PTSD - A Growing Conversation

Post Traumatic Stress Disorder: is a mental health condition that's triggered by a terrifying event — either experiencing it or witnessing it. Symptoms may include flashbacks, nightmares and severe anxiety, as well as uncontrollable thoughts about the event. (Mayo Clinic)

Kate MacEachern, a former Corporal in the Canadian Armed Forces is on a mission.

Walking from Nipawin Saskatchewan to Chilliwack BC, Kate's journey is all about creating dialogue around PTSD, it's causes, it's side effects and the solutions that can bring a measure of happiness, joy and sunshine back into people's lives.

The 45 pound rucksack she carries on her back is symbolic of the burden of PTSD that so many first responders, service personnel and veteran's carry.

The journey through PTSD is all about learning to live with a new normal.

My story:

Like everyone out there, I have a few causes that are close to my heart. Finding a cure for MS - my wonderful husband has MS, so, it's important to me that we find a cure, anything to do with children who are suffering from sexual, physical and psychological abuse. As a survivor, those causes are important to me. PTSD; being a survivor, having dealt with psychiatrists and doctors, insurance and bureaucracy, I know all too well about the stigma involved with PTSD.

PTSD almost robbed me of my life. I had survived repeated beatings at the hand of my mother, I had survived being sexually molested, I had survived the car crash that put me in braces, physically, but inside, my spirit, my soul and mind were struggling. Nightmares, cold sweats, very little sleep for days and weeks and months and years...mood swings, sometimes violent ones...along with a host of other unpleasant symptoms. 

After several medications that did not work (Wellbutrin, Zoloft etc) the drugs the doctors eventually put me on, Paxil and Amitriptyline ended up exacerbating the problem instead of alleviating it.  No one knew at the time, that you should not drink coffee on Paxil. Here I was, 2-3 pots of coffee a day on 40MG's of this stuff and low and behold, when they adjusted the Amtrityline the last time, it triggered suicidal thoughts. After about a week of not being able to shut the voice off in my head, feeling like I couldn't tell anyone what was going on, terrified of what the outcome would be, I checked myself into the hospital. I spent two weeks being weened off of caffeine, through tests, it was discovered I had caffeine toxicity and 75% liver damage caused by the combination of coffee and Paxil.

I went through hell. My family went through it with me. Counselling helped some, but none of the drugs the doctors tried on me worked and with the last set almost killing me I decided I would pitch the drugs and find other ways to deal with my challenges. I meditate now, watch my diet, use herbal supplements, read a lot of spiritual books. Riding my motorcycle helps me cope as does snuggling with my cats...but...

It wasn't until I went to Wounded Warriors Weekend in Slave Lake AB last August that I truly, deeply got the message that I wasn't alone, I wasn't weird, I was wounded.

Being surrounded by others who had similar sleeping patterns to mine, watching others trigger, listening to the experiences of others who like me, wanted to do more than just survive...it wasn't until that weekend that I felt accepted, by ME. I had bought into the stigma that the doctors, friends and strangers had labelled me with. I was ashamed of me and this weakness.  NO MORE.

At Wounded Warriors Weekend I found a new layer to my healing.

DIALOGUE.

I feel stronger inside than I have in years, and I believe that the simple act of dialogue brought an enlightenment an understanding to my brain that it had not been able to accept before.

Although I wasn't a soldier or a veteran, I wasn't a cop or a fire fighter, not a medic either, the people who attended Wounded Warriors Weekend, made me realize that my trauma's while different from theirs, were real, horrible and that I wasn't crazy.

I was more like them than not, I was simply trying to find a new normal while resenting loosing the old normal.

One of the people who touched my soul and helped rekindle my fire and passion for life, was Kate MacEachern. Having been thrown from a horse during a training exercise with the Lord Strathcona's Mounted Regiment, this woman, whose back was broken, who later experienced a stroke because of a dislodged blood clot caused by the horse incident, a woman who was told she'd never walk again, might never function fully again, helped me.

She helped me through her compassion, her empathy, her courage, strength and inner beauty.

Kate MacEachern is all of those things and so much more.

After interviewing her, spending time with her, I vowed that I wanted to do more surrounding the issue of PTSD.

I wanted to support our Warriors, those who do jobs that horrify, that destroy the soul, the body and the mind. The Police, Medics, Fire Fighters, Soldiers, Veteran's - these people do jobs that I am not sure I would have the courage to do. They see horrific car wrecks, people burning alive, children being abused, bullets and IED's taking the lives of their friends - they see the WORST of humanity & Mother Nature and yet they rush in to help instead of pulling back.

Because of meeting Kate, I decided to start an event that will become it's own association in time, called Wheels for Our Wounded using my non profit, The Canadian Motorcycle Tourism Association to do so.

