Karl's Letter to Excellence, Re: Korijo Options

[Joe Bob]

Sorry if this has already been posted....just saw the letter to Excellence today in the mail. Good job Karl, nicely written.

It shows that they actually print 914 stuff.....too bad the next letter was about some weenie that claims his sister in law actually owned a factory 914/8 and crashed it back in Jersey.

What next, a turbo 914? (IMG:style_emoticons/default/lol3.gif)

[Qarl]

My original letter...

>>April 25, 2003


Excellence Magazine
Attn: Pete Stout, Editor
42 Digital Drive, #5
Novato, CA 94949
Fax: 415-382-0587

RE: Article idea for Excellence. The Porsche community needs your help.


Dear Mr. Stout:

I am a 16-year Porsche owner and I'd like to inform you about a wonderful thing that is currently happening in the Porsche community. I think what I am about to tell you would make an excellent article for inclusion in the next issue of Excellence magazine. It is important to note, that time is of the essence.

One of our fellow Porsche-enthusiasts is dying of ALS, Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (also known as Lou Gehrig's Disease). Dave Cawdrey, or "Korijo" as he is known in the 914 Internet communities, is only 28 years old. ALS is a fatal neuromuscular disease characterized by progressive muscle weakness resulting in paralysis. Additional information about ALS, can be found at the following website... www.lougehrigsdisease.net

Dave is married to a beautiful wife, Kori, and they have 2 handsome little boys: Keone David is 18 months old and Elijah David is 1 month old. Dave was formerly a sponsored professional skateboarder and also worked in the construction industry.

Now, due to his fight with ALS, he uses his time by playing with his sons and working on his Porsche 914 with the help of fellow 914world.com members Chris Reale & Geoff Bartelmes, along with a few others in the Seattle area. ALS has brought Dave to the point of barely being able to use his hands & arms, so Chris has helped Dave with electrical stuff like lights, dropping his engine and splitting the engine case (Geoff also helped split the case) and with restoring his suspension. Geoff also helped Dave weld in a new floor pan, battery tray, and engine shelf.

Dave was turned onto the Porsche 914 because he was a VW lover and found out that 914s share a lot in common with the VW. He found his Porsche 914 on E-bay, bought it, and then he and a friend drove it back to Seattle, where he began its restoration into an autocross car for his children. His desire is to leave his children a legacy, a car built for them by their father... Dave also has a 1967 Volkswagen Beetle that has been fully restored and is quite stunning to look at.
Here is a link to a website for Volkswagen project...
http://www.nwfreshmarkets.com/bug_project.html.

Dave's current Porsche 914 restoration can be seen at the following website... http://www.nwfreshmarkets.com/914_Project.html

While being consumed by the Porsche 914 bug, he naturally has car parts all over the house, some of which his son Keone likes to get into and play with. Keone had a full roll cage in his room, something most kids cannot claim to have had! His wife, Kori is originally from Oregon, and is a sweet person, and has quite a bit of patience dealing with Dave and his car parts.

Here's why am writing you... Dave Cawdrey is in need of a motorized wheelchair and a wheel-chair adaptable van in the very near future. As his ALS progresses, Dave will continue to lose function in his hands, arms, legs, and feet, and eventually will be completely immobilized. His new wheelchair will have to be adaptable for a ventilator, because in the upcoming year(s), Dave will require the assistance of a breathing device. Dave is covered by Medicare, but has already been denied coverage for his wheelchair. And, of course, any transportation needs will need to be paid for on his own, or through the assistance of others. Motorized wheelchairs can cost upwards of $10,000 to $20,000, and even a decent used van, capable of handling his needs, will cost just as much, if not more.

That's where this story turns wonderful. The tight-knit Internet community of Porsche enthusiasts (with the help of fellow Porsche 914 nuts like Bruce Allert and Brad Roberts), has already taken it upon itself to create a fundraising effort for Dave "Korijo". Here are the links from two of the most popular Porsche 914 chat boards (one hosted by Pelican Parts, and the other by 914world.com) that started this effort...

http://www.914world.com/bbs2/index.php?act...f=2&t=1047&st=0

and

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/showthread....threadid=105346

Others in the Porsche community are also stepping up to the plate. SSI Motorsports (maker's of the famed SSI stainless heat exchangers for the Porsche 911) is having a charity swap meet for Dave.

http://www.ssimotorsports.com/swapmeet2/spring01.htm

In the past three weeks alone, we have raised over $8,000 for Dave's wheelchair and van. Individuals across the country (914 enthusiasts, 911 enthusiasts, and the like) have answered the call and have donated cash, checks, or money through a special Paypal account set up by the folks on 914world.com. Donations have often been made with the dollars and cents corresponding to the Porsche-type the contributors owned (i.e., $49.14, $109.11, $9.68). Some members, unable to donate funds directly, have contributed in their own unique way.

For example, David McLaughlin, a fellow 914 enthusiast and artist, produces beautiful custom-airbrushed t-shirts of cars for their owners. You can see some of his artwork at…
http://www.artechnika.com.

He typically sells his shirts for $20 to $40. Mr. McLaughlin recently put one of his shirts on E-bay as a charity fundraiser for this effort. A bidding war between 911 and 914 enthusiasts ensued, and the final selling price was $405.00. Recently, other Porsche enthusiasts have begun donating new and used parts for sale with the proceeds going for David's new wheelchair and van.

How can Excellence Magazine help? We'd like to get some coverage in the next issue of Excellence. We'd like to spread the word to all Porsche enthusiasts to ask for their assistance in this noble effort. This story is truly inspiring, and I feel that the outpouring of support shows the true generosity of Americans and the bond felt by Porsche enthusiasts everywhere.

For further information about how to donate, please contact

SSI Motorports
C/O Brad Roberts
20 Pamaron Way
Novato, Ca. 94949
Phone: (415) 883-2000

David "Korijo" Cawdrey can be reached via e-mail at... kjcawdrey@msn.com. He said he would make himself available for an interview and provide photographs if necessary.

In addition, I have contacted the owners of Pelican Parts (www.pelicanparts.com) and 914world.com (www.914world.com) and they have no issue with their company being mentioned in relation to this fundraising effort.

Mr. Stout, I know this is short notice, but we appreciate anything you and the fine folks at Ross Publications can do to help our efforts for Dave.

Sincerely,


Karl M. Ellzey