[GBMINI]

Sunday April 25, we want between 20 and 30 MINIs to rally around the North Shore, where the MINI Meander occurred back in November 2003.

The event is being organized by Deborah Schwendiman of Seniorcare, a local non-profit that supports seniors with transport, home assistance, and meal deliveries. Deborah supports care givers (that care for older family members at home) and is planning the event in part to thank them, and in part to generate media coverage for the program.

The plan so far:
A full sit-down breakfast is being provided by Beverly Hospital - the works, with full linen, china, etc. Food for 60 people will be provided, but with various community people (hopefully) attending, we are allocated 40 places for MINI drivers and passengers.
Breakfast is planned for 9:30am. I will be there at about 9, so I meet MINIs as they roll in.
To get to Beverly Hospital, come up route 128 (staying on 128 when 95 splits off), past Peabody & Danvers then turn off into Beverly at exit 19; from there the hospital is signed.

There is expected to be some Massachusetts state "dignitary" attendance which will increase media interest. We hope that someone might "cut the ribbon" to start the rally ...
Hopefully also some of the non-MINI people will volunteer to ride in a MINI or two (assuming we have some driver only MINIs coming).
A number of gift baskets are being donated; these will be loaded into the MINIs which will then set off in convoy (or maybe convoys) to deliver to selected care givers in the area.
The anticipated route is from Beverly to Hamilton/Wenham, Topsfield, Ipswich, Essex, Gloucester and Manchester by the sea. This is shorter than the 55 mile MINI Meander.
There is not yet any end-of-rally plan; I might talk with MINI Peabody, or perhaps we will come up with other ideas - the floor is open!

As for the MINI Meander, around the North Shore this will not be a fast drive - it might even be police escorted! But we will have fun and do good for the community.


So we need to generate interest, get some MINI volunteers, and fill in the missing details. Remember that there is a maximum head count for breakfast so please sign up early - but only if you can definitely make it!


And please ignore the RSVP on the image below - MINI owners sign up on this thread or by emailing me (GBMINI@MINIsOnTop.com)

SIGNUP:
(2) GBMINI - Ian & Margaret
(2) Mudbud - Keith & Shay
(2) MIMINI - Paul Poitras & Elaine
(1) JR9907 - Joe
(1) ? - Debbie
(1) SlvrBullet - Keith
(2) ActualSize - Rick & Laurie
(2) Jurni - Ade & Rachel
(2) ? - Alex & Heather
(2) Choclab99 - Peter & Matt
(2) Blue Brummie - Erick & Diane
(2) William Connors - William & Diane
(1) WindShadow - Randolph (sadly unable to attend)
(1) GadgetGav - Gavin
(2) JCSinNH - John & Maureen
(1) mwcoop - Mike
(2) ? - Shelley & Lexy
(2) snek - Ivan & Norine
(?) WalkerJay - Jayson ...
... thank you for signing up; I will try to avoid filling the thread with thank you messages for a while ...

TOTAL (4/24/04): 18 MINIs, 29 people!

[MudBud]

Hey Ian,count me IN....yes I will bring Shay as well Think Spring

[NEMINI]

count me in

[gt6]

Count me in, I'll be there for sure. Chances are I will coming solo and will have room for a rider/co-pilot. I'll let you know if that changes.

[JR9907]

Hey Ian I will bring my car and Debbie will bring hers

[SlvrBullet]

Going by my schedule, I do have the day off. You can count me in as well.

[William Connors]

Quote: Originally Posted by iancull

Sunday April 25, we want between 20 and 30 MINIs to rally around the North Shore, where the MINI Meander occurred back in November 2003.

The event is being organized by Deborah Schwendiman of Seniorcare, a local non-profit that supports seniors with transport, home assistance, and meal deliveries. Deborah supports care givers (that care for older family members at home) and is planning the event in part to thank them, and in part to generate media coverage for the program.

The plan so far:
A full sit-down breakfast is being provided by Beverly Hospital - the works, with full linen, china, etc. Food for 60 people will be provided, but with various community people (hopefully) attending, we are allocated 40 places for MINI drivers and passengers.
Hopefully there will be some "dignitary" attendance which will increase the media interest. We hope that someone might "cut the ribbon" to start the rally ...
Hopefully also some of the non-MINI people will volunteer to ride in a MINI or two (assuming we have some driver only MINIs coming).
A number of gift baskets are being donated; these will be loaded into the MINIs which will then set off in convoy (or maybe convoys) to deliver to selected care givers in the area.
The anticipated route is from Beverly to Hamilton/Wenham, Topsfield, Ipswich, Essex, Gloucester and Manchester by the sea. This is shorter than the 55 mile MINI Meander.
There is not yet any end-of-rally plan; I might talk with MINI Peabody, or perhaps we will come up with other ideas - the floor is open!