The goal; to help those who need wind therapy to deal with their PTSD be able to have motorcycles converted with side cars or made into trikes, help buy wheel chair accessible vehicles or help get vehicles modified so a Warrior could drive their car or truck.

You see the government looks upon private vehicles as a luxury, but those of us who ride, know that a motorcycle is far more than a luxury, for some of us, it's a life line. Those who can't take public transit know that wheels mean freedom, independence and dignity.

Dog therapy, equine therapy, wind therapy, gardening therapy - there are almost as many PTSD therapy types as there are sufferers.  This is not a one size fits all illness. There are organizations funding many of the different therapies, but vehicle therapy outside of wheel chair accessible vehicles isn't being funded here in Canada.

I called Kate and asked her if she could be my special guest since she'd be in Edmonton for May 30th - told her I'd donate 25% of everything we take in to her cause and the balance would go to purchasing a motorcycle for a veteran in need of motorcycle therapy. She agreed.

AND THEN I was asked to join the team of The Long Way Home as Operations Manager.
Overwhelmed but excited to be involved in making a bigger difference, I readily agreed.

Though we are only two weeks into Kate's 3 month long journey, I can't tell you how healing this experience has been. Gruelling, challenging but healing, for all of us in the team I do believe.

As her ops manager, my job is to take care of all the little things that crop up while the team is on the road. I apply for permits, coordinate with the rest of the team like Cindy Murphy the publicist, the events team, Pat Varga, Brenda Fredercikson, Drea Popiel, David Wilson, Sophie Pyne and Paula DeLorey her medic and all of the communities and people who reach out wanting to be involved.
I help with social media, the web site, designing and ordering of swag, ensuring the team knows what is happening from day to day. It's busy work.

The on road team is comprised of 5 women, three who are survivors with PTSD, 4 horses and one pre teen boy.

Kate is joined for the first 30 days of this trip by her son, Tyler. His message is almost as powerful as that of his mother. After all he lives with PTSD as much as she does.

For much of this journey Kate will be walking with two horses and their riders, Rebecca and her daughter Emily; Emily has PTSD. The N.A.S.H. Project provides service dogs and therapy horses and is headed up by Rebecca and her daughter.

As beneficiaries of Kate's efforts, they wanted to join Kate and show the people they get to meet what great therapy a horse can be, to talk about the effects of a service dog on its handler, to provide hope and help the discussions focus on HOPE, on supports.

Kate, Tyler, Rebecca, Emily, Lisa and JoAnne  with the Fire Fighters of
Britannia Wilton Fire Dept near Lloydminster SK/AB

I have been volunteering a ton of my time to this walk, this cause, this woman and the team on the road and yet...I feel like I have been given far more than I have been able to give to them.

To read the stories of how Kate and her team's message have touched people's lives, to see the photos and the joy, the hope she is spreading - the dialogue that is being created.

To play witness to the to the monster determination that is Kate MacEachern fills me in a way I can't truly describe.

This is her third and final journey.

It will be the most gruelling of them all, it is truly THE LONG WAY HOME.

PLEASE Follow Kate Mac, The Long Way Home and the N.A.S.H. Project. There are SOOOO many ways you can support this woman and her team as they make their way to Chilliwack.

You can:

1. Join an event in a community near you.
2. Be out on the highway and walk a kilometre or two with her.
3. Donate a few dollars, buy a tee shirt or a pin through her online store. 
4. Join her Free shopping circle.

Follow her on Facebook and Twitter, visit her site often - show this woman and this team that PTSD IS NO LONGER a DIRTY LITTLE SECRET - engage, talk share.

The more dialogue that is created, the more support will be offered to those working at reclaiming their lives and learning to live within a new normal.

Thanks for hearing me out folks and PLEASE - GET INVOLVED - BE THE CHANGE YOU WANT TO SEE....

Belt Drive Betty
Editor & Rider



Disclaimer:
All data and information provided on this site is for informational purposes only. The Belt Drive Betty Blog makes no representations as to accuracy, completeness, currentness, suitability, or validity of any information on this site & will not be liable for any errors, omissions, or delays in this information or any losses, injuries, or damages arising from its display or use. All information is provided on an as-is basis.

A lesson on Defensive Riding

Defensive Riding – staying safe starts with YOU.

There is no one more responsible for your safety than you. Defensive driving skills keep you safe, by helping you to be prepared for the unexpected.

SIPDE - Scan, Interpret, Predict, Decide, Execute

SCAN:

All too often drivers/riders fall into the bad habit of only focussing only on what is directly in front of them, allowing their mind to wander and losing sight of what is up ahead.

The smart approach to driving/riding is to be constantly thinking ahead in order to assess the oncoming hazards and potential risk factors that could lead to an incident.

