Derby in Iraq - pics

General topics of interest to racers and race coordinators alike.
User avatar
joe
Master Pine Head
Master Pine Head
Posts: 554
Joined: Sun Jan 23, 2005 12:09 pm
Location: Kansas
Contact:

Re: Derby in Iraq - pics

Post by joe »

My brother is a Marine sergeant on his third tour in Fallujah. I will have his wife check with him as to whether or not he can facilitate such a thing. Give me a few days, I don't know how often he can check e-mail account, or how many more months he will be there. I know they spent a lot of time with kids for "hearts and minds," giving away school supplies, soccer balls, etc.
User avatar
Go Bubba Go
Pine Head Legend
Pine Head Legend
Posts: 1190
Joined: Sat Nov 18, 2006 12:09 pm
Location: Northern, Illinois

Re: Derby in Iraq - pics

Post by Go Bubba Go »

joe wrote:My brother is a Marine sergeant on his third tour in Fallujah. I will have his wife check with him as to whether or not he can facilitate such a thing. Give me a few days, I don't know how often he can check e-mail account, or how many more months he will be there. I know they spent a lot of time with kids for "hearts and minds," giving away school supplies, soccer balls, etc.
Make sure you convey your Thanks from us that he is over there "doing what he's doing".

A direct contact on the ground like this is the biggest "gap" in my plan right now. I have some feelers out to a couple of people I know "in country", but haven't heard from them yet. I also have a few peers that served in "Iraq 1" tracking down some guys they know that might still be over there.

I have been talking with MaxV about the "mechanics" of the supply side, but he (and I) don't think it's wise to start accumulating any funds until we have (at least one) intended recipient that really wants to receive the goods.

Finally, with respect to what to send, I am thinking of the basics and of things that would be difficult to "scrounge" i.e.

Kits (block, wheels, axles)
Decals
Graphite
Cut and shape kit (coping saw, rasp)
Scale
Markers / Brush paints
Pro Axle tool for mounting axles in existing slots

I am not thinking:

Lead wire / weighting material (they have spent casings, dead AA batteries, etc.)
Pro Mandrel / Pro Body tool (they may not have access to drill, bit, sandpaper, etc.)

I spoke with the USO folks, and they directed me to www.anysoldier.com. But before I pick a troop at random and hope they welcome the package, I would rather exhaust the leads I have on people who are familiar with PWD and would certainly enjoy it. A DT family member would be even better.
"Who's Grandpa's neighbor?"... Phil Davis, Down and Derby
User avatar
joe
Master Pine Head
Master Pine Head
Posts: 554
Joined: Sun Jan 23, 2005 12:09 pm
Location: Kansas
Contact:

Re: Derby in Iraq - pics

Post by joe »

Bubba, we will have to go another route instead of my brother. He says
the Marines have moved and are on a new mission to help the Iraqi police inside the city and that they can't spare the time now, but thanks for the thoughts! He suggests the Army would have time...well, you know how those Marines can be!
User avatar
gpraceman
Site Admin
Site Admin
Posts: 4919
Joined: Fri Jun 20, 2003 12:46 am
Location: Highlands Ranch, CO
Contact:

Re: Derby in Iraq - pics

Post by gpraceman »

joe wrote:He suggests the Army would have time...well, you know how those Marines can be!
Sounds like a Marine. Hoorah!

There is also Air Force. Let's also not forget the Navy (being prior Navy myself). They are providing air support and some other support operations from the gulf. I think it would be cool to see a Pinewood Derby race on the deck of a ship. Fortunately, the gulf is very calm. A rolling deck would certanily add a new dynamic to the race :lol:
Randy Lisano
Romans 5:8

Awana Grand Prix and Pinewood Derby racing - Where a child, an adult and a small block of wood combine for a lot of fun and memories.
kratev13
Apprentice
Apprentice
Posts: 13
Joined: Tue Dec 19, 2006 9:17 am
Location: Illinois

Re: Derby in Iraq - pics

Post by kratev13 »

I'm going to Iraq in mid-April for a year and I'll love to bring this with me to my base. As soon as I arrive, I'll be in touch with everyone and see what we can set up. My intention is to pass this to the Iraqi kids. I'm also a bicycle collector and you'll see pics of me riding a Schwinn Stingray around my base as soon as my bike buddies can ship it to me in pieces for reassembly over there.
Major Matt
User avatar
Go Bubba Go
Pine Head Legend
Pine Head Legend
Posts: 1190
Joined: Sat Nov 18, 2006 12:09 pm
Location: Northern, Illinois

Re: Derby in Iraq - pics

Post by Go Bubba Go »

FYI / Update:

I spoke on the phone with Major Matt a week ago about his pending deployment.

