For Once it Aint All About Me

Normally I am asking for money for my various inventions and my normal crackpot schemes, this time I offer this as a real opportunity to donate some money for a good cause before I get the chance to flim flam you out of it with one of my future schemes. A legitimate good cause, kind of an oxymoron on my blog, but hell I'm one of those renaissance men you read about somewhere. JW

Vic Krause President & Owner, Krause Racing, Inc. needs your help!

I want to tell you about a very special, local, non-profit organization and a crucial project they are working on right here in our own St. Charles community.

Some of you may know my oldest son, Victor Lawrence. He was born in 1986 with a rare genetic disorder called “Costello Syndrome,” which has rendered him disabled for life. He was raised in St. Charles and acquired countless friends while growing up here and attending schools in our neighborhood. His popularity is due to his hugely social nature, sense of humor, indominatable spirit, and eagerness to please. Although Victor has surpassed many predicted mental and physical limits, (that both doctors and educators alike had originally forecast), he clearly will never ride a bike, drive a car, travel alone, accurately make change or live unattended by himself. At 20 years old, Victor has only one more year at his current residential living school until he ages out and drops into a pool with over 100 other St. Charles area people with disabilities that are on a waiting list for placement into a group home. There is only one group home in St. Charles, housing five people and there are no openings. Many on the waiting list are sent out of town, even out of state, to wherever an open slot is available…far from family, friends, and familiar surroundings that provide the basis for continued stability and, in some cases, ongoing development. A sad situation that occurs far too often.

Through our experience with Victor and his disability, we have become familiar with an outstanding, non-profit service organization known as “Association for Individual Development” (AID). This group started 45 years ago and today operates 25 group homes in Kane and Kendall County, caring for over 3,700 people with disabilities just like Victor. My wife, Debbie, and I have personally visited many of these AID group homes. We discovered warm, bright, cheerful and inviting homes with caring, friendly, helpful staff that create a family environment 24/7. If you could ask the 3,700 people with disabilities that occupy these wonderful group homes what they thought of AID, you would probably hear 3,700 stories of a personal miracle come true.

I need your help. AID has embarked on a mission to create a small group home on the east side of St. Charles (212 Moore Ave.) to accommodate six local people with disabilities. (They built the first St. Charles group home on the west side three years ago). The 212 Moore house and property has been earmarked for acquisition and conversion. This is scheduled to happen within 12 months and AID is in a race against time to raise the funds necessary to acquire ownership of the property before the opportunity slips away. Once AID owns the house, the conversion process will begin. I am just one small sprocket gear in this fundraising mechanism. But I’m hoping you will also become a sprocket gear in this charity machine.

Katrina, Rita, the Tsunami and other disasters have dominated the world of charity. There is human need everywhere you look. However, consider this: right here in St. Charles we have over 100 of your local neighbors, friends, and in some cases, relatives with life-long disabilities whose plight is permanent not temporary and they have no acceptable place to live in their own hometown. In America 100 years ago we had a simple way to address the needs of the disabled. It was “Neighbors Helping Neighbors.” It worked then and it can work now…but it can’t happen without you.

Here is how you can help. You can make a tax deductible donation to this AID campaign in any amount. More is better. Also, you can further this cause by “passing the word.” Copy and forward this appeal to neighbors, business acquaintances, friends and relatives as soon as you can. You can underwrite specific expenses of the project or donate services or goods in-kind. However, the most pressing need is to raise the funds so AID can gain possession of the Moore Ave. house. You can make a difference and you will make it happen in your own community for your own “Neighbors in Need” like my son, Victor Lawrence and the many other local young adults and adults with disabilities.

Thank you for considering this important appeal. Please call me at 630-513-1000 if you would like detailed information or contact Kathy Hazelwood, V.P. at AID. She can be reached at 847-931-2290.

Humble and sincere thanks for your consideration.

Vic Krause

President & Owner, Krause Racing, Inc.

Dad taking Victor for a ride on the back of the family fourwheeler. Thanksgiving 2005. P.S. We always wear helmets when riding!