This ensures that you are adequately prepared to handle any sudden change in conditions (like an obstacle or pot hole), other driver behaviour (aggressive high risk drivers or inattentive drivers) and take the necessary steps to avoid danger.

One of the best ways to keep yourself safe is to keep your eyes moving – KNOW WHAT LIES AHEAD and BESIDE you.

Use your eyes to check your mirrors, as well as performing frequent shoulder checks to evaluate your blind spots, and KNOW what/who is around you.

Scan the ditches and side streets/approaches.

INTERPRET

Another common mistake made by drivers is that they take the actions of other motorists for granted. 

The smart approach is to focus on your driving and be consistently giving yourself enough room to move and AVOID a collision if necessary. 

Never put yourself in a bad position, especially not out of retaliation for another’s bad driving habits or mistakes.

When you see another driver who is driving aggressively, predict the WORST thing this driver could do.

DECIDE

Decide how you are going to handle that driver (hazzard), move yourself away from potential harm. 

In the case of dealing with someone texting or exhibiting road rage/aggressive driving, you might be right, but is it worth being dead to prove that you were right?

EXECUTE

Once you have decided where the safest place for you to be is, execute your move ensuring you know where the other drivers are in relation to you.

The Edmonton office of the Alberta Safety Council has given us some courses to giveaway.

I chose the Gearing Up course for our first contest.

I came across a video that I felt would challenge people's knowledge of the rules of the road and decided that the first person who could tell me who caused the crash, not who would be charged, but who is responsible for the crash happening would win the course.

I hosted the contest on one of my Facebook Pages - Belt Drive Betty

Sadly, no one from Alberta answered the question successfully.

Here is the video from the Facebook Page of Tyga :

Video dissemination:

At 11 sec there is a sign that I believe reads "State Law white lettering in the black portion at the top and Keep Right Except To Pass in the white portion (You see the black bar at the top of the sign and can ALMOST make out the words at the 11.5 second mark). Its a very familiar sign if you have done any riding/driving in the US.

At 28 seconds you see a shadow of another vehicle in front of the pick up is clearly visible. 

The pick up is clearly very close to it.

In fact the ALL auto drivers, including buddy with the dash cam drive too close to the other drivers around them (Tailgating).

At 30 seconds you see a 65 MPH sign – this is clearly in the US

At 32 seconds the Camaro enters on the right of the screen, if you look ahead of the pick up you can see a shadow of another vehicle in front of the pick up

At 36 seconds the Camaro attempts to move into the left lane.

At this point, the pick up should have backed off and let him in.

At 47 seconds the pick up bails on his brakes

At 58 seconds, you can see that the shadow of the other vehicle that had been ahead of the truck is gone and it is obvious they are going up a small incline.

At 1:06 you see the pick up pulling ahead of the semi.

At 1:15 you see that the Camaro is almost at the semi’s door.

At 1:17 as they are cresting the small grade, you see the semi begin to pull ahead of the pick up.

At 2:26 you can clearly see that the vehicle that had been in front of the pick up is a long ways ahead.

So who is at fault for causing this crash?

The Answer is ALL THREE. All three drivers played a roll in what happened, here's how:

# 1) The driver of the Camaro is an idiot, broke several laws, tailgating, passing by using the shoulder, median or ditch, dangerous driving and will ultimately be charged for causing the crash.

HOWEVER, both the driver of the pick up and the semi are at fault for impeding the Camaro’s progress. The driver of the pickup more so than the driver of the semi…BUT….

#2) If the truck driver was truly a professional, he would not have colluded with the driver of the pickup by keeping pace with him, he should have slowed down and given the Camaro room to move ahead of him.  (Or for the pickup driver to move over to the right, as he should have – although with his mindset he probably wouldn’t have moved over.)

He will not be charged.

#3) The driver of the pick up who was clearly pissed when the Camaro attempted to sneak in front of him was as big of an asshole and as much at fault for this crash as the Camaro driver. 

He will potentially be charged if the police have the video footage.

You are to keep right unless passing. That is the rule of the road in this instance.

Remember folks you might be in the RIGHT, but you can also be DEAD and in the Right.

NUMBER ONE RULE OF THE ROAD - DRIVE WITH YOUR HEAD - NOT YOUR EMOTIONS.

NUMBER TWO RULE OF THE ROAD - KEEP YOURSELF SAFE BY BEING AWARE OF WHAT IS GOING ON AROUND YOU AND HAVE YOUR ESCAPE ROUTE PLANNED.

NUMBER THREE - DON'T PLAY THE ROLE OF TRAFFIC MONITOR - LET THE POLICE DO THAT BY USING YOUR HANDSFREE DEVICE TO CONTACT THE POLICE. YOUR ACTIONS WILL PISS OFF ANOTHER DRIVER AND CAUSE A CRASH.