He is thinking that the best "receive time" would be in the July-August timeframe, giving him a couple of months to get his feet on the ground and figure out the receiving and storage arrangements.

At this time I would anticipate "going public" with the contribution mechanism in early April.

The other "feelers" I had out have not produced anyone that is still In Country, so to speak.

p.s. Oddly enough, Major Matt is in the same Council with me and my boys. I met him and his son a year ago at the Council races in April, got to talking with him and discovered that we shared a mutual acquaintance or two from a unit I was part of yeeeeeaaaaars ago. Small world, eh?
"Who's Grandpa's neighbor?"... Phil Davis, Down and Derby
DerbyAddict
Pine Head
Pine Head
Posts: 66
Joined: Tue Oct 11, 2005 9:18 pm

Re: Derby in Iraq - pics

Post by DerbyAddict »

Thanks Bubba, keep us informed as to when we can help support. I got some funds from my Pack and I will ask at my Church's Mens group also.
*****************************
Richard Sava
Cubmaster, Pack 241
Deltona, FL
*****************************
Any day racing PWD is a good day but winning makes a better good day!
User avatar
Nitro Dan
Master Pine Head
Master Pine Head
Posts: 327
Joined: Fri Jun 02, 2006 3:11 pm
Location: Felton, PA

Re: Derby in Iraq - pics

Post by Nitro Dan »

Go Bubba Go wrote:...Bubba wants to see a picture of lots of happy kids in Iraq having their own Pinewood Derby!!!
If you wait long enough, every thing happens across the internet. Scroll down through this link and check out the Pinewood Derby pics from Iraq's newest Scout group (setup by U.S. soldiers, of course):

http://www.yellowribboncampaignofidaho. ... ements.htm




-Nitro Dan
Take good and make it great. Take fast and make it faster. Performance drives success!
User avatar
Go Bubba Go
Pine Head Legend
Pine Head Legend
Posts: 1190
Joined: Sat Nov 18, 2006 12:09 pm
Location: Northern, Illinois

Re: Derby in Iraq - pics

Post by Go Bubba Go »

Just an FYI / Update to you guys that Matt has landed (can't say exactly where - but he's certainly "not in Kansas anymore" :wink: ).

He and I have communicated a couple of times about our boys recent Council races, etc. and as far as I know he's still thinking July-August to receive our box(es) of goodies.

I'll post another update here when we're ready to start taking donations. Don't want to start the process too soon and create any problems for MaxV in having the funds just sitting there.
"Who's Grandpa's neighbor?"... Phil Davis, Down and Derby
kratev13
Apprentice
Apprentice
Posts: 13
Joined: Tue Dec 19, 2006 9:17 am
Location: Illinois

Re: Derby in Iraq - pics

Post by kratev13 »

Everyone,
Yes indeed, I've landed and set up shop in sunny Iraq, the central south region to be a little more precise. I'm actually near a place called Diwaniyah, just east of Najaf. Gary Piantedosi has generously offered to donate a 3 lane, 32 foot track to us, I just have to find a way to pay for the shipping. When we originally corresponded, I wasn't sure of the address here yet, now I am and he is recalculating the shipping for me. Hopefully I can get a NGO (Non-Governmental Organization), like the USO to foot the bill for that. Can anyone here recommend a manufacturer of timing/finish systems that works well with Gary's tracks? I'd like to contact one (or a few) to see if I can get a deal on one.
We've got several NGOs working in our area with Iraqi schools and children's groups who should be able to help us put on some derbys for the local kids. I'm sure we'll have a base race as well. The base I'm at is withing a multi-national Division so I have troops here from about 16 countries working side-by-side with me everyday (that would be the coalition that the media sometimes forgets is helping with this effort). I've spoken with several of my coalition partners and some of them have had derbys in their countries and were excited about the prospect of bringing it to this little corner of the world. Our interpreter was puzzled when I tried to explain the derby and kept thinking that we were going to have small children racing real cars, LOL, very funny stuff. It took a trip to the internet to show him what I was talking about. Anyway....any help on finding a timer/finish system would be much appreciated. As for the supplies, I'm working on a place to store them and when I have some time, I'm going to see the KBR (Kellogg, Brown and Root) contractors about use of some basic tools. I'm sure we'll have to have a workshop and at some point, I'm going to have to come up with some very basic instructions (not rules, but sort of) to have translated into Arabic to hand out with the kits. Time is short and I've got to get my butt over to my work area.
Thanks for your help,
Major Matt
TAL
Master Pine Head
Master Pine Head
Posts: 300
Joined: Wed May 17, 2006 8:47 pm
Location: N.C., USA

Re: Derby in Iraq - pics

Post by TAL »

kratev13 wrote: Can anyone here recommend a manufacturer of timing/finish systems that works well with Gary's tracks? I'd like to contact one (or a few) to see if I can get a deal on one.
Thanks for your help,
Major Matt
www.microwizard.com

The K-1 is a very simple finish line...

