Thanks to all who helped make the Welcome Dinner a big success! We haven't gotten all the final numbers together yet, but raised a nice chunk of money to support the Ryen Neal Fund.

Many thanks, as well, to Will Collins, chef/owner of Sweetwater BBQ, for doing such a great job on the biggest event yet for him. The food was good and I hope y'all used the discount coupon he provided in the MKO giftbag.

Thanks to COOPERation for designing the MKO logo (with his always great taste and flair), which was printed on the magnets in the Dinner giftbag.

And thanks to Mark Ferguson for making it possible for paid events to be handled through the NAM Storefront. That made our planning a snap, in the paperwork department.

MKO
koolmini
minimotorin
MINIclo
Ryephile
sndwave
YuccaPatrol


Clover

 

Whats MKO?

 

MKO = MINI Koopers Offline

It's a club for a tight group of friends who originally met on MCO (MINI Coopers Online), NAM's original website name. We met online here and then in-person at the first Dragon Meet in 2003.

Many of us manage to go to the Dragon together several other times each year. The name MKO is a play on MCO and the fact that "sometimes" it's a bit tricky to NOT cross the line on the Dragon.

We planned and carried out the Welcome Dinner at MOTD-2005 several days ago. All proceeds above expenses are going to the Ryen Neal Fund for research into Congenital Heart Defects (CHDs).

Ryen was born to minimotorin's (David Neal) wife, Cindy, on Thanksgiving 2003, with a heart defect. While waiting for surgery, she died on Dec. 23, less than a month later. He established this fund in her memory to provide funds for research into CHDs.


Clover

 

MINI KOOPERS OFFLINE, the original crew that travelled to the dragon a few years back and started the tradition , thats what i understand !

 

Actually, a great guy named Jason started the tradition. He had done the Dragon Run on his motorcycle and thought it was a natural for MINIs. He posted a few times on MINI2 and perhaps at Roadfly and NAM, to see if anyone wanted to join him, and BANG! That began the MINIs on the Dragon tradition!

The Dragon Meets are a grassroots effort, planned (for the most part) by individuals from various MINI clubs. MKO wanted to plan a fun dinner for everyone and do good works, as well. :smile:


Clover

 

And a huge thank you and congrats to MINIclo for doing so much work over the last 10 months to pull this event off. Others helped, but she was the driving force and power behind the Welcome Dinner event.

Thank you Clover. :smile:

 

Great Job Everyone!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Great job And I got to meet each & every one of the MKO bunch too See y'all next year:smile: I came back with a Southern accent

Lois

 

Secret club, huh..that's ok, cos PassatDoTd and I as well as others have a secret club too. I'd tell ya, but it's SECRET and YOU AREN'T INVITED.

 

Okay, Bob! When are you throwing your first charity event? MKO will be happy to attend or assist when you do!

Clover

 

I forgot to mention that the lovely MINItencan (Cheryl & Tom) were incredibly helpful as they checked folks in for the Welcome Dinner! Thanks so much, friends! See you in the Fall!


Clover

 

Glad to help!

 

My pleasure, as always...congratulations to MKO on a successful event for a great cause!

 

besides being off-line in the Smokey Mountains (the middle of nowheres)
i think the whole MKO group might be a little off-line full-time
i had a great time and a special thanks to Clo...without all her hard work the rest of us would of been lost (off-line)

 

Clo has a way of keeping us on-line.

 

I think you mean "in line".

 

 

Righty-o, Pete! They are like the lost boys in Peter Pan...LOL!


Clover

 

Thanks to everyone for helping MKO raise $1142.22 for the Ryen Neal Fund at MOTD-2005!

I believe that the Mini Motoring Club of the Carolinas (M2C2) raised about $600, additionally, selling their "dashboard dragons" at the MKO Welcome Dinner, and are donating all of the $5 sales price to the Ryen Neal Fund; and Mark Ferguson is donating $250 to the Fund, as well!

These donations, amounting to almost $2000, will support research into CHDs (Congenital Heart Defects) in infants.


Clover

 

Although we were not able to attend... I also would like to say thanks to all of you....what a great job you did for such a worthy cause...

Donna
02' CR/W MCS (gone to MINI heaven - burned up)
05' Cool Blue MCSC "Ariel"
05' HB/W MCS

 

Also, about $100 was placed in the collection jar at the welcome table. So we did pass the $2000 mark


A very heart felt and personal Thank You from my wife and I. After losing our daughter Ryen we've tried to help out other children in this situation any way we can. It's great belonging to a group who can take a step back from fun, to do something this important. Once again Thank you.
David and Cindy

 

MKO rocks! And, as this shows, MINI people rock too. :smile:

 

David, thanks for reminding me about the collection jar! I knew I was forgetting something!

It was really a pleasure for the other members of MKO to support your and Cindy's very important cause. Thanks to you for your strength and best wishes to you both!


Clover

 

hello everybody