Hi Folks, As many of you have no doubt seen, one of our Buick Family members suffered a great personal and business loss this morning. Mike Garrison, owner of Hi Torque Racing in Merridan Kansas, had his shop completely destroyed this morning by fire. Mike has been a member of our family here at V-8 Buick since it's inception, and was a founding member of the BPG, as well as a life-long GSCA member. Many of you know him, have done business with him, and have his great repo parts in your cars. I personally had the pleasure of visiting him and his family at their home years ago. He is one of us. While I am sure Insurance will cover the majority of his physical losses, there are always gaps that need to be filled, and the best way that we as a national, and world-wide community can step up, is to help him bridge those financial gaps that are bound to arise in the coming weeks and months. For that purpose, today I am establishing a fund here on the board to help meet these needs. We did this years ago when Steven Dove passed away, as a community we put together a couple thousand dollars for his family, and I was honored to send that check to his widow on behalf of the great folks that visit this board. Mike has not asked for this, in fact I have not spoken with Mike for a number of years, other than to simply say "Hi" to him at the GS nationals.. but he should not have to, nor would he. We talk a good game about how we are a tight knit community, and I believe that to be true, and it's time we show it. It's who we are. I am starting this fund off with a $100 donation from v8buick.com, and a $100 donation from Tri-Shield Performance. Unless otherwise instructed I will list the contributors name/username in this thread. To contribute to the fund, click the "donate" tab on the RH side of the home page That will lead you thru the paypal process, if you wish to donate directly, give me a call at the shop with your cc numbers, and I can run them thru for you. Call me at the shop number listed in my signature. I can also give you directions at that time how to donate thru the mail if you prefer that. Thanks JW Fund contributors: V8Buick.com Tri-Shield Performance ( Jim Weise) TrunkMonkey Dan Habel Mike Bucy 2001ws6 Thomas Mooney Joseph Blogref Robert Schurwan John Schaefer Frank St Elmo Barrett True Shawn Riley 1967 Big Buick Jim Moldaschel Roy Wood Wade Wasinger PBR 400 Phillip Sedlon Allen Pancner Michael Trommetter Milton Bentley Daniel Zinn angelorahurst Steve Reynolds Stephen Bryan Gary Kubish Charles Nixon John Fritz Curtis Stanley Michael Bowman Brian Young Cornel Weber MELVIN PALMER Electra Bob Korrie Dykstra Shawn Bestvater James Weinman Hugger BBall Sam Davis Joe Castrigano Troy Acton Brian Yamanouchi James Coughlin jr Lucas Johnson Brett Jaloszynski Brian Pfeffer Sam Entgerprise Big Ken Zachary Hamlin Kenneth McMillian CJP69 Robert Floyd Jose Gonzalez Jim Byers Daniel Ankeney Guy Parquette Alan Wander Jason Zerbini Annette Fletcher Larry Hymowitz Bill Grupp Brian Albrecht Colleen Bell Cameron Collins David Tumas William Sangster Chrissy Bolze John Wilkinson Robert Gibbs Dennis Lozinski Fred Noah Sidney Meyer Brian Zielinski Greg Burtin Stacey Stewart Marc Conigliari Mark Demko Drew Edwards George Dwyer Jerry Wilson Stephen Brisbois BA Hunter James Wyckoff David Newton Aimee Peterson Brian Woodworth John Codman Allen Mandeen Randal Burns Mike Barbarino John Grounds Jay Davenport Louis Walchak Dan Habel Brad Conley Frank McCullough Jamie McClinton Sam Entgerprises Casey Conaway Larry Jackson Adam Martin Justin Taulbee Harold Prouty James Frankovich George Terhesh Scott Purcella Brett Slater Jason Cook Caruso Performance Pat Harmon Roberta Vasilow Justin Taulbee Mark O'Leary Karen Georgal Paul Schulz Lee Geiger Lamar Brown Breakinbuick11 Timothy Perkins Steve Stankus Darren Segrest Larry Sachs Craig Bonhoff Korrie Dykstra Dan Zepnick Loren Alexander Kenneth Lisk Andrew Bakies Christian Jarpenber Mike Gallagher Larry Gibson Kent Gardner Ajesh Parikh Gary Steele John Moore Gary Paine David Reber Mark Macoubrie Chuck Leeper Brian Yamanouchi Allan Ross Bradley Rezac Alan Jernigan Powersoft LLC William Burton Mark Gehringer Ryan Craig Philip Roitman V8TV Produtions Steve Robin Rob Holmes Terry Felt Sean Ryder Bruno Jacob Williams John Csordas jr Brian Steinbrick CJ Boyle Ted Nagel Al Corporon Steve Graff Michael Pesarchick Robert Andrews Thomas Trimper Martin Ruks Unique and Antique Nicholas Sloop Gary Fanning Joe Medrano Scott Phillips Bradford McAdam Tom Telesco Patton Glade Daniel Bloomingdale Jeffery Corey Tony Rospotynski Patrick Villmann BA Hunter Shane Butler George Spadaro David Newton Charles Jacot Lucas Johnson Keith Falkowski Rick Marino Len m Goldschmidt Bob Gibbs Christopher OKeefe James Pfannenstiel Mark Heiser Korrie Dykstra Gerry Stewart Raymond Kammer Jeff Horseman David Gramlow Rickson Wheels Dan Habel Steve Covington
Also sorry to hear of this. Great post Jim, very succint and to the point. Bottom line is, at some point, we all will need a helping hand. Donation made. Tom Mooney
My mother in law's house burned down two years ago, it was a very trying and difficult time for all involved, despite any insurance relief. I can appreciate the help this fund will serve..
Done. (Valerie Dishaw is me) used her pay pal Never met him personally but always a pleasure to do business with him.
Don’t know him at all but it’s about time I did something good around here. Sorry to hear about his loss.