Just contact them and tell them you are getting a piantedosi and they can built it to track specs...

Will it be an aluminum or wooden track???

That may make a difference in specs on the timer, I don't know...

We have a freedom aluminum with a microwizard...
Littlejon
Journeyman
Journeyman
Posts: 45
Joined: Mon Jan 30, 2006 11:45 am
Location: Reidsville, NC

Re: Derby in Iraq - pics

Post by Littlejon »

Sorry for coming in late onthis thread, but I LOVE the idea of PWD in Iraq! Aside from these kids benefitting immensely from all that Scouting offers, it does my heart good to know that our military personnel are FINALLY getting some press for the GOOD they do over there. What better stewards of good will than those who serve in our military? I cannot think of any better folks to give these kids a few hours of fun that our own kids enjoy and take for granted.

May God bless you and all who serve our country! You will never know how much you are loved and appreciated. And PLEASE don't let those idiots in the media get you down. They look for the worst to put out there and definitely have an agenda. Those of us with a brain KNOW the good you are doing over there and the character of those who wear the uniforms of our military branches.

Now, as for the PWD, just let me know what to send and where to send it! I might also suggest that some of us leaders propose getting the Packs involved as well. I could see my own Pack putting together a box of stuff to send you guys.

Just let me know!
kratev13
Apprentice
Apprentice
Posts: 13
Joined: Tue Dec 19, 2006 9:17 am
Location: Illinois

Re: Derby in Iraq - pics

Post by kratev13 »

Hello again from Iraq. I just got done writing an email thanking Dave at Supertimer.com for his generous gift of a four lane Supertrack, timer and race software free of charge, shipped to us here in Diwaniyah. The generosity of folks is amazing. I can't thank him enough. Dave has stated that he's going to ship her out in the first week of September and we're probably looking at holding our on-base race for the troops sometime in November and the one for the local Iraqi kids in either December or January. If anyone has any extra kits, tools, materials, weights, whatever, that they'd like to send, I'd really appreciate it. We've got U.S. and Coalition troops from 13 countries on our base and I'm not sure yet what the level of participation might be. I'm going to draft up a flyer to post in the DFAC (Dining Facility, we're not allowed to call them "mess halls" anymore) to begin sign-up and get an idea of how many Soldiers will want to take part. I've discussed it with the Polish forces here and they have something similar in Poland and are eager to give it a go here. It's amazing how many Soldiers were cub scouts and have great memories of the PWD when we were boys. Our little base is not a major facility and we don't have much in the way of MWR (morale, welfare and recreation) here so this will be a great activity that we can use to reconnect to home. Again, thank you in advance for anything you can spare. My address is:
Major Matt Voyles
U.S. Army G-Staff
Camp Echo
APO AE 09332

P.S. Shipping to an APO (Army Post Office) address is like shipping to the east coast of the U.S. Once it gets to Dover, DE, it goes on a military plane from there. If anyone has stuff but needs me to pay for shipping, just let me know. Again, thank you.

MAJ Matt
User avatar
Go Bubba Go
Pine Head Legend
Pine Head Legend
Posts: 1190
Joined: Sat Nov 18, 2006 12:09 pm
Location: Northern, Illinois

Re: Derby in Iraq - pics

Post by Go Bubba Go »

Go Bubba Go wrote:
gpraceman wrote:Great! Do you want to set up some kind of fund so people can contribute to the effort? Maybe setup a PayPal account to make it easy.
I spoke to MaxV and he is willing to set that up.

I will follow up with the specifics and a link in a reply when the arrangements are done (it's full on Derby Season, he may not have it "up and running" until over the weekend) :)
Given Matt's update above, I will follow up with MaxV next week about getting the method established for people who want to contribute financially to the effort.

It may be a couple days as I have been working Storm Response efforts for the past few days and will be until we have all the folks in Chicagoland back on line.

I (or MaxV) will post here again when the fund is setup and donations are ready to be accepted.
"Who's Grandpa's neighbor?"... Phil Davis, Down and Derby
kratev13
Apprentice
Apprentice
Posts: 13
Joined: Tue Dec 19, 2006 9:17 am
Location: Illinois

Re: Derby in Iraq - pics

Post by kratev13 »

As great as the track, timer and software gift is, I'd be remiss if I didn't thank Bubba and Max for their efforts as well. You guys are great, thank you very much for everything. Bubba has sent me some care packages as well and there's just nothing like mail from home to brighten your day. As a former Soldier and Illinois Army National Guardsman, he's all to aware of the realities of military life. Boredom may not be our number one enemy, but it definately makes the list.
Post Reply