KEEP RIGHT EXCEPT TO PASS.

That's how I see it.

And you, what did you see besides a self centred a$$hole in a Camaro that was is some kind of hurry?

Belt Drive Betty,

Editor & Rider

More people speak out about Joan Krenning of the SHSS

This "article" if you will, is composed of the stories from a couple that were partners with Joan for a brief time and that of a former volunteer of the 2014 SHSS (Steel Horse Sisterhood Summit).

I agreed to give them this space to share their experiences and tell their stories.

(Joan has refused to comment on any of the people and their statements of their experiences with her.
She has refused to allow me to interview her over the controversy.)

Only you the reader can decide how you feel about what you read.

BDB

My "Joan Krenning" Story 

by Darlene M.J.

I was a volunteer for the 2014 SHS Summit in Denver CO. 

I attended most of the organizational meetings prior to the Summit and my main job for the Summit was to greet attendees as part of the "ASK ME" Committee, give hugs, and I was the main transportation to and from the airport for the guest speakers.

We were encouraged to spend our own funds to get the things we needed, and were told we would be reimbursed after the Summit was over. I purchased 12 or so pink safety vests for the "Ask Me" committee to wear, never being reimbursed, but thought I was donating to a good cause.

We were caught up in this idea of Sisterhood and togetherness.

Sara Symons was her sidekick and one of her business partners, then abruptly quit. 

Sara told me that she was unable to speak to the situation till after the Summit.

George Ofiesh and Kyle Dowling took over Sara Symons in the organizational role for the Summit.

Most of the volunteers quit prior to the Summit, due to various issues that kept arising and many of those that did stay to work did not stay to the end of the Summit.

I was in attendance when Joan wanted to take out sponsor monies to fund her trip and she was told to table that till after the meeting. 

Joan made herself seem important as "Lady Road Dog" visiting all the dealerships in the US. 

I had never heard of her prior to the advertisement of the Summit on Facebook. She was a name dropper and found things she had in common with you in order to gain your loyalty and help. For instance, I am also a Christian and I also lost my husband (mine was killed on a motorcycle run), I also had to raise my kids on my own, first hubby had been military too, and I was from Wisconsin. She kept saying that after the Summit we would sit and talk, but that never happened.

I was booted out of the SHS website in early 2015 when I questioned where all the monies had gone after the summit, and had asked why they were setting up a website that would require the sisterhood members to pay for access.

I do know that George Ofiesh made out the last check to the last charity and had Joan sign it, which she did not wish to do. George told me that Joan intended to "borrow" the money to start a new business, he resigned after that.

I have no love for Joan, she uses people until she has what she needs and then discards you like dirty underwear, at least that has been my experience.

Darlene

Sara and Bill Symons Story 

We (Sara and Bill Symons) met Joan Krenning through a mutual friend in June 2013. Our friend and another couple that had met Joan in Denver during the Women’s Ride Day, May 2013 were having a meeting and we were invited.

Joan spoke with such conviction, it was difficult to resist her strong belief that she was on a mission. She envisioned a major meeting of women from all over the country, coming to bond, and hear the biggest (female) names in the motorcycling world share their stories. We were made aware that Joan was a majority shareholder in DesignWrap Brands (DWB) and felt that her business experience and knowledge of the motorcycle industry, coupled with her passionate vision made good sense.

We approached her about “buying into” the Lady Road Dog business, which included the Steel Horse Sisterhood and the Summit. We offered Joan $5,000 cash (plus our sweat equity) for 50% interest in the business. Joan countered with $10,000 cash for 15% interest. 

We countered with a $10,000 loan to the company, to be paid back to us after the first year, for 25% interest; everyone agreed to these terms.  

Looking back, we now realize that the only thing she was bringing to the table was the Lady Road Dog name, a persona she presented to the public.  There was no company; no products, no business license, just a name.  Joan provided a list of things for Sara to do, which included filing for the business license, and obtaining trademarks for LRD and the SHS. There was no “business” to buy into; Sara created it.

Joan said she could get a vendor spot on Main Street for the Sturgis Rally, but didn’t know how she could run it by herself. We “volunteered” to help, as we go to Sturgis for a week every year. Bill did the majority of the work, as JK was always on her computer “working” or walking around to find what she called “sponsors” (i.e. free gear or parts to put on her bike.) 

