guy had more going wrong for him than right. Things were not looking good for him.
Finally, they found out what was wrong with him, operated and within 24 hrs he was like a new baby. He made it home two days before Christmas. I guess miracles really do happen around Christmas time. Then we had one group in Connecticut, who volunteered to help us out. They took over a month past the deadline date to ship us eight boxes of stuff.
Then we were told their backer, who pays to ship the stuff, backed out, so we raised the shipping money in three days thanks to a great group of folks who I am proud to call my friends, The Hot Chili Rods Car Club out of Cape Coral, Florida. Without them we could not have had the boxes shipped to us.
To keep a long story short, there just was no reason to take over four weeks to ship the boxes, which made us over a month late with wrapping and shipping the gifts out. As Forest Gump would say, “That's all I got to say about that, LOL.” The last kick to the groin came two weeks ago with the news that my wife’s mom has cancer and that they can't get rid of it, but there is good news. They can knock it into remission. Fortunately, she is strong like the rest of us. I sometimes felt like I was living the Elvis Presley song, “You gave me a mountain.” Like the song says, it's been one hill after another. We climbed them all one by one, but this time Lord you gave us a mountain, a mountain we may never climb, it ain't a hill any longer, you gave us a mountain this time. BUT WE DID CLIMB IT, WE ARE STILL CLIMBING IT AND WE WILL NEVER GIVE UP AND STOP CLIMBING IT.
I asked my family (because I don't have a crew, I have family) if they wanted to call it off this year? Not one of them even thought about saying, yes. What strength and unselfishness. Needless to say, they all have my love and respect, and I am lucky to have them in my life.
That's what makes us who we are. That's why when everybody else sees a worthless piece of crap rusting away in an old barn or field. We see a badass bike or hot rod in the making. When everybody else sees a mission impossible, we see a great winter's project or something to do on weekends even though we don't have the cash. We just plainly refused to give in and that's that. Our numbers are not great, but it's cool because that's what makes us unique. The will to keep going, no matter what and because of that we are the only ones who knows what it is like to take that piece of crap on it's first ride.
As you stand in front of her, checking out what a badass machine your scoot, rod ,or sled has turned into, you feel like a 15 year-old-kid who just got his first piece of ass. Hell, if they could put that feeling in a drug, I want a pound, a bottle, I want a case of it. Folks like us are the reasons our enemies don't land on our shores. We are the ones our countries enemies are afraid of. That's why when we do get attacked, they do it like cowards and not face to face.
All I know is that I am proud to be one of them, this mechanical clan of outcasts. Doing the T-Shirt Drive for the Troops I have met some of the best people. I have become close friends with folks that I have never laid eyes on who think that we and what we do are worth their time and money, and here is what we did this year. We have wrapped over 1,700 gifts and will send out 148 boxes to the Troops. I want to say thanks to everyone who helped us out. I can't think of a better group to be standing with. I also want to say a special thanks to Keith “Bandit” Ball and Nyla (Easyriders and Bikernet.com, worlds fastest panhead fame) for really stepping up this year to help us out.
Thanks to Geno Dipoi and Alan Mayes. Alan helped us in more ways than one (The Horse, Old School Rodz, Car Kulture Deluxe fame) for their help this year. They have supported us since day one, and to the Hot Chili Rods CC of Cape Coral for going way out of their way to help us this year. A real special thanks to Clayton, rumor has it he is a longwinded son of a bitch. He is disabled by tumors and chemo and is just trying to make ends meet. He thought this was worth his time and hand knitted 75 hats. Talk about not being kept down. Our hats are off to you Bro.
I am going to take the time to list the ones who support us. Most have been with us from the beginning. Folks, support these businesses, don't let them fade away because they do what most don't. They give back.
P.S. While I was writing this and trying to get it out, I got a call that my mom fell and broke her hip. They will operate on her this Saturday. My mom and dad will have to spend two months with us so she can heal, just another hill to climb.
–Jerry n family, Rollin Sixes Choppers n Rods.(phantom5100@yahoo.com)
Don't forget guys, if you have any leftover t-shirts, cd's, or dvds, etc. from the summer shows we will take them. And if you could set out a collection jar at gatherings to help pay for shipping we would appreciate it.
Keith Ball (Bikernet.com)
Geno Dipoi, Alan Mayes(The Horse, Old School Rodz, Car KultureDeluxe)
Hot Chili Rods
Ft Myers Beach Lions Club
Max Grundy
James Owen Original Art
Lowbrow Customs
Viva Las Vegas
Rockabilly Rave USA
Wheels of Time
Jegs Performance
Yogi's Inc
Vagabond Chopper
Flesh Mechanics
Bartlett & Company
Beasley Broadcasting
Lucky 13 Apparel
Both Barrels
Rumblers CC NYC
One World Studios
HR Girls
SW Jack Drilling Co.
3-G Construction
Doc's
United Mine Workers of America
Penn Mechanical GroupBlue Mountain Euip. Rentals
American Conservatory Systems
Turm Oil
Tony Allen- West Coast Muscle Car Club
