Friends,
Unlike
all the other pandemic messages…we’re not going to tell you about our
cleaning practices, staffing or changing hours. We’re here to
tell you… we are not stopping. We are still gifting four
Harley-Davidsons to four injured Wisconsin Veterans this 2020 riding
season…Coronavirus be damned (but in an appropriate, social-distancing
kind of way!).
Our
donors trust us to use their generous donations exactly as
intended. And at a time like this, now more than ever, we find it
particularly
important that an injured Veteran rider, already struggling in life,
regain the immediate peace, freedom and joy that motorcycling
offers. Our Advisory Board will conduct our selection business via
teleconference later this month and aims to gift one Harley
in May and another in June. As promised, we will open a second, shorter
application period in late May and then return another two injured
Wisconsin Veteran riders back to the healing road later this summer. Our
timelines may have to be pushed back, our ability
to connect may be challenged, our events may be different and our arms maywillabsolutely miss the many hugs we share…but we will get back to honoring and supporting these deserving lives together, again.
Trust
us, our hearts ache right along side yours with the devastating tolls
this disease has taken. And, we selfishly hate missing events and
chances to hang with you all, our friends
and supporters. This pandemic has hit many people, businesses and
communities hard. Nonprofits in particular, ourselves included, are
struggling as fundraising events are cancelled and donations have nearly
stopped coming in. As a result, many people, services
and foundational life needs— food, shelter, employment, healthcare—
have been compromised further. Our good news is that the funds needed
for our gifts this year were raised before this pandemic took it’s
toll. The amount we raise from this point will absolutely
affect next year’s gifting ability…but we will deal with 2021 when it
rolls around.
We
will all be riding and hanging together again soon…and we will rebuild
our lives and communities, together. In the meantime, as much as we
appreciate your financial support for our
unique healing mission, we encourage you to, instead, share with others
who are struggling, as much as you can, to help meet their basic life
needs, and that of their families.
This
is a historic time in our lives. It offers us a chance to pull together
and, more than ever, care for one another. We hope that as life settles
down and returns to a new sense of
normal, we will be fortunate enough to regain your financial
support. Until that point, know that we are deeply honored simply to
have your continued support.
We
will continue to share electronic communications that introduce you to
our newest recipients and update our calendars as events resume. As
always,follow us on Facebook as we share our gifting plans and work to make sure we remain a relevant,
alternative option for healing our injured Wisconsin Veterans.
Thank you for believing in us.
And please…take good care of yourselves, your families and your communities. Be safer at home.
Best—
Kevin and Audra Thompson, Founders
HOGS FOR HEROES
