Kicking Off the Fundraiser

If you don’t know, my name is Char Vine and I sustained a spinal cord injury in 2000 from a snowboarding accident in Bear Valley that left me paralyzed from the waist down and confined to a wheelchair. Over the last six years, I have been hospitalized over a dozen times from complications that ensued from hardware that was installed incorrectly in my back. By 2016 my body had become deformed and my spine had degenerated so severely that some of the hardware pulled out of the bone and started causing great damage inside my body. It left me bed bound and helpless for months. I opted for a high risk, extremely complicated surgery at the end of December 2016 to try and give me some quality of life back. They rebuilt my spine and fused me from my shoulders to my pelvis. It was a great success and my work since has involved a variety of therapies, five days a week to get my body back into a Straight Up position after being deformed for so long. The doctors estimated recovery to be at least a year and my progress has been slow and steady. I’m gaining back strength and movement everyday! But the surgery also left me with less mobility than I previously had in regards to twisting and bending that I can never regain. Now, because of the long length of the fusion, it is detrimental to my body to take my wheelchair apart to put it in my car like I used to. The last several months I have been relying on daily outside help to get me to appointments and to run errands. A vehicle with a dropped floor and ramp is my need to help me get me from place to place independently and move more efficiently. These converted vehicles are quite expensive on top of my out-of-pocket monthly rehabilitation and therapy expenses. I am reaching further into the community for help with raising some of the money to get me through this life challenge and to help keep me moving Straight Up.

I’m shooting for the moon and setting a goal to raise $45,000 to fund a used Honda Element with a WAV Conversion that will last me the next 10-15 years. To kick off the fundraising we are planning a large event on October 28, 2017. The event will include a light costume or white attire theme, farm-to-fork dinner by Outer Aisle, DJ Freedom Fighta and live music by the Janktones, presentation by Char, silent and ticket auctions, beer and wine, and much more! We are anticipating over 200+ people and a night full of fun, light, inspiration and celebration. Can you help me get closer to being independent again?

Thank you so much for considering to support me in my recovery journey. If inclined, there are a few ways to donate. It has been a long challenging road and I would have never gotten this far without the support of so many. I’m so grateful and excited to have this second shot at my life. Any help you can extend out would be greatly appreciated, Straight Up!

With Heart,
Char

Here are a few ways to help reach the fundraising goal:

1)  Become an Event Sponsor. In-kind donations will be auctioned off at the  fundraising event or online. Email char@charvine.com for marketing opportunities.
    Non tax-deductible product donation:
    (100% of the auction price will go towards funding a vehicle)
    Tax-deductible product donation:
    (7.65% of the final auction price will go to HelpHOPELive)

2) Buy tickets to the event at the door or purchase online at whiteout.brownpapertickets.com.

3)  Donate via internet.
    www.paypal.me/charvine
    (100% of this donation will go towards funding a vehicle)
    www.gofundme.com/charvine
(8% of this donation will go to GoFundMe)

4)  Donate via internet and receive a tax deduction.
www.helphopelive.org/campaign/12154
(7.65% of this donation will go to HelpHOPELive)

5)  Donate by mail. Make a check out to “Friends of Charlene Vine”
    Mail to:
    Pat Vine
    101 Cupsaw Ave.
    Ringwood, NJ 07456
    (100% of this donation will go towards funding a vehicle)

6)     If you are not able to donate money or product at this time, you can always     donate some positive energy towards Char’s recovery or drop her a line of  encouragement at char@charvine.com.

HelpHOPELive is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that has been assisting the transplant and spinal cord injury communities for over 30 years. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact them at 800.642.8399.

For more information contact Char at 209-200-7153 or email char@charvine.com.

THANK YOU!