We worked long days (8am to 10pm) and sold DesignWrap Brands headbands and t-shirts as “Lady Road Dog” gear. The huge banner outside with “Lady Road Dog” and “Made in America” announced our presence. Over the 10 days of Sturgis, we made enough to cover the store rent and the Sturgis taxes, but not much more. Joan, who stayed in our motorhome the entire time neither paid, nor offered to pay anything, towards her own upkeep. For those of you who have been to the Sturgis Rally, you know what a motorhome spot in downtown Sturgis costs, and it’s not cheap.

By September 2013, things were in full swing with planning the SHS Summit. Sara had found a hotel big enough to accommodate the 1,000 women Joan was expecting. As LRD/SHSS had no income or credit, Sara put the hotel deposit on my personal credit card.

In December 2013, Joan brought on a man named George Ofiesh, to be the event facilitator for the Summit. Sara readily gave up that role, and informed George that she and Bill were business partners, and would be his main contacts in Denver. Also in December, Bill had agreed to become the warehouse manager for DesignWrap Brands and moved the warehouse to Denver. Part of the deal was that once the move was completed, we would have the option to become an equal partner in DesignWrap Brands.

In early January 2014, Joan flew into Denver for another volunteer meeting. There was already a draft Summit schedule, but things kept being added and removed. We were frustrated, as we felt the summit needed to start small and build itself up. This seemed to upset Joan, who said that we didn’t understand her vision, that we “needed to do what she wanted because other people agreed with her.” This happened many time while in business with her. If we didn’t agree she would ask people outside the business to side with her in order to sway our decision.

In mid-January 2014, Joan started demanding money for travel expenses, yet we had understood that DesignWraps Brands was paying those expenses. Joan insisted the Summit registration money should be used to pay her expenses, which Sara refused to do, as it did not seem appropriate. At the end of January 2014, we sent Joan a cease and desist letter via our attorney; the intent was to stop her from talking to others, namely George Ofeish and Kyle Doying, about our business. Joan promptly changed the Summit’s PayPal email so that the funds went to her personal account and Sara could no longer access any data or funds. Also at this time, the emails from everyone involved with the summit that were making major decisions were withheld from us.

In mid-February, it was discovered that George and Kyle had tried to convince the hotel contact that Sara was no longer the contact person, in spite of it being her personal credit card that held the hotel for the Summit. After a nasty conversation with George, Sara resigned from the Summit on February 25^th; Bill resigned from the Summit shortly thereafter.

On April 18, 2014, the contract for the hotel was finally, after some doing, transferred out of Sara’s name. 

We subsequently learned that Joan, George and Kyle had filed for a Colorado Business License for the Steel Horse Sisterhood Charities, (which is the same license that after the summit George and Kyle were removed from and Charles Guthrie was assigned to) in contravention to our contract that had made us business partners in the Summit and Lady Road Dog. 

We chose to take the high road and stay quiet and not tell our side of what transpired, while Joan did a whole lot of talking and blaming.

We walked away from our investment and all of the time we spent working for Lady Road Dog and the SHSS, we lost “friendships”, and are embarrassed and angry that we got conned the way we did. 

We are speaking out now, after having heard/read the stories of others who have experienced similar treatment at Joan’s hands.

Sara & Bill

Disclaimer:
All data and information provided on this site is for informational purposes only. The Belt Drive Betty Blog makes no representations as to accuracy, completeness, currentness, suitability, or validity of any information on this site & will not be liable for any errors, omissions, or delays in this information or any losses, injuries, or damages arising from its display or use. All information is provided on an as-is basis.

The Kick Off for the Long Way Home 2015

David Reed

The day before the event at Government House in Regina Saskatchewan, the three teams involved in this, the final walk for Kate called "The Long Way Home 2015" converged at the home of David & Danielle Reed.

David Reed is an Aide de Camp to the Lieutenant Governor General and was in charge of the honour guard at Government House.

The 3 teams involved in the Long Way Home 2015 are The Wounded Warriors Weekend Foundation team, The N.A.S.H. Project and of course Kate MacEachern's team.

The Reeds with a welcome
sign made by their children

Her Honour with the puppy

As a benefactor of Kate's walk, Wounded Warriors Weekend Foundation has helped the cause by getting sponsors for a truck and tailer, helping to set up some of the events along the route and taking care of a lot of other small details.

Danielle Reed (L) Heather Salloum (B)
Her Honour (R)

The N.A.S.H. Project, which is also one of the benefactors of Kate's walk, is joining Kate for the entire trip from Nipawin SK to Chilliwack BC.


Rebecca Santanna, the founder of The N.A.S.H. Project and her daughter Emily will be riding horses in the ditch beside Kate.

A very proud and honoured Kate

Their driver and support person Lisa Peterson will be ensuring the horse team will have everything they need while on this journey. There are 4 horses that will be being sharing the trail duties.


