JD Schramm Helps to Raise Over $28,000 for Families!

Dear Family and Friends --

You likely all know now that I rode my bike last week from the Pentagon to the World Trade Center raising funds for the families of 11 men in Rescue Five of Staten Island. I have attached a journal entry which I read at closing ceremonies inside the fire station immediately before we gave them a large chunk of the funds we raised. It was a moving moment and I was honored to have my thoughts be a part of this special moment.

I did not do a good job of getting the word out that I was doing this ride, so for those of you who want to contribute, but did not get a chance, you can still send checks, payable to Rescue Five Fireman's Family Fund. Mail them to Dr. Glenn Wisch 27 Madison Avenue, #110 Paramus, NJ 07652. Please indicate that your gift is supporting my participation.

We have raised around $28,000 and our goal is to provide them $33,000 which would be $3,000 per family. A small token in light of their family's sacrifice, but a welcome bonus as their holidays come up. This house has been missed by many of the other fundraisers and we were directed to this station in particular by the NYFD because they were not benefiting from much of the other public generosity.

Thanks for your support and know that my prayers and thoughts are with you all. Please feel free to forward this to anyone else who you think would benefit from knowing about the Cycle of Freedom event.

As always,

jds

(Schramm is an avid cyclist who has biked over 3800 miles for charities over the past four years. From November 8 to 11 he participated in Cycle of Freedom, a 291 mile ride benefiting the families of Rescue Five on Staten Island. His comments below were delivered on Sunday November 11th when he and the ten other cyclists arrived at Rescue Five to deliver checks and pledges for the families of the eleven fallen firefighters.)

Over these past four days of cycling we learned a great deal about heroism, mostly from the heroes we met while honoring these 11 heroes we never knew.

As we pedaled from Washington DC to New York City – two powerful cities racked by terrorist attacks – we raised over $28,000 riding on behalf of eleven men from Staten Island's Rescue Five. The funds will benefit those fallen heroes' families, but the ride benefited us as we got to meet a ton of heroes honoring these 11 heroes we never knew.

The professionals of DC's Firehouse Six could not even finish a tour of the fire station before a call came in. We found our beds in the dorm ourselves hoping these men would come home safe and soon. As we slumbered the PA system never rested continuing to announce alarms and emergencies. These heroes somehow knew when to rise and answer calls and when to roll over and keep sleeping.

These men were just a few of the heroes we met honoring these 11 heroes we never knew.

As we cycled through DC and Maryland the towns got smaller and the rescue forces became volunteers. Overnight in Denton Maryland we were hosted in the homes of the volunteers and their families. The next night we stayed en masse in the Tuckerton NJ fire house. We secretly longed for undisturbed sleep but again heard the familiar, though quieter, sounds of the emergency radio through the night.

Our appreciation for these heroes is deep. When they answer calls from their living rooms or pick-up trucks it is their neighbors and friends who are at risk. These heroes volunteer to keep their small corner of the homeland safe and secure.

Our journey continued. Our Maryland State Trooper escorts passed us on to the Delaware emergency officials. 11 fire trucks and EMT units escorted our 11 bikes from one border to the other. Numerous other escorts took turns with our group, including 11 ambulances and fire trucks again through the city limits of Asbury Park. Many stations handed us checks and cash to deliver to Rescue Five.

They are just a few more heroes we met honoring these 11 heroes we never knew.

Our little entourage numbered 11 cyclists, two alternates, and five safety vehicle drivers. Up early and cycling hard takes a team effort. The lead vehicle driver watching for the next turn and the “sweep” driver encouraging the slowest bikers are as critical to the success of the ride as each of us on bikes.

But the littlest and most powerful heroes on this journey were unquestionably the five young people who also joined us. Carlee, Corey, Matt, Tim, and Alyssa were our champions. Their dads rode bikes while their moms drove minivans and all of us wanted them to know the world is not just what they saw on September 11th it is indeed what they have seen since.

These five were some more of the heroes we met while honoring these 11 heroes we never knew.

Emily Dickinson said, “We don't know how tall we are until we have the occasion to rise.” Over the past four days we've seen lots of heroes rise.

Some reported news; others registered pledges.
Some fixed bike wheels; others mended sore necks.
Some sliced up roast beef; others handed out clean towels.
Some rode bikes; others wrote checks.
Some escorted us with red lights and loud sirens; others encouraged us with silent prayers for safety and good weather.
Some made beds; others washed laundry.
Some stopped traffic; others honked horns.
Some designed and embroidered shirts for us; others waved flags and dried tears.
For 291 miles past hundreds of onlookers, through gallons of Gatorade and pounds of bananas, a tiny team of us did what we could in our own way to combat terrorism and recognize heroism.

And…

We met a great deal of heroes honoring these 11 heroes we never knew.

In the process we recognized that each of us has the capacity to be a hero…it just takes different forms at different times.

Something we never knew learned by honoring these 11 heroes we never knew. We remain in their debt.

(Copyright November 11, 2001. Schramm is a part time MBA student at NYU's Stern School of Business. He works by day as an independent training consultant and public speaker. Jane Doe Press published his play, exChanges, in the fall of 2001. He can be reached at jdschramm@juno.com)