You guys made this happen. Smiles on the faces of four kids just in time for Christmas. Thank you to everyone who contributed. The bikes just went out the door and this photo was shot five minutes ago.
You guys made a big difference in these kid’s lives- they will remember this the rest of their lives. Thank you very much!
This has gotta be a nominee for ‘Post of the Year’…
-Shawn, ASICS America
I second: post of the year. Great job Tom. You made a difference in their lives. Without you bringing up the story and organizing the whole thing, nothing would have happened.
Too cool. This makes my day, knowing that I had an infinitely small contribution to this. Its likely more of a contribution to humanity, then the entire 365 days per year in the semiconductor industry !
Dev
Big ups to those who made this happen. Seeing happy, smiling, well fed kids on bikes…nothing could be better. It’s made my day, actually.
That is so awesome! Look at the smiles on those kids’ faces. Especially the little girl in the white shirt. You’re a stud Tom.
Tibbs should offer to use the money raised for him to buy bikes for kids instead!!! He has a bike, for God’s sake, and in the long run that would benefit him far more than that P3 (and Lord knows he needs the help).
The original idea for doing this came from you guys on Slowtwitch- We should look back in the original thread (“My Definition of Hero” it was called I think) and see who suggessted it. It was one of you guys.
Sure, I’d like to credit for it, but it was you guys who thought it up.
As a community, Slowtwitch means a lot to me personally and professionally. Time spent on this forum is time well spent- in more ways than one.
Thank you again guys. Way to go. This is how the internet is supposed to work.
I feel left out (I was away when Tom asked for the help, and returned to…“stop we have enough $$”). But maybe this is something we (the slowtwitch community) should consider as an annual thing. we could choose a charity (or something along those lines) and make a small donation on behalf of the slowtwitch group. We are all very lucky to be able to afford this great sport, so maybe we can help someone else enjoy the freedom of riding a bike.
Just a thought.
BTW, Tom did Evan from Rockstand call you?
Kurt
Hey,
YEAH!!! Thanks for the hook-up. We are doing an ergonomic “makeover” in the service area to include workstands that are higher and facilitate less stressful working positions and reorganization of tool storage to facilitate faster access to the most commonly used tools. Pretty fancy.
We got new work stands from the guy- they are on the way. Awesome. Thank you for the hook-up! Pedro’s Rules!
Looks like Herschel first suggested a bike fund specifically for the new kids, and I ran with that and further suggested we not forget his biological children who were also in for a BIG adjustment. Anyway, I’m glad you made the post to begin with Tom, the world shines just a little bit brighter today because of it.
Once again guys and gals thanks for everything. The kids couldn’t wait to ride them so when we got home they all grabbed a helmet and went for a ride with my wife. When they got back they all had the biggest smiles on their faces! I really want to thank Tom and his fantastic crew (Mike O. & Mike A.) for all the help and leg work to make this happen, and of course you wonderful ST’ers, you’re the best! I will never forget this.
Tom, nice job! The smiles are priceless. Perhaps our next generation of triathletes.
Dave from VA
Well, as I see it, there are three key players here:
jkmorrow’s family- first and foremeost. This is the ST’er who took two orphaned kids into their already crowded home. When I first heard this story I thought “Would I have had the strength to do that?”
Herschel for suggesting we take up a collection to pay for bikes for the kids- all four kids- giving them all something to tie them together and unite them, making this union a happy occasion they will remember the rest of their lives.
Slowtwitchers: Quite a community Dan and everyone here has created. Slowtwitchers have done a lot of good- not just here, but this is a shining example. Thing of the ways we support, benefit, encourage, inform and hold accountable each of us every day. This is the Internet at its absolute finest- and the reason for that is the people who contribute actively to this forum are fine people. That means a great deal to me becasue this forum, odd as it sounds, is a very important part of my life. And I couldn;t be more fortunate.
Thank you Slowtwitchers. Well done. A hearty communal back slap and high five for all!
This is quite unbelievable. There is definately something about the slowtwitch family that brings us all back time and time again. Although we definately love to push each others buttons, and occasionally accuse each other of being on crack , we definately have a family feel to us.
Hey Tom, they all got helmets too, no?
AWESOME!
Maybe that pic could be displayed at the top of the message board for awhile … maybe just until Christmas. This is the season of giving.
Great job to everyone that contributed.
Tom, have you went on a short ride with these kids yet?
Where they properly fitted?
Are you forgetting who started this thread? Those kids have been fitted, re-fitted, and re-fitted again! Those kids bikes fit better than their clothes. =)
Tom’s probably got them signed up for New Zealand next year.
Tom
Awsome Pic
Im sorry I missed out on send ing any money in for the kids. Just a thought
though I saw someone recomend that we do this again. What do you guys think of doing this every year and naming the award we hand out after the man who took the kids in? It could be an award for someone who helped kids in the community. The adult would get an award and the kids could get bikes or something of the sort. Just a thought
Dan
Helmets today I think. It took a while to get all the kids set up and all the bikes checked out before they went out. By then it was, like, 9:00 PM.
Tibbs, legend has it that you actually never came home anyway and got stuck somewhere in depths of Slowtwitchia, only emerging occaisionally for beer and pizza…
I can’t describe in words how cool that is.
Tom, jkmorrow and everyone else involved… you’re all awesome.
PS - I can’t believe I just cried in the office reading this thread…
