BABE Rally 2007 The Team, The Banger Car, and Infrequent Updates

[rfinprc]

yeth

[holdenontoit]

Quote: Originally Posted by rfinprc (original)

Two good reasons why our team name might change before we get too deep into this...

In the meantimw, the erswhile Vegginator sits in my driveway, awaiting some slack time to put in a new set of glow plugs (in the meantime, a good shot of ether down its gullet gets it going just fine).

you haven't asked for suggestions for name changes................................but........ ....

-Vin Diesel
- Mercedes McCambridge
-The Germanator
-the Ether Bunny (thanks Cathleen)
let the games begin

[Cape Cod MINI]

I have Lucky's first modification in hand!! Two of us are non-smokers and I'm hoping this ashtray will help Joe and Dave realize the error of their ways


It came wrapped in black crepe paper. How appropriate!

[JR9907]

Thanx Steve,thats just the incentive I need..........

[Actual Size]

Secco has one...Hasn't stopped him yet.

[GadgetGav]

Quote: Originally Posted by Actual Size (original)

Secco has one...Hasn't stopped him yet.

He know's he's a lost cause anyway...!

[rfinprc]

I'll take french fry fumes over cigarette smoke happily. Good luck Steve & Jock.

[GadgetGav]

If you do the Top Gear convertible conversion on Lucky, you could make an open air smoking room at the back!

[Cape Cod MINI]

Well. Sometimes you never know what will happen. I now know why we chose the name Lucky for our ride. It turns out someone close to me -and known to anyone who has attended a MINIs On Top Trivia Contest- is in need. Fortunately we are all here to help!
Please read on and please feel free to copy the message and spread the word. We need your help.


Dear Friends,

How many times have you heard the MINI truism that it’s not about the car but about the people in the car? And, with a moment of thought, each of us might easily list many fine and true friends we’ve made through various MINI events.

Friends help friends when a serious need arises. Now is one of those times.

Bill Bayerle and his partner Libby are good ol’ MINI veterans. They orchestrate the famous Trivia Contest at MINIs on TOP each June. Bill is a Cape Cod native and, thus, suffers from a number of maladies including self employment, stubbornness and willingness to work with me on a number of construction sites.

Now he has another hurdle to face. He’s been diagnosed as having an Intraocular Malignant Melanoma in his left eye. I don’t know about you but each time I think of what that means, I get the shivers. His options are just two: the eye can be removed completely leaving Bill half-sighted yet dashingly handsome in an eye-patch or he can undergo 5 laser-proton treatments at Mass. Eye and Ear to erase the tumor.

Stubborn Mr. Bayerle has opted to go for the treatments. His previous attempts at two eyed piracy were unsuccessful and there is no evidence that one-eyed piracy would be his forte! The true problem is simply one of cost. The cost for these 5 sessions totals around $40,000.00 Each session lasts a single minute. And Bill, as so many Americans, self-employed or not, does not have medical insurance. Keeping the eye absolutely still during the 60 second treatments is paramount. Bill had the requisite surgery on January 11, 2007 where 4 metal anchoring rods were implanted in his eye. His first laser treatment is January 22 and I have the pleasure of being his chauffer to Boston and back that day.

Certainly all avenues to help with this astounding cost will be explored but we can help our pal and his family in the way we are known for responding to events like this. What we MINI folk seem to do (and I may be creating a verb here) is to outpour. With happiness or grief or support or presence, the response when a call is issued quickly becomes a wave. I’m asking your help to create a wave for Bill.

Joe Rose, Dave Brushett, Jock Holden, and I have purchased, for $250.00, a beater vehicle in which we will motor from the Big Apple to the Big Easy in May, 2007 – The BABE Rally. The van, christened Lucky, will be festooned with 500+ rubber ducks. The ducks are at my house right now. You can have your name on a Lucky Duck and have it installed on or in the van for a donation of at least $10.00 to this Bill’s Bills campaign. A small price for a buddy’s health and you get to make rally history to boot!

Together, we can make a huge difference in Bill’s future and I just know that you will want to help a friend in special need. Please send what you can to me at the address below or via PayPal to steve.barnatt@comcast.net. And, spread the word too. Can I also ask that you use our various forums to help with this project? Please contribute what you can and get the word out there….hey, ducks are involved here.

Lucky, the van, will be photographed as he/she evolves and I’ll share the pictures. Your duck can be there. And thanks. This is what MINI friends do…we outpour. And what better reason than a friend’s sight?

With many thanks,

Steve Barnatt (aka Cape Cod MINI)
183 Center Street
South Dennis, MA 02660


*Upon arrival in the Big Easy, Lucky will be gifted to a small local non-profit.
**Please visit www.baberally.com and www.myrallyforum.com for more BABE info.

[jwardell]

I'll donate, in hopes that they will let you borrow that big friggin' proton torpedo laser to mount on Lucky to blast other BABE competitors outta the way.*

*If not, you can always throw extra ducks at them.

[Cape Cod MINI]

Josh, Thanks! Paypal receipt received!

That big 'ol machine is a couple of buildings away and it shoots its
juice through a series of tubes and mirrors to the surgery room from what I hear. Sometimes they fire it up and nothing happens because it won't kick over and they have to reset and try again.
Bill has also been fitted with a mask that has a mouthpiece in it. He has to wear the mask and chomp on the bit to aid in keeping his head from moving during the treatments.

[holdenontoit]

There but for the grace of God go any of us. Dig deep folks. Good job Steve, my prayers go out to this guy and his family (even if the breast milk team did crash and burn last year)

[yellowmininy]

Donation sent. Keep your chin up, Bill- not like you'll have a choice in the frame!

[Cape Cod MINI]

Thanks Josh, Annette, Jock, Cathleen, & Old Johnnie.

The ride into Boston from the Cape Monday?

[NoNo]

Will Jason Statham be there?