Germantown Librarians is Cool

Thank you Miss Jaci and Gtown librarians for your generous donation tonight at story time. You girls are way cool and I promise I won't use any of the donations to pay for my book fines.:-)

Love you all,

Mike

6 dias mis amigos!

Six days. The official start of Feel the Burn '07 is closing in. Can't wait. I hope this fundraiser eases the suffering of burn survivors and those affected in any way from burn injuries. This is the driving force of this ride.

I am very thankful to all who are supporting this fundraiser and know that we have already helped the PS in recovering, renewing, and returning burn survivors to their lives.

Please be aware in your lives and take upon the suffering of others, whether it is through action, word, and/or donations. How would the world look if everyone was completely self absorbed? Let's make a change in this world that yields most difficultly to change. We can do it right now.

It is not futile to believe that you can make a difference in this world. Follow your heart and set yourself free. Through our thoughts we make the world.

Archimedes said "Give me a place to stand and I will move the world." Thank you for letting me stand with you.

-Mike

Middletown, Ohio FD

Thank you FF Jon Harvey and Local 336 in Middletown, Ohio for donating $300 to the cause! We appreciate it!

Mike

Day 1- May 8th: Bike Route Info from Boston to Branford, CT

NOTE TO BIKERS: Mike will be riding solo. He welcomes any and all bikers and bike clubs/groups to join him at any point along his journey across country.

NOTE TO ANYONE TAKING PHOTOS ALONG THE RIDE: If you can, please post any photo's or video on YouTube.Com, Flickr.com, or any other photo/video sharing site. Leave a comment on this blog letting us know and we will link to your pictures or video from the blog.

NOTE TO ANYONE WHO WANTS TO DONATE: Mike’s goal is to raise $100,000 during his ride across the country. If you want to donate, please do not be shy. Donate NOW.

Day 1 will begin at the Shriners Hospital for Children, 51 Blossom Street, Boston, MA.

• After the press conference at 10AM, Mike will head to Beacon Street.
• He will take Beacon St. out of Boston to Newton
• South on Rt. 16 from Newton to Webster, Rt. 197
• Enter CT @ Quinebaug
• South on 197 for 5 miles then south on 169 Taftville
• South on Rt. 97 for 1 mile
• West on 82 to CT River
• Toll Ferry across river
• Rt. 148 west 5 miles to 145 south
• West on Rt. 80 into N. Branford
• South on Rt. 139 1 mile to Rt. 1 into Branford
• He will arrive around 9PM-ISH at the Branford Fire Department (Mike is estimating it will take about 10 hours to bike from Boston.)
• The fire department is at 45 N Main Street Branford, CT 06405
• 
  
  
  
• A RECEPTION will IMMEDIATELY follow Mike’s arrival into Branford at Tommy Sullivan's Cafe
• 240 N Main St
  Branford, CT 06405
• Phone: (203) 488-8454

10 Days!

Hello all. I finished my last full on "training ride" yesterday feeling strong as ever. I averaged 24mph on the straights and scaled up hills w/o a problem. I'll be doing light rides this week to stay loose and keep out of the red zone. I sometimes wonder if I'll spend more time eating or biking on this ride.lol

As we draw closer to the start of this ride, I feel like we have already brought a tight community of amazing individuals closer together on this brief journey of life. Emily Dickinson said life is made up of a series of "nows." This fundraiser has taught me to focus on the nows more often, the most important people in our journey are the ones here with us right now.

Who/what deserves our attention most right now? There are many burn survivors who need support right now, there are many people who will become burn survivors later this year. The Phoenix Society fills an important space in our world in in the lives of our fellow brothers and sisters on our little planet. Healthcare systems are amazing in what they can do but there are still some imperfections, as there will always be with any large system. Correcting these imperfections is where the Phoenix Society is needed and is valued. We are not futile in our work, we are promoting change in a world that yields most difficultly to change.

Please show your support for us, every penny is a ray of hope to a burn survivor, and every kind word is spiritual nourishment.

"Imagine there's no Heaven It's easy if you try No hell below us Above us only sky Imagine all the people Living for today Imagine there's no countries It isn't hard to do Nothing to kill or die for And no religion too Imagine all the people Living life in peace You may say that I'm a dreamer But I'm not the only one I hope someday you'll join us And the world will be as one Imagine no possessions I wonder if you can No need for greed or hunger A brotherhood of man Imagine all the people Sharing all the world You may say that I'm a dreamer But I'm not the only one I hope someday you'll join us And the world will live as one." - John Lennon

Have a great "NOW."

-Mike

Burn Survivor Story: Frank McGonagle.

(Courtesy of the Phoenix Society and Steve Lobel, author of "Recognition Beyond Burned: Portraits of Survival, Rebirth & Hope")

Today I’m one of the luckiest guys alive. I’ve been married for nearly thirty years to my lovely wife, Arlene. I have five children and eleven grandchildren. I’m co-owner of a successful television production business. Life is very good. But it hasn’t always been this way.

On February 18, 1966, I stopped at a light in my little TR4 sports car about three miles from home. Suddenly a speeding driver came out of nowhere, rear-ending me and setting my car on fire. In an instant I lost my hair, scalp and ears as well as skin from other parts of my body. But these losses were small compared to my real loss. My wife of twelve years, Charlotte, mother of our four young children and our unborn child of seven months, died in the exploding wreck. If it weren’t for the courage of three young men who pulled me from the flaming car, I too would have perished.

After about three months in a local hospital I returned home to care for my four children. The next few years found me back in the hospital for some ten reconstructive surgeries. Eventually life became somewhat normal again.

Nevertheless, for a long time afterward I was haunted by the idea that I did not rescue my wife. I realized it didn’t make sense. I was on fire and didn’t even know what had hit us, but somehow I felt guilty for not getting her out before the car exploded.

While these horrible guilt feelings lessened over time, every now and then they would rise to torture me. That was until 2004, when I acted on advice I heard at two Phoenix Society World Burn Congresses, from Dr. Fred Luskin’s inspiring talks on forgiveness. His message stimulated me to seek out the man who rear-ended me in 1966 and forgive him. We met in a local church and talked for only fifteen minutes. He told me he was so racked with guilt he had never driven again in all those years.

After that, I came to the realization that if I could forgive the man who killed my wife, I could also forgive myself. The weight of my guilt lifted and I have not felt a twinge of it since.

My name is Frank McGonagle.

Show Us the Money (Please!)

Mike will be "feeling the burn" as he rides across the country. His goal is to inspire anyone who reads his story to raise $100,000 to help burn survivors. All money raised will be donated to the Phoenix Society for Burn Survivors. The Phoenix Society For Burn Survivors based in Grand Rapid, Michigan was named editor’s choice by Self Magazine as one of the most fiscally responsible non-profits of the year. That means your donations will go as far as possible helping the people who really need your financial support!

The Phoenix Society has created a homepage for "Feel The Burn 2007" HERE. If you are interested in sponsoring, donating, or just want more information about the program or the Phoenix Society itself, please check the site out.