As for the MINI Meander, around the North Shore this will not be a fast drive - it might even be police escorted! But we will have fun and do good for the community.


So we need to generate interest, get some MINI volunteers, and fill in the missing details. Remember that there is a maximum head count for breakfast so please sign up early - but only if you can definitely make it!


And please ignore the RSVP on the image below - MINI owners sign up on this thread or by emailing me!

SIGNUP:
(2) GBMINI - Ian & Margaret
(2) Mudbud - Keith & Shay
(1) GMINI03 - Gene
(2) GT6 - Ken & Hayley
(1) ? - Paul Poitras
(1) JR9907 - Joe
(1) ? - Debbie
(1) SlvrBullet - Keith
(2) ActualSize - Rick & Laurie
(2) Jurni - Ade & Rachel
(2) ? - Alex & ?
(2) Choclab99 - Peter & Matt
(2) Blue Brummie - Erick & Diane
... thanks to the signups; I will try to avoid filling the thread with thank you messages for a while ...

TOTAL (1/24/04): 13 MINIs, 21 people!

undefined

[GBMINI]

William Connors, can you please email me (GBMINI@MINIsOnTop.com) and let me know your email address, and also if you will be bringing any passenger ...

Thanks.

[GBMINI]

The latest news I have is that Beverly Hospital (who will be laying on the breakfast) are turning their media cogs

[Windshadow]

Quote: Originally Posted by iancull

The latest news I have is that Beverly Hospital (who will be laying on the breakfast) are turning their media cogs

Ian If my MINI gets here in time I would love to help with this I was my late mothers caregiver for the last 10 years and before that I helped her care for first my grandmother and then my father... so I would love to honor others who have done this.
boss(at)windshadow.com will get to me
Cheers
~Randolph

[GBMINI]

Randolph, hope your MINI gets to you soon - but I would not want to curse it!
I will add your name; let me know if you get it (BTW, Keith will be there too for you to thank once more!)

[Windshadow]

Quote: Originally Posted by iancull

Randolph, hope your MINI gets to you soon - but I would not want to curse it!
I will add your name; let me know if you get it (BTW, Keith will be there too for you to thank once more!)

Well as you know from my other posts I should have Ghillie in time to do this... how is it shaping up? how many are coming?
~R
MAMA Member Number 58 (my membership card came today )

[GBMINI]

The list in the first post is still current, with 15 MINIs signed up. I hope we might get to 20. I am starting to chase Deborah at Seniorcare for more organisation to get this event rolling in "MINI2" style ...

[gtshnzr]

Are you taking monetary donations for those of us that can't attend but think it is a worthwhile cause?

[GBMINI]

Not sure about taking monetary donations - really the event is to draw attention to caregivers; Seniorcare is a state funded organisation to support elders - if you want to donate, may I recommend a donation to a local organisation like our local Cape Ann Food Pantry.


Update on Coopers For Caregivers:

Stuff is beginning to roll
I have been given a list of target driving locations in Beverly, Wenham, Hamilton, Topsfield, Essex, Ipswich, Gloucester, Rockport and Manchester-by-the-sea ... I need to work up a route in the next month.

We do expect to have some attendance from State representatives / senators - but probably only for the breakfast and not for the drive. There is another event (the Gloucester Pride Stride) the same day on Cape Ann (we might even be able to pass the walkers during our drive).

Stay tuned for more ... and thank you all for your involvement

[GBMINI]

GT, confirmed that Seniorcare have "no vehicle [sic] to handle donations" ... as Deborah puts it "Folks are already donating via their taxes"!

[GadgetGav]

Count me in Ian. Do you need any help with a route..?

[GBMINI]

Thanks Gavin
Just you?

Route - not sure yet what I will do there. I think Margaret will help ...

[gtshnzr]

Quote: Originally Posted by iancull

GT, confirmed that Seniorcare have "no vehicle [sic] to handle donations" ... as Deborah puts it "Folks are already donating via their taxes"!

Thanks for checking. Its hard to help long distance. My mom took care of my dad for a long time, so I understand how difficult it truly is. She had to stop when her doctor told her that my dad was healthy, but the extra work was killing her. Had to place him in a home.

[GBMINI]

I mentioned recently a newspaper article in the Hamilton Wenham Chronicle ... now I have a scanned copy:



... we are now "an association"