Michael Carthy Needs a New Van!!
Donation protected
Just to start things off.. straight right out of the horse's mouth (Gerry Carthy) :
” Also we are not looking to have our friends pay the whole thing – we will gladly accept everything from ‘ a penny to a pound’ so we can make a good down payment and then we will make monthly payments on the balance – like normal people…!!!
God Bless You All and Thank you in advance
Gerry ….. The Jolly Beggarman. Santa Fe 1/16/2020 “
The Story begins.............
Just over 10 years a fundraiser was organized by Irish musician and mighty balladeer Sean Tyrell, a friend of Gerry Carthy, to raise money for a new van for Gerry’s son, Michael Carthy who was 7 years old at the time: Michael has a rare form of Muscular Dystrophy and relies on a handicap equipped conversion van to get him around to school on a daily basis, medical appointments and to get to visit with his many friends.
Poster for 2009 Fundraiser at Kelly's Bar in Galway.
The van had to be replaced back in 2009 because the original van was in a collision and damaged, luckily Michael was not in the van at the time. The fundraising event was started by Sean after he had heard that Gerry was selling many of his musical instruments to come up with payment for a new van: Sean thought this would be very tough on practicing musician much like Gerry. How can one make a living if they have to sell the tools that they use make such a living: Sean himself, a practicing musician from Co. Galway, now living in Clare, relied upon playing music to make a living so he took it upon himself and thought a great solution would be to have benefit concert at Kelly’s Bar in Galway with all of the dozen or more musicians playing to raise funds to help defer the cost of a new van. The fundraising was successful, and it helped Gerry to get out from under the red , the debt of acquiring a replacement van back 10 years ago.
Now some 10 years later........
Michael will be graduating from high school in the late spring of this year: He’s an amazing young man, he deals with his everyday situation like a true champion, all who have met him, like myself see him as a great young man, very intelligent, cool, calm and well loved by his parents, his many friends and those like myself who’ve had a chance to spend any time around him. This past summer before his senior year and even recently during this senior year, Michael is taking classes at the community college. He has a passion for learning and living life to the fullest regardless of his disabilities. One could only wish that they had a meager ounce of the fortitude that Michael has in himself, and the result....we’d all be better persons.
Gerry says about Michael......
" He is smart (not from me), witty - as quick on the draw as Mickey Finn - he personifies the stoicism of Peter Galligan and his humour and laughter reminds me of the great singer Noel Sherlock, sadly no longer with us like Peter and Mickey - all of whom bring back fond memories of The Cellar, Mrs. Cullen and family and O’Malley’s ."
Michael Meeting Damian Lillard of the Portland Trailblazers last year!!
The story continues............
Unfortunately, the van itself has worn out in those 10 years not only from the daily commute to and from school for Michael but from the long distance medical appointments in Colorado and Texas.
Currently, the van's condition in the words of Gerry Carthy........
” Well , the van is getting old now and the handicap equipment, mainly the ramp for the wheelchair and the sliding door keep breaking down and Mikey needs a new van. Recently he had to bring 2 wheelchairs to Denver for modification and we had to rent a newish van to fit both chairs.”
The three day rental for that new van was well over $600.00…
The cost of just the handicapped equipment from the old van was $16,000.00.
So we are asking those of you who happened to come to this Fundraising site to give us a hand by donating any amount, a few dollars or more if you can to help Michael get a new van.
The cost of van is in the range of $35,000.00 to $40,000.00
We the organizers of this GoFundMe campaign are shooting for $35,000.00..
There have been some generous donations already from friends and family before we started this GoFundMe campaign. This amounts to 7000.00!!! - so we are off to a great start.
ALSO REMEMBER THAT YOU DON'T NEED TO TIP THE GOFUNDME PLATFORM. JUST ENTER "OTHER" and PUT $0.00 (zero) FOR A TIP....
We the organizers thank you for all your generosity in advance,
Cormac Gannon San Francisco, CA. and Douglas Patrick Santa Fe, NM.