Kate MacEachern's team includes Paula DeLorey, Kate's medic, Sophie Pyne, Kate's photographer, JoAnne Power-Gilliland, known as Gunny, Kate's Driver and Kate's son Tyler, who is joining his mother for the first 30 days of her journey.  Also in Kate's entourage, her father Hugh and her aunt, Linda and myself (I am Kate's Ops Manager).

The Wounded Warriors Weekend Foundation team, also benefactors of Kate's walk, includes Blake Emmons, the founder of the Wounded Warriors Weekend, Pat Varga who is heading up the "events" team, Brenda Frederickson, also on the "events" team, Verda Hoppe along with a whole host of volunteers.

The woman who is responsible for ensuring the media knows about all three teams and their roles is Cindy Murphy, who is a fabulous publicist.

The BBQ hosted by David and Danielle was not only a fantastic time but a wonderful  opportunity for everyone from the three teams to meet face to face,

A huge surprise awaited Kate!

Heather Salloum, the executive director of the Lieutenant Governor's office and Vaughn Solomon Schofield, the Lieutenant Governor General of Saskatchewan came for the BBQ and Her Honour presented Kate with the Lieutenant Governor General's Service Pin and right on the heels of that, she presented Kate with a replica of her Diamond Jubilee medal which had been stolen a couple of years ago.

Ken Madraga of Melody Ford
presenting Kate the keys

Kate was emotional and understandably so.

After the fantastic meal that Reed's hosted, the teams headed to the Ramada Inn Regina to get rested and ready for the big day at Government House.

Before we could head to Government House the next morning, Ken Madraga of Melody Ford in Melfort Saskatchewan presented Kate and her team with an F250 Crew Cab to use as the tow rig for her journey.  It was a moment that I am sure no one, especially Kate will forget.

The weather was picture perfect on April 29th and Government House was filled with excitement, pomp and pageantry.

The horses of the N.A.S.H. Project had their own pen right out front of Government House and the media scrum that would be held after the reception was held beside their pen.

After a wonderful luncheon, the ceremony began, with Her Honour coming through not one, but two honour guards.

Vaughn Solomon Schofield and her right hand gal Heather had invited 9 chiefs to attend the ceremony/reception for Kate and the teams and out of 9, 8 of them came! The ninth chief wanted to attend but she was out of country at a conference.

The Army, Navy, Air Force, RCMP, Municipal Police and EMS chiefs for the province of Saskatchewan were all there.

After hearing the moving speech from Her

Honour, the cutest little gal named Destiny presented the Lieutenant Governor General with the puppy that the N.A.S.H. Project donated to the province of Saskatchewan to be trained as a service dog.  Her Honour dubbed him "Ruff Rider". The puppy, a Mastiff- Great Dane cross was oblivious to all of the happiness and joy he brought to the day.






We got to hear from Rebecca of the N.A.S.H. Project and why therapy horses and service dogs are so successful in helping those with PTSD.


Next up was Blake Emmons of the Wounded Warriors Weekend Foundation.

He spoke of the power of camaraderie, common experience and the healing that provides those with PTSD.

Then came Corporal Kate MacEachern Ret'd who delivered a moving and passionate speech on PTSD and what the walk means to her, her fellow sufferers/survivors and her team.

As we all watched this amazing young woman speak, the sense of anticipation, the challenge, the heartache and the triumph that lays ahead was palpable.

"Untied We Stand, Divided We Don't Stand a Chance" is the line she closed with.

It was a fitting train of thought to end the reception on.

The media scrum that followed lasted about an hour and a half with media from all over Saskatchewan interviewing the two road team members. Dixon Christie, producer and videographer of "Battle Scars" who is filming for a documentary on Kate's walk was on hand interviewing the various team members as well.

As Kate's Ops Manager, it was hard to say goodbye to everyone on the teams, but they had a good four hour drive ahead of them to get to Nipawin, the home of the Wounded Warriors Weekend and Kate's step off location.

As I got on a plane to head back to Grande Prairie, the two road teams were busy packing their gear into a toy hauler provided by Chegus RV in Watson SK.

I am told that the pancake breakfast hosted by the Town of Nipawin and their Legion was huge success and we know that Kate, Rebecca and Emily made it to their first overnight stop in Love SK.

It takes a lot of people to organize an event of this magnitude and every person who has been involved has stepped up in stellar fashion.

As Kate walks from Nipawin SK to Chilliwack BC, Rebecca and Emily of the N.A.S.H. Project will be ditch riding along with her and the walk and ride will culminate at this year's location for the Wounded Warriors Weekend - Chilliwack BC.

The ladies of these two teams have a long and arduous journey ahead of them, they will walk and ride through all of Mother Nature's changing moods and hopefully you will come out to meet them, support them and donate to the cause.

