[MARRC-announce] Donations for Africa

[sstoy@perpend.net]

Seeking racing related items to send to Africa

In March, the following letter arrived at the MARRC post office box:

Dear friends, 

This is the voice and hands of a lovely friends writing at this moment of the day.  By the way how is your condition over there? I hope by God’s grace everything is moving on well for you. [We interpret this to be a reference to September 11.]

The main motive of this letter is that I am a Ghanaian boy of fourteen years old and I’m very interested in motorcycle racing but I don’t have anything to support you so please try as much as possible to provide me with some of the famous things in American Racing including t-shirts, magazines, caps, badges, stickers, pens and any other things from your heart so I can show the love, interest, and support I have in Roadracing. I will like to end here with much greetings and blessings to you all. Goodbye.
Yours Faithfully, 
Richard Asamoah

One of my hobbies, aside from riding, is international traveling. During my trips abroad, I often ask the people I meet what they think of Americans. After the requisite snickers, almost all of them have responded with some variation on the theme of our hospitality and generosity. In my experience, the worldview of Americans is that we as a country are willing to "give the shirt off of our backs" to people we barely know. We are blessed to live in a country where we take fast food, high-speed Internet access, and the Speed Channel for granted. Let’s show our true American spirit of generosity and send this 14-year-old Ghanaian boy a care package of motorcycle paraphernalia that he will really appreciate.    

Please, consider sending anything related to your team or shop to the address below – a t-shirt, hat, stickers, anything that will fit in a box – and we will package everything and send it to Richard. We will be throwing in a few issues of RRW and other bike magazines as well, so if you have some sitting around and are sick of them gathering dust, send a few of those along too! Also consider passing this request along to anyone who might be interested – fellow racers, riders, or shop owners - in contributing to our collection.  Please have everything in by July 1, 2002.

I’ll include a list of all those who donate in the box that is sent to Africa so Richard knows his American friends. Thanks in advance for your contributions and ride safe!

RA Donations
c/o NBI
8720 Georgia Avenue Suite 804
Silver Spring, MD 20910