Road Warrior Foundation Ride

[adzgrrrl]

Guntersville, AL to Kodiak, TN

A friend and I will be catching up with them on Thursday morning in Guntersville, AL and riding with them to their overnight stay in Kodiak, TN. Can't wait to meet everyone!!! :yes:

 

[UtahPete]

I’m riding with them now. They are legitimate. This is the email Steve sent to one of you guys.

Thanks, that helps. It wouldn't take very much in the way of transparency by the organization to put my mind at ease and have me get on board with what they seem to be trying to do. I think the concept is a good one, and it sounds like a great way for BRP and Spyder owners to participate in a worthwhile cause. It also gives greater visibility to BRP Spyders, which benefits all of us enthusiasts. If I was any closer, I'd participate. Do they plan on expanding to more than one ride a year?

The information that is being requested of them is really not that big of a deal; it's the information they are supposed to be providing to the public anyway. Many nonprofits, particularly small, entrepreneurial ones like this one, don't understand that. But, if there is a cause to be served, it is much larger than 8 veterans a year and to serve that need the organization will have to grow beyond what it currently is. To do that, it must have its legal and financial affairs in order, and that is what I'm asking for.

 

[Cavman]

Talking it over with some of the guys, we maybe had around 75 bikes there with around 10-15 being two wheelers. The rest were Spyders of all types. There was a husband/wife that were from PA. Saw a few Spyders from FL as well.

It was a fun ride. Lots of folks along the way standing on the roads waving and cheering. The vets got to do many laps on the Barber's race track. Great dinner at the American Legion with a young lady proving musical entertainment singing and playing her guitar.

 

[gcain747]

Road Warrior Foundation and Heart of Dixie Spyder Ryders

I am also a Viet Nam Vet and consider Lamont and Joan to be very good friends. I actually talked Lamont into spending an extra day on this years RWF ride so they could see how we hosted them in Birmingham, AL and give our riders a chance to see him and Joan again. I will admit I bribeded him with free food. I have rode with this group for two years now and can tell you without a doubt they are as dedicated as anyone in the world to help vets. Perhaps if you are going to question the results of the organization you should talk to some of the riders who have participated in the past events. Ask them how much the “Ryde” helped them. I think you would be amazed at the answers you get. Also, you should join an RWF ride and see for yourself how much Therapy these youn men and women receive. It does not always take a schooled trained therapist to help people. Several of the past riders were so moved by the experience they now are volunteers for the organization.

I personally do not even claim the money I donate to them so I don’t care about the taxes or the IRS.

Greg Cain
Heart of Dixie Spyder Ryders
Birmingham, AL

 

[Buckeye Bleau]

I am really at a loss for words and I am making every attempt to be calm and polite.

This organization is very small, they do a great service, which is very visible if you just try to find it. Perhaps some of you are bean counters and just cannot let it go, perhaps some of you just have other motives.

If you are spending all this time on this small group, which we know what they do, why not spent more effort checking on where the money goes for some of the BIG charities. Go check out the money in Goodwill, United Way and the shameful Red Cross. Then compare your results to the much smaller Salvation Army or St. Jude's Children's Hispital. Thee lies a difference that does not even require much comparison.

Joe

 

[UtahPete]

I think I owe everyone an apology and explanation. If you look through my posts with an objective eye you will see I was just puzzled by everyone's apparently blind acceptance of the claims made by this charity. To my professional eye things just did not add up and so I was asking supporters what they actually know about this charity. That's my explanation.

My apology is that I am sorry I did not realize how much it would upset some of you. I did not intend that but nonetheless I now realize that was the effect of my posts and I am sorry.

 

[IdahoMtnSpyder]

I think I owe everyone an apology and explanation. If you look through my posts with an objective eye you will see I was just puzzled by everyone's apparently blind acceptance of the claims made by this charity. To my professional eye things just did not add up and so I was asking supporters what they actually know about this charity. That's my explanation.

My apology is that I am sorry I did not realize how much it would upset some of you. I did not intend that but nonetheless I now realize that was the effect of my posts and I am sorry.

I understand quite well where you're coming from. I have seen Lamont's and BRP's support for the foundation at Spyderfest and Homecoming. But if you haven't been there and just come across the organization out of the blue, on the face of it it can look damn suspicious. What really puzzled me was when the tax filings that are required of tax exempt organizations, and which all above board organizations will file, couldn't be found. So far the only filings that are publicly available are up through 2014. I'm guessing that the 2015 & 2016 filings have been made but haven't been processed by IRS and released yet. At least I hope that's the case.

Also, when an organization such as Project Road Warrior Foundation has only 1 to 3 employees, and the latest published estimate of their income is only $71,000, it can make you wonder how can they really do anything of significance. The very things that makes them such a great group to support, 1) a very tightly focused purpose and function, i.e., enabling wounded veterans to ride, and 2) a small staff that is unpaid, also makes it difficult for an outside agency such as Guidestar or Charity Navigator to assess them. Another aspect of PRWF that is out of the norm is BRP's involvement with them. If you look around you almost never see a large corporation partner with such a small charity. In the great grand world of charities PRWF and its partnership with BRP is an anomaly. At least that's what I see.