You can follow their journey and donate to the cause by visiting www.thelongwayhome.ca  
If you want to join Kate along the way, you will have to sign a waiver which can be downloaded on the website.

For media inquiries you can contact Cindy Murphy at: dcmurphey@sasktel.net

All photos by Sophie Pyne - Official Photographer for The Long Way Home.

If you are blessed to be riding today, please ride like everyone around you is blind and cannot see you.

Belt Drive Betty
Editor & Rider
Ops Manager, The Long Way Home 2015



Disclaimer:
All data and information provided on this site is for informational purposes only. The Belt Drive Betty Blog makes no representations as to accuracy, completeness, currentness, suitability, or validity of any information on this site & will not be liable for any errors, omissions, or delays in this information or any losses, injuries, or damages arising from its display or use. All information is provided on an as-is basis.

The Inaugural Wild West Motorcycle & Tattoo Fest

Dirk Vermin

This weekend the Inaugural Wild West Motorcycle & Tattoo Fest is on at the Entrec Centre out at Evergreen Park.

Hosted by Peter Robertson from Peace River, the Grande Prairie show is one of two shows hosted by Robertson. The Grimshaw show is on next weekend at the Mile Zero Multiplex!

The show here in Grande Prairie is affordable ($10 for adults to get in), has a reasonable number of vendors for a first effort, its well laid out and offers up some wicked music.

There's a beer gardens, tattooists plying their crafts, leather shops, clothing, some nice old automobiles and a good showing of motorcycles...yes, definitely a great way to spend a few hours.

You'll get the chance to meet Dirk Vermin of Bad Ink and Athena Lee who is an American musician, drummer and actor. 

Her older brother is none other that Mötley Crüe's drummer Tommy Lee and that makes her the ex-sister-in-law of actresses Heather Locklear and Pamela Anderson. 

She and her daughter are Tobi also part of the TV series Ex Wives of Rock.

I had the pleasure of judging the tattoo contest with Athena and Tobi, Dirk was on Emcee duties.

What a hoot!  

There was some nice ink to gander at and I think the tattoos that were chosen to win their classes truly deserved to win, although I will say, there truly wasn't what you'd call a bad tattoo in the bunch!

I spent some time looking over the booths, catching up with old friends that I had not seen in what seems like forever....yes, all in all a great way to spend a few hours on a rainy, drizzly great day.

If you haven't already checked it out, stop in tomorrow!

The Wild West Motorcycle & Tattoo Fest is on from 10 a.m. 

to 5 p.m. at Evergreen Park's Entrec Centre!

Visit my Facebook Page to see the photos of all the tattoos, vendor booths etc!

Have a great Saturday evening folks!

Belt Drive Betty,

Editor & Writer

Wheels for Our Wounded - what is it?

What is Wheels for Our Wounded?

After interviewing a ton of veterans, many who ride, I realized that they were like me.

They suffer from PTSD and find that the focus and concentration it takes to ride a motorcycle/trike truly keeps them living in the present moment and helps abate PTSD symptoms. I know how much my motorcycle helps me with my PTSD and while I may be a civilian, I have also discovered that PTSD, is well, PTSD. It does not matter what trauma caused it, the results and chaos are very similar for all who suffer from it.

I  decided to start this initiative when I realized that veterans and first responders could get funding for service dogs, horse therapy and other types of emotional supports but that no one was validating or funding wind therapy.

Wheels bring freedom and independence into our lives, be they motorcycles, trikes or automobiles.
However, in attempting to get funding, sponsorship and support through traditional channels, I discovered that no one in the mainstream recognizes a motorcycle/trike as a therapy tool.

I was trying to decide what to do with my Defense Fund Poker run.  While I still need to raise about $5,000 to get the nuisance lawsuit from Sturgis North dealt with, I decided to take the day to do something positive for the greater community. I am tired of the political and bureaucratic BS of the BC legal system and I had made a promise to pay forward the help and support I had gotten last year, 10 fold.

One of the many people I spoke with and who helped me to flesh out the over all concept for the Wheels of Our Wounded initiative was Blake Emonns, founder of the Wounded Warriors Weekend Foundation. I sit on the advisory board for the motorcycle side of the weekend and as expected, Blake, a veteran who also rides said, "Hey kid, you are on to something here."

The Wounded Warriors Weekend Foundation promotes mental health and well being for our allied forces veterans and first responders. As such, they are the ideal foundation to partner with as they can help us select veteran's who need assistance.

In time, we will be rolling out a program that will support veterans and first responders from all of the Allied Forces countries.  The initiative will be rolled out sometime this fall on an international level.

The basics of the initiative will be that riding clubs, associations and veterans and first responder organizations from the Allied countries will be invited to host events in their communities and countries to support the needs of their "local" veterans and first responders.

