More Contacts Made...

Thank you to all of you OU readers who are now following this blog! I appreciate you checking in on our adventure.

The key to success, I have discovered, is finding contacts in the countries that we are trying to set up our non-profit operation. And yesterday I think I found our contact in London. Until he agrees to help our operation, I will keep his identity hidden. But he is an Oklahoman who is a successful architect in London. So, we are to meet with him in London next Friday.

We also have a contact in Italy through OU and our plan is to meet with him next Thursday to see how we can make magic happen in Italy as well.

It reminds me of how we established our operation in the Dominican Republic, specifically Santo Domingo. Through just telling our story in the D.R. and in the United States to as many people as possible, dots became connected on their own. We owe a huge thanks to Kerrie Brinkman Green, who works in the development office of Price College of Business. Kerrie is also a friend of mine from High School and neighbor of Craig Gavras. Kerrie suggested that one of her sorority sisters was related to an influential family in Santo Domingo. She made the initial introductions and I was offered an hour by the family in Santo Domingo to tell them our story of Limbs for Life.

As it turns out, they are one of the most influtential families in all the Dominican and they not only gave me an hour, I ended up spending the whole day with them. It seems most people have family or know of someone who has been affected by a loss of limb. This family was the same and the were looking for a cause to support. Franklin and Brenda Leon have been fantastic supporters of Limbs for Life. But more than that, they are fantanstic people. I have enjoyed getting to know them better as I have visited them several times since my initital visit. We have started fitting impoverished Dominican's with prosthetic limbs with their help in the "triangle strategy" we have set up with ADR, a clinic that also helps the very poor in the Dominican. Without the Leon's family's help, it would have been very difficult to set up our strategy. Besides the triangle strategy, our foundation is working with the Leon family to establish a foundation that will help even more Dominicans. It has gone past my expectations and I am so grateful to the Leon family.

I also have to thank Kim Willis, one of my dearest friends and another OU grad, who has been such a big support for me and our project. Kim took a trip with me to the Dominican and she actually ended up staying for almost a month discovering the culture and visiting many of the towns and cities of this beautiful country. She told our story to many on her travels and was able to help set up contacts for us on the north side of the country as well. More than anything, she has been a great friend...listening to my challenges and offering suggestions and just being there at all times of night and day.

There is a high amputee rate in the Dominican Republic because of motorcycle accidents and gun accidents. Most can't afford insurance or medical coverage, so the hospitals are forced to amputate. The main mode of transportation for the entire population in the Dominican are motorcycles. And I discovered that in the Dominican, they have traffic "suggestions" not traffic laws. In fact, I never drive when I am there because of the danger. That's just part of life there. The citizens obviously have adjusted and learn to drive in the chaos.

We have a contact in Paris who is in the television business in France. He has asked to remain anonymous and we will respect that. He is also an OU graduate and has been an incredible resource for our venture into Europe. Our friend in Paris has set up many meetings with leaders and government officials. From what we have learned, the French government is attempting to help their former colonies in as many ways as possible and that would mean supplying prosthetic limbs to these countires in the Middle East and Africa as well. So, our impact may end up going beyond Europe and into the Middle East and Africa if the right strategy can be discussed this next week.

What I have also learned during my experience is that other countries do not move as fast as we Americans do. It took almost two years before our operation was working in the Dominican and I expect it will take time in Europe as well.

But as a passion of mine and my colleagues, we will adjust to the host countries culture and understand how they live their lives and conduct business. We are guests in their country and will do everything we can to help their citizens.

Only two days before we leave! Plenty of time to prepare!

The Planning Continues

So there will be some down time during our many meetings in Paris. And there must be a way for me to achieve one of my dreams and that is to ski in the French Alps. Today was a stuggle to get that done as I was informed by my contact in Paris, who by the way wife's grandfather built the original Chalet for the 1924 Winter Olympics, that everything is sold out as it is the highest of high seasons for skiing in France. And its like a three hour trip including a bus ride up the mountains. Is he discouraging me? Never! Alas, I will not give up even if I have to stay an extra few days. And a visit to Switzerland has to be included as well. My 8 day trip may turn into a 10 or 11 day trip. Hmmm....its only money, right?

And that tatoo thing is becomming more interesting. How about a tatoo for every country I set up an operation. Hmmmmmm....

Only three days left to prepare.....plenty of time!

John

The First Blog and the Set Up...

So....this is the first blog to keep a record of my own great adventure. Recently divorced and begining an adventure of traveling the world to help the cause of Limbs for Life and to experience all that is out there beyond my own fears and limitation.

The adventure starts with examining my own life and trying to live the life that I can only dream of and not being limited by own self imposed limitations and by what society expects of us in social norms. Further, my passions involve pushing myself physically through outdoor sports and helping both collegiate and adults understand sports business. This includes teaching at the University of Oklahoma and leading Limbs for Life through an international strategy.

Limbs for Life is a non-profit that offers prosthetic limbs that can't afford them....www.limbsforlife.org. We have an outstanding board who is very committed to the cause and everyone contributes in fantastic ways. Mine is to try to expand LFL throughout the world.

This Sunday, February 1, I leave with two of my good friends Jerry Isbell and Craig Gavras (executive director of LFL), both OU grads, to Paris, Italy and England to begin the preparation of establishing a European division. We will be in these countries for 8 days and possibly longer if all goes well.

We have established a "triangle operation" in the Dominican Republic that is just underway after two years of establishing relationships and attempting to understand the culture of this beautiful country. I am going back down to the D.R. at the end of Feb. for the Masters of the Ocean run by one of my new friends Marcus Bohm. (www.mastersoftheocean.com). The Masters is quickly becoming one of the most respected water sport competitions featuring surfing, kite boarding and wind surfing. The competition is based in Cabarete. I hope to support my friend, get a little surfing in, and help promote Limbs for Life to the media that will be attending. One of the residents in Cabarate is a dude that lost a leg in a motor cycle accident and he surfs and kite boards with one leg. It is truly amazing. We are going to get him a prosthetic limb as well, if he will accept it.

My plan is to update this each day of our travels. The Dominican was first, then Europe with possible trips to Tokyo in March and Sierra Leone in June.

These trips are always an adventure because of the amazing things that happen along the way. I refuse to sleep on these trips because so much can happen at any time of the day and night. And that is what is all about right? Experiencing all that life can offer....

John