TOT 6.0 Wrap Up

This post is dedicated to everyone new to The Organ Trail.
I hope you see value in sharing our message to your network to help educate those who, like my wife Lynn and me, didn’t know about the urgent and dire need for living organ donors.

We also dedicate TOT 6.0 to those looking for a life-saving kidney or liver transplant, whom we highlighted during the TOT 6.0 ride last month. We hope they find that special person.

States and the people involved in TOT 6.0.
(I apologize in advance, I tried tagging you all, but Facebook…..)

This is not exactly a thank you list, but every person and organization mentioned here deserves a heartfelt THANK YOU for helping get the message out of The Organ Trail (TOT).
Lynn and I believe this is a solvable problem. 13 or more people die every day in this country waiting for a kidney or liver transplant. The solution is us, all the healthy people in this country who want to help but don’t know it yet.

This is an attempt to show the breadth of the reach of TOT 6.0 and to highlight, and yes, THANK! those who volunteered to help get our message out

Wisconsin
Team for Leg 1 my sister, Gee Gee Jannene, and her husband, Dean.
Adam Smit, (Brianna Smit) for coming out to support me as a rider.
Marc Wolding, (Deb Wolding) as driver for Leg 4.
T.K. Michaels, from B104.9 Real Country radio in Stevens Point, WI, for keeping central WI informed with regular updates. Lynn, for being there every day in my mind and helping get so many things set up pre-ride.

Minnesota
Legacy Media manager Jennie Hinz. Double Living Donor, kidney and liver, Mark Hansen, who rode with me from Los Angeles to Las Vegas. Sister Mari Scotch and SIL Jodi Lang, who donated her kidney to a high school friend over 16 years ago, helped prompt my decision to donate my kidney to a stranger I met in a bar 5 years ago.

Ohio
Childhood buddy Mark Bruner. Website manager, Kelly Snell.

Colorado
Pat Moffit Serrano, my high school French teacher, for letting me park my truck in her driveway for over a month during the ride. Bob Wade, rider support. Anna Morgan-Palardy, for the reception in Glenwood Springs. Chris Klug Foundation.

Tennessee
Megan Conner, Leg 2 social media. Living kidney donor.

Kentucky
Christina Rivera, our amazing Facebook Fairy. Living kidney, liver, and egg donor.

California
Ernie Villalon, living kidney coordinator, Keck Medicine of USC for help setting up events at Keck and CHLA and riding with me. Dean O’Malley, living kidney donor, for riding along for 2 days. Children’s Hospital Los Angeles (CHLA)

Illinois
Long time friend Tim Mullen, living kidney donor, for driver on Leg 2, social media for part of Leg 3, and riding with me (mostly all downhill I might add!!😆) Tim has been part of every TOT ride.

Utah
Son Nick Scotch and grandson Mason for riding along and much, much, more. Kidney recipient Bruce Tippets for the Vernal event.

Nevada
Buddy Dave Tronnier for opening his home, cooking for us, and bringing Megan out of her shell!

Georgia
Brian Striggow driver of Leg 3. Living kidney donor.

Oregon
Son Chris for social media contend provider, navigator through and over the mountains of Utah and Colorado, website advisor, and much more.

Connecticut
The National Kidney Registry for sponsoring TOT6.0. The National Kidney Donation Organization for helping out finding volunteers. Both of these organizations mentor potential living donors. I’ll put Kidney Donor Athletes here, as well.

New York
Hearts for Russ for their support.

Arizona
For Selena and her family. Friend Joe Bauer and his mom, Elaine.