Additional Help for Ole Peck

rock yuppie · Feb 25, 2009

Okay, so by now almost everyone knows about the help we gave Peck from monies earned or donated at the Big Johnson ride ($6,100.00) But what a lot of folks don't know is something else we were working on. We had decided to try to get the news media involved as well to try and see if it would help drum up a little more support.
The Gadsden paper never returned the calls.
The TV station 33/40 called back, but it was just after giving Peck the money and banner. She said she thought the event started at 6:00 pm.
Thank God the Jacksonville Times came through for us. My hats off to JENNIFER BACCHUS ([email protected]) She interviewed Peck and took info from us as well as a few pictures and got it on the front page of the paper.
For those of you who do not get the Jacksonville Times, you can see the article at www.jaxnews.com later today. Hopefully this will start the ball rolling and some of the Jacksonville locals will pull together a show some support toward Peck and his family. My goal is to see him with a prosthetic limb.
I was a single father for a long time raising a little girl by myself before I met my wife. I had two hands and still found fixing her hair and getting her ready everyday to be tough. I can't imagine trying it one handed.

caglezxj · Feb 25, 2009

Here is the details and direct link. http://www.jaxnews.com/news/2009/jn-localnews-0224-jbacchus-9b25i2612.htm

Helping hands

By Jennifer Bacchus
News staff writer
02-24-2009

Scott Prince climbs a hill in his rig during a benefit off-road ride for James â€˜Peckâ€™ Johnson. Photo: Courtesy of Mountainside Offroad Park
One Friday in January, James â€œPeckâ€ Johnson was four-wheeling at a park in Summertown, Tenn., when his buggy flipped, pinching his arm underneath.

The Jacksonville resident spent only two days in the hospital, one day longer than he wanted, and was back at work with the city of Piedmontâ€™s water, gas and sewer board the next Tuesday.

Though he lost his left arm in the accident, Johnson says he can still do anything that doesnâ€™t require two hands. For that, he needs a prosthetic arm.

Since the accident, Johnson has saved every bit of extra money to get the prosthesis and a benefit ride in his honor this past weekend put him $6,100 closer to that goal.

Approximately 460 of Johnsonâ€™s friends, family and fellow off-road drivers came out to Mountainside Off-road Park north of Gadsden to support Johnson.

â€œThere were people who were giving $40 or $50 extra just to help him out,â€ said Bob Youmans, an organizer for the event.

Johnson was amazed by the generosity of his fellow riders.

â€œI knew they were going to do give a ride for me, but I didnâ€™t know they were going to do something like that,â€ he said.

Four-wheeling has become a family hobby for Johnson and his two children, Lauren and Austin, and despite the accident, he hasnâ€™t been nervous about getting behind the wheel of his buggy. He was back in the driverâ€™s seat the next week and his son was at the park with him this past Saturday.

â€œWeâ€™re liable to come in on a Tuesday afternoon from school and get in it and ride the power lines or something for a couple of hours,â€ said Johnson.

Expressing his thanks to everyone who came out to support him, Johnson said he is looking forward to the time when he can get his prosthesis, but added having one arm will never keep him from doing the things he enjoys.

â€œI could be sitting at the house all down and out, but, like I say, I havenâ€™t been down over a half a second over it. Itâ€™s gone. There isnâ€™t any sense in being down over it. Just keep going,â€ said Johnson.

About Jennifer Bacchus
Jennifer Bacchus is a staff writer at The Jacksonville News. She can be reached at 256-435-5021 or via e-mail at [email protected]

Rescue1 · Feb 25, 2009

This is why I love this sport so much. You have more friends and meet the best people on earth! I'm just glad we could help a friend who is always willing to help us.

s10me · Feb 25, 2009

Rescue1 said:
This is why I love this sport so much. You have more friends and meet the best people on earth! I'm just glad we could help a friend who is always willing to help us.

this sport gives you friends and help that you never knew you had or could get

caglezxj · Feb 25, 2009

What do you guys think about doing a Calendar. Have a lot of local rigs. And have Pecks's rig on the front. Could raise a lot of money this way.

Rescue1 · Feb 25, 2009

Probably wouldn't want my junk on it , but it sounds like a good idea to me . I'd buy one just for the fact of havein one, not to mention helping out a friend and fellow wheeler.

caglezxj · Feb 26, 2009

I will call Bob tomorrow and see what he thinks.

rock yuppie · Feb 26, 2009

I say heck yeah. Lets do it. I have contacts for producing just such a calender, or we can work with what you have. Let get it going. :woot:

CHASMAN9 · Feb 26, 2009

It soundsl like a great idea, just make them inexpensive. I was the only one to buy those calendars that MattO was in @ $20.00 a crack. There are a hell of alot of nice rigs around, good or bad that need to grace those pages. Get as many of them in as possible per page. No centerfolds, (other than maybe Peck's) that will keep the controversial, "why didn't make it in there" question down. Lots of pictures form all the parks. Maybe even some flashemifyougotem

s10me · Feb 26, 2009

good picture opportunity coming up at Morris Mountain next month

CHASMAN9 · Feb 26, 2009

s10me said:
good picture opportunity coming up at Morris Mountain next month

Hell yaz, get ya some more of that Ugly. Looking forward to getting back there. Been to long away from there for me. :driving:

draggbody · Feb 26, 2009

CHASMAN9 said:
Hell yaz, get ya some more of that Ugly Bypass. Looking forward to getting back there. Been to long away from there for me.

fixed...

CHASMAN9 · Feb 26, 2009

draggbody said:
fixed...

Bypass this :flipoff1:

rock yuppie · Feb 26, 2009

CHASMAN9 said:
It soundsl like a great idea, just make them inexpensive. I was the only one to buy those calendars that MattO was in @ $20.00 a crack. There are a hell of alot of nice rigs around, good or bad that need to grace those pages. Get as many of them in as possible per page. No centerfolds, (other than maybe Peck's) that will keep the controversial, "why didn't make it in there" question down. Lots of pictures form all the parks. Maybe even some

Yeah thats what I thought. Get some from Choco, Morris, Grey Rock , Mountain Side. You know we all have a lot of picutes from ride events. Or put it out there that we are looking for digital photos to build a calender with and let everyone send them to one address. Maybe that will stop people from complaining because their photo wasn't in there. If you send it, we print it, even if you have a few pages of nothing but rigs at the end.

s10me · Feb 26, 2009

if you did a collage of small pics on each month you could get a lot of trucks in there. maybe 1" x 1" pics?

caglezxj · Feb 26, 2009

Just talked with Bob he is going to work on getting us a price. I do like the idea on pre-ordering to get your rig in the calendar. And for everyone that wasn't able to make it out for the benefit ride this is a way to still be able to help a good friend out. So if you got any good pictures keep them handy. Maybe we can get a group shot at the Morris Mountain Ride here in a few weeks. Who all is going?