From what I understand, Ralph Schomp recently held an event where they donated $50 (to Children's Hospital Burn Unit, I believe) for every new vehicle sold. That got me thinking, why should the new car owners be the only ones that get in on this kind of charitable action? I think that we should show Children's Hospital that current Mini owners are a fine bunch of folks and we can toss out money with the best of them. If I may so bold, I would like to toss out the idea of any interested Mini owner donating $50 (or more of course) that could be collected at the next Mini 5280 meeting and subsequently delivered to Children's Hospital. To kick things off, I would like to offer $100 from own cash reserves (grins) along with a 1:18 scale Mini Cooper (with a couple of modifications to reflect its connection to MINI5280)that the collected cash could be stuffed into for delivery to Children's Hospital. Thanks for your kind participation!

 

You may remember that the last two years, MINI5280 has also chosen as it's charity The Children's Hospital of Denver. In fact, we have delivered nearly 250 toys, gifts, and cards to Children's each of the last two Decembers. We have been doing our event the weekend AFTER the big Harley event that also goes to Children's. We cannot compete with them, but our thoughts are there.

There is no reason we cannot launch a charitable drive mid-summer. I will ask club Prez Rick Gonzales to consider such a move. In fact, since Ralph Schomp MINI has a big event coming up in two weeks at their dealership (the annual Microcar Show) that might be a good way for us to show up, collect, and deliver. There are always picture opportunities - I am sure that Aaron and Vinnie in the MINI store can find time for a short pic and presentation.

I will send a note to Rick. You can count on my $50 and a car, too.

Please understand that Children's Hospital has a special place in our hearts, too. Our son Berk (whom many of you know) spent a good bit of time during his early days there, as a resident. Berk is a heart patient and underwent a significant open heart surgery set of procedures in his first months. Then at 9 months, we had his other birth defect repaired - he had craniosynostosis, which required neurosurgery on his head. You may have noticed the scar he carries from ear to ear, tho his hardware has never set off a metal detector. Heck, the eye and ear surgeries were minor compared to these.

Our friends and ourselves have given many pints of blood in support of his surgeries and the needs of others.

We will always support Children's, it is an easy cause for us.

Thanks for the suggestion.

Jonathan

 

That is awesome! The good folks at Children's Hospital are a great bunch and they have been there for several of my friends who have had some serious health issues with their kids. I got involved with Children's initially through the Courage Classic Bike ride, and am planning next year on participating in that event riding a one-speed cruiser (painted Red and Black, of course, just like my Mini!)! What is the date of the event at Schomp? That sounds like a perfect venue, and a fun one at that! I'll start cleaning the camera gear! Thanks very much!!

 

the Ralph Schomp Show is Saturday, August 5th, 8 am at Ralph Schomp.

JPS

 

eventhough we are MINI-less at this time, i would like to participate in your efforts. Count me in.
Cenk

 

to the MINI? Is she OK?

JPS

 

Hi, All.

I think this marvelous and I will be happy to contribute. I have an idea about how our gift could be focused for a very specific and worthy need at Children's Hospital. I completely understand if the group consensus is to give a general gift; however I know that funds are currently needed to host an Early Treatment Trial Project for Infantile Scoliosis.

I am an advisory board member for the Infantile Scoliosis Outreach Program (ISOP), a not-for-profit service of Cerebral Palsy of Colorado. Our mission is to promote awareness and education about progressive infantile scoliosis, a debilitating orthopedic condition that affects many infants and young children. You can read more at www.InfantileScoliosis.org .

Dr. Min Mehta, MD, FRCS, is an orthopaedic surgeon who has dedicated her life's work at the Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital in London to studying and devising a cure for this disorder. She has discovered a method of early treatment that involves sophisticated diagnosis and a gentle, non-invasive treatment method of applying a series of plaster casts to the babies to correct their scoliotic curves. Many of them are straightened completely and never need any surgery or futher treatment. Some are maintained until their little spines are mature enough for surgery.

Twice last year, ISOP worked with the Shriners' hospitals in Salt Lake City and Erie, PA, to bring Dr. Mehta to the US and train orthopedic surgeons in this method. Dr. Mehta will be in the US again this September, and we have been working with Dr. Erickson, an orthopedic surgeon and the Chief of Staff at Children's to do an educational program here in Denver. We really want to bring this method of treatment to our local Denver kids, because nobody in the front range is currently providing it. Dr. Erickson and the staff are eager to learn from Dr. Mehta and would like to host the workshop. However, with the impending move of the Hospital, funds are short and they don't feel they can bear the cost of the program (about $6,000). They also need to purchase a piece of equipment to apply the casts: a special pediatric-sized casting frame that is specifically designed for babies and little children (about $10,000).

If Dr. Erickson and Children's can host this educational workshop, many new orthopedic surgeons in the Denver/Front Range area can be trained in this method and countless children will be rescued from suffering and unnecessary surgery.

Let me know if you'd like to donate the MINI5280 bucks to this particular cause, and I will happily coordinate making it happen!

 

Jonathan-

mini is still in pristine shape. when an enthusiast offered me more money than what i had in it and after driving it for a year I sold the car. It was an 02 and i was getting a little worried about running out of warranty. Do we miss the car though? I need a 05-06 MCS. We are lookiing for a used one any of the blues, white or red again. maybe yellow. 6spd. speedo in the middle, no nav or chrono pack and butt warmers. no sunroof would be nice. know any?

cheers
cenk