” Also we are not looking to have our friends pay the whole thing – we will gladly accept everything from ‘ a penny to a pound’ so we can make a good down payment and then we will make monthly payments on the balance – like normal people…!!!
God Bless You All and Thank you in advance
Gerry ….. The Jolly Beggarman. Santa Fe 1/16/2020 “
The Story begins.............
Just over 10 years a fundraiser was organized by Irish musician and mighty balladeer Sean Tyrell, a friend of Gerry Carthy, to raise money for a new van for Gerry’s son, Michael Carthy who was 7 years old at the time: Michael has a rare form of Muscular Dystrophy and relies on a handicap equipped conversion van to get him around to school on a daily basis, medical appointments and to get to visit with his many friends.
Poster for 2009 Fundraiser at Kelly's Bar in Galway.The van had to be replaced back in 2009 because the original van was in a collision and damaged, luckily Michael was not in the van at the time. The fundraising event was started by Sean after he had heard that Gerry was selling many of his musical instruments to come up with payment for a new van: Sean thought this would be very tough on practicing musician much like Gerry. How can one make a living if they have to sell the tools that they use make such a living: Sean himself, a practicing musician from Co. Galway, now living in Clare, relied upon playing music to make a living so he took it upon himself and thought a great solution would be to have benefit concert at Kelly’s Bar in Galway with all of the dozen or more musicians playing to raise funds to help defer the cost of a new van. The fundraising was successful, and it helped Gerry to get out from under the red , the debt of acquiring a replacement van back 10 years ago.
Now some 10 years later........
Michael will be graduating from high school in the late spring of this year: He’s an amazing young man, he deals with his everyday situation like a true champion, all who have met him, like myself see him as a great young man, very intelligent, cool, calm and well loved by his parents, his many friends and those like myself who’ve had a chance to spend any time around him. This past summer before his senior year and even recently during this senior year, Michael is taking classes at the community college. He has a passion for learning and living life to the fullest regardless of his disabilities. One could only wish that they had a meager ounce of the fortitude that Michael has in himself, and the result....we’d all be better persons.
Gerry says about Michael......
" He is smart (not from me), witty - as quick on the draw as Mickey Finn - he personifies the stoicism of Peter Galligan and his humour and laughter reminds me of the great singer Noel Sherlock, sadly no longer with us like Peter and Mickey - all of whom bring back fond memories of The Cellar, Mrs. Cullen and family and O’Malley’s ."
Michael Meeting Damian Lillard of the Portland Trailblazers last year!!The story continues............
Unfortunately, the van itself has worn out in those 10 years not only from the daily commute to and from school for Michael but from the long distance medical appointments in Colorado and Texas.
Currently, the van's condition in the words of Gerry Carthy........
” Well , the van is getting old now and the handicap equipment, mainly the ramp for the wheelchair and the sliding door keep breaking down and Mikey needs a new van. Recently he had to bring 2 wheelchairs to Denver for modification and we had to rent a newish van to fit both chairs.”
The three day rental for that new van was well over $600.00…
The cost of just the handicapped equipment from the old van was $16,000.00.
So we are asking those of you who happened to come to this Fundraising site to give us a hand by donating any amount, a few dollars or more if you can to help Michael get a new van.
The cost of van is in the range of $35,000.00 to $40,000.00
We the organizers of this GoFundMe campaign are shooting for $35,000.00..
There have been some generous donations already from friends and family before we started this GoFundMe campaign. This amounts to 7000.00!!! - so we are off to a great start.
ALSO REMEMBER THAT YOU DON'T NEED TO TIP THE GOFUNDME PLATFORM. JUST ENTER "OTHER" and PUT $0.00 (zero) FOR A TIP....
We the organizers thank you for all your generosity in advance,
Cormac Gannon San Francisco, CA. and Douglas Patrick Santa Fe, NM.
Fundraising team: Michael Carthy Van Fundraising Team (2)
Doug Patrick
Organizer
Santa Fe, NM
Gerry Carthy
Beneficiary
Patrick Egan
Team member