So, all I ask all of you who were upset by Pete's, and maybe my, questions about PRWF, is to try to objectively look at the foundation from an outsider's perspective. As you all know, there are thousands of scam operations out there, some big and many small. The best way to judge them is to be personally involved, as some of you are, and as Lamont is, with PRWF. But in the absence of personal connections one has to look for objective information, just as Pete was doing. Unfortunately, with PRWF there a dirth of independently developed objective information out there.

Let's all of us leave this discussion with much greater confidence that we as Spyder Ryders are associated with one hellavu unique and superb program. I hope some day to be able to ride with them to show my support.

 

[Lamonster]

I am also a Viet Nam Vet and consider Lamont and Joan to be very good friends. I actually talked Lamont into spending an extra day on this years RWF ride so they could see how we hosted them in Birmingham, AL and give our riders a chance to see him and Joan again. I will admit I bribeded him with free food. I have rode with this group for two years now and can tell you without a doubt they are as dedicated as anyone in the world to help vets. Perhaps if you are going to question the results of the organization you should talk to some of the riders who have participated in the past events. Ask them how much the “Ryde” helped them. I think you would be amazed at the answers you get. Also, you should join an RWF ride and see for yourself how much Therapy these youn men and women receive. It does not always take a schooled trained therapist to help people. Several of the past riders were so moved by the experience they now are volunteers for the organization.

I personally do not even claim the money I donate to them so I don’t care about the taxes or the IRS.

Greg Cain
Heart of Dixie Spyder Ryders
Birmingham, AL

You are a good friend and I'm glad you talked me into one extra day with these guys and your group. You did and amazing job with getting the township involved. Thanks Bro

I give close to 30K to these guys now and haven't claimed a dime. I do this because I love my country and having three boys who served I feel like this is a small way I can give back.

 

[Buckeye Bleau]

I understand quite well where you're coming from. I have seen Lamont's and BRP's support for the foundation at Spyderfest and Homecoming. But if you haven't been there and just come across the organization out of the blue, on the face of it it can look damn suspicious. What really puzzled me was when the tax filings that are required of tax exempt organizations, and which all above board organizations will file, couldn't be found. So far the only filings that are publicly available are up through 2014. I'm guessing that the 2015 & 2016 filings have been made but haven't been processed by IRS and released yet. At least I hope that's the case.

Also, when an organization such as Project Road Warrior Foundation has only 1 to 3 employees, (do a little more homework, they have zero employees, no salaries it is all volunteer)and the latest published estimate of their income is only $71,000, it can make you wonder how can they really do anything of significance. The very things that makes them such a great group to support, 1) a very tightly focused purpose and function, i.e., enabling wounded veterans to ride, and 2) a small staff that is unpaid, also makes it difficult for an outside agency such as Guidestar or Charity Navigator to assess them. Another aspect of PRWF that is out of the norm is BRP's involvement with them. If you look around you almost never see a large corporation partner with such a small charity. In the great grand world of charities PRWF and its partnership with BRP is an anomaly. At least that's what I see.

So, all I ask all of you who were upset by Pete's, and maybe my, questions about PRWF, is to try to objectively look at the foundation from an outsider's perspective. As you all know, there are thousands of scam operations out there, some big and many small. The best way to judge them is to be personally involved, as some of you are, and as Lamont is, with PRWF. But in the absence of personal connections one has to look for objective information, just as Pete was doing. Unfortunately, with PRWF there a dirth of independently developed objective information out there.

Let's all of us leave this discussion with much greater confidence that we as Spyder Ryders are associated with one hellavu unique and superb program. I hope some day to be able to ride with them to show my support.

Anyway, one bad apple does leave one to believe the others are bad as well. It just elevates my blood pressure when these huge "charities" get carte Blanche because they have been around and the young upstarts are questioned.

Joe

 

[UtahPete]

Anyway, one bad apple does leave one to believe the others are bad as well. It just elevates my blood pressure when these huge "charities" get carte Blanche because they have been around and the young upstarts are questioned. Joe

Joe, that's not at all what is going on. Don't you care that this 'young upstart';

a) has raised over $50,000 but doesn't seem to have any expenses, since BRP donates the bikes and volunteers man the ride? What does it do with its money?
b) at best, has 'helped' 25 veterans by providing them a free trip on a Spyder?
c) doesn't seem to 'vet' the veterans who receive the benefit? I mean, didn't you say they offered you a place on the ride? What criteria do they use to select vets, most of whom seem to be quite healthy and not in need of therapy. Do they recruit them at the VA or what?
d) doesn't report its activities to the state of Pennsylvania, where it's incorporated, and seems to be just one person who is not accountable to anyone?

I know there are many deserving veterans whose needs go unmet, in spite of the efforts of many nonprofits designed to help them. The need is enormous (just try volunteering at the VA sometime). I would like to think this nonprofit is going to help make a dent in that problem but I don't see how. These are very legitimate questions that are being asked of them, which they don't seem willing to answer for some reason.

Every VA medical center that I know of has a recreation therapy program, where veterans are introduced to fly fishing, horse-back riding, skiing, scuba diving, backpacking, etc. All under the supervision of trained social workers and therapists and with a huge assist from volunteers and veterans clubs, etc. If this nonprofit was partnering with those VA programs to provide a relatively safe motorcycle experience (maybe with handicap-enabled bikes) it would make a lot more sense to me - and they would be able to benefit a lot more deserving vets than their current program.