Date: Wed, 20 Sep 2006 11:22:16 -0700
Reply-To: Larry Chase <roadguy@ROADHAUS.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Larry Chase <roadguy@ROADHAUS.COM>
Subject: PIF Project - Bad Accident in a Splitte / Folks need help > UPDATE
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"
Volks,
The Vee Dub Community has helped two of it's own in a big way.
On 9/12 Cristian Torlasco notified The Samba and asked that I spread the
word to the Vanagon groups and Wet Westies.
Last night I made a PayPal transfer to Cris for $1266.21 which represent all
the monies I had in the PIF Fund and the new donations that you all sent
over the last two weeks. In addtion, Cris received donations from The Samba
community for $2350.00.
In total the Vee Dub community chipped in $3616.21 to help these folks. This
gives us enough to get the bus and personal effects back to Oregon with
hopefully a little left over that will go towards some of the medical bills.
Once again, what an incredibly impressive community, family, tribe this is.
Thank you one and all.
- - -
Cris's Update email ....
Hi Larry,
I just came back from Maine. 22 hours of driving total in 2 days. It took
some work, but we were able to take the bus to a safe storage unit in
Portland. We had to do some electrical work and turn the front left tire
inside out so that it would clear a bent link pin. After that, the bus
started and drove. Eric and I towed it to Portland (2 hours), where Randy
was waiting at a storage place. We had to take the roof rack and all their
gear out of the bus, in order for it to clear the roll up door. The bus is
not in as bad shape as I was expecting, the damage is limited to the
driver's front side. Very fixable. So mission accomplished, we got it to
safe, dry storage and to a city where a coast to coast truck can hopefully
pick it up. That is the next goal, to get a one shot deal with a transport
company. Thanks to all the donors, I believe we have enough to cover this
expense. Once again, the response from everyone in the VW world has been
overwhelmingly generous, thanks sooooo much! I think that your idea to use
any leftover funding to help cover medical bills is a great one, they will
have to deal with this issue soon.
The latest I have is that we raised $2,350 via The Samba, plus the $1266
from your side make up a total of $ 3,616. That should be plenty to get the
bus transported and have a little leftover to help them .
Cris
- - -
good road,
good adventure,
good life,
larry chase
www.roadhaus.com
soon to be roadhaus.org
-----Original Message-----
From: Larry Chase [mailto:roadguy@roadhaus.com]
Sent: Tuesday, September 12, 2006 8:17 AM
Subject: PIF Project - Bad Accident in a Splitte / Folks need help
Volks,
PIF (Pay it Forward) Fund Project - Bad Accident in a Splitte / Folks need
help
Goal: Transport a 1962 Westfalia & personal effects from Maine to Oregon.
Two members of our community recently had a terrible accident while
traveling from Oregon to Maine.
Cristian Torlasco (founding member of WetWesies) is trying to help.
Please read Cris's email below.
If you would like to make a contribution please use either of these links,
My PIF Fund Link
http://tinyurl.com/jovxb
Cris's Donation Link
http://torlasco.tripod.com/ronnieandcristalsdonationsite/
If you would like to donate by check,
pls email me privately for details.
Thank You,
larry chase
www.roadhaus.com
soon to be roadhaus.org
- - -
Cris's Email .... "Slightly edited version for brevity"
Dear VW Friends;
I am sorry to have to contact you in such an unfortunate circumstances. Two
of my closest friends, Ronnie and Cristal, had just have a serious accident
while driving their 1962 Westfalia. After being treated/surgery for about 2
weeks in Maine, they were recently transported back home to Cottage Grove,
OR.
For those of you who don't know them, they are excellent people, and truly
VW enthusiasts (Ronnie's yard has about 15 split window buses and his
collection includes some amazing buses). They had a lot of hopes and worked
hard to prepare the Westy for this trip. They drove from OR to CA, then to
NC and then stopped at my new place in upstate NY, a few weeks back. After
they left home they headed to Maine, were they got T-boned by a 22 year old
girl. The impact was so strong that it ejected both of them through the
driver's door, Ronnie hitting the pavement and injuring his head, and
Cristal getting caught in the wheel well and sustaining several broken
bones. They had to operate her back as well. They are both slowly getting
better, Ronnie has terrible pain, just hearing the phone ringing causes him
pain and nausea.
I got a call from a still very shocked Cristal two days ago, and found out
what happened. I was asked to take care of organizing the transport of the
bus and their belongings from Maine back to OR. The bus still sits in a body
shop located near the accident scene, and storage and towing fees for about
$600 are owed, and it keeps going up.
Please help if you can, any amount will do. Please spread the word among the
VW circles.
Please don't call them if you have their number.
You can write a note to them if you wish, VW Steve in Eugene (stevo@efn.org,
We will make a decision on how to transport the bus in a few days, based on
suggestions, offers, and amount of cash collected. Thanks in advance for
your help in these bad times.
Cris.