We will provide them with our country branded merchandise, a best practices manual and advertising and marketing support. All profits from the sales of the nationalized merchandise will go towards helping a veteran or first responder of that country.

We have many details to hammer out like having a process whereby veterans and first responders in need can be nominated for help. A selection committee to help the Wounded Warriors Weekend Foundation and ours select which people we can assist each year and so on.
And a way for communities to have th funds they raise go to a specific veteran or first responder of their choosing.

We will be working on all of those details and more over the summer and fall.

In the meantime, our very first Wheels for Our Wounded function on May 30th in Nisku Alberta at Blackjacks Roadhouse.

I am thrilled to say that the event has taken on a life of its own!
We have the Royal Canadian Legion Riders headed up by Dana and Shelley Boyce, the Northern Gateway Motorcycle Association from Slave Lake and a whole host of volunteers supporting this event!

We have identified the first veteran that we are going to be helping! That veteran's name will be secret until the bike is presented in Chilliwack at the Wounded Warriors Weekend gala.

Mountain view Harley-Davidson had given us a KICK ass deal on a motorcycle, and Harley-Davidson of Edmonton has agreed to kit the veteran out with new riding gear.

Our event just happens to coincide with when Kate MacEachern's walk for PTSD awareness called "The Long Way Home"  will be in Edmonton and so I called Kate and asked her if she'd be our guest of honour and that told her that we'd donate 25% of everything we raise at our event to her walk!

Here is a video that explains who Kate is and what the walk she is undertaking represents:

AND BY THE WAY - SHE SAID YES!

After our volunteer meeting the other night we found out that the band we were hoping to get couldn't attend and so just for the heck of it I picked up the phone and called JP Cormier, singer and songwriter of the hit song "Hometown Battlefield" and the man who wrote the song "The Long Way Home" to commemorate Kate's Walk and guess what - HE SAID YES!

Here is the song, Hometown Battlefield:

Our poker run is going to be a blast!
We will begin at Blackjacks Roadhouse and we will be setting up stops at the Kipnes Veterans Centre where the UN Nato is having their show 'n' shine, so after getting their card, riders will be able to spend some time looking at great rides and talking to other riders!

Another stop will be at the Valour House where the Military Tribute truck will be for their annual bottle drive.  Again riders will have the opportunity to spend some time at Valour House.

Another stop will be at Edmonton Harley-Davidson. There will be a BBQ and potentially a sidewalk sale. Proceeds from the BBQ will be going to Kate's walk.

We will have vendors (we have some tents being provided by Blackjacks Roadhouse 2 - 20 x 20 and on 10 x 20), entertainment, silent auction and so much more!

Oh and on Sunday, we will have a Riders Breakfast at Blackjack's where will send Kate off on her trek to Calgary!

We'll have a poster and web site by Monday or Tuesday of next week and will get all the information to you as soon as we can! Oh Yeah - this is going to be a $2,500 Poker Run!  The winning hand will win a duffle bag filled with $2,500 in Gift Certificates and products but as I said, we will reveal all next week!

In the meantime I want to share with you our Logo and the meaning behind it.

The motorcycle engine represents the community that this initiative started in - the riding community and it is the heart if you will of this initiative.  The wheel represents the freedom and independence that transportation brings. The wings represent how our soldiers and first responders are the wind beneath our wings and how their actions, their bravery and courage make us all want to be better people.

That's what Wheels for Our Wounded is all about and I hope you will join us in helping a veteran or first responder gain the freedom and independence they need and deserve. You will be able to buy our gear on line shortly!

If you are blessed to be riding today, please remember to ride like everyone around you is blind and cannot see you!

Belt Drive Betty,
Editor & Rider


Disclaimer:
All data and information provided on this site is for informational purposes only. The Belt Drive Betty Blog makes no representations as to accuracy, completeness, currentness, suitability, or validity of any information on this site & will not be liable for any errors, omissions, or delays in this information or any losses, injuries, or damages arising from its display or use. All information is provided on an as-is basis.

A Response from WestJet (NOT COOL) & an Update on Joan Krenning

Well, I got my response from WestJet regarding the flight attendant who threatened to remove me off a flight in Cancun as a security threat if I did not comply with his "orders".

Read about my Not so WestJet, Westjet experience - click here

Read the first update - click here

Here is the email I got from Tyson Matheson, the VP of Inflight, copied in it was Lauri Feser, the investigator I spoke with.

Dear Ms. Charbonneau

I have been working with Lauri Feser to follow up on the complaint you made about your interaction with a WestJet flight attendant on your return to Canada from Mexico in March.

WestJet does not support or condone the type of behavior you reported. WestJet prides itself on providing a positive and caring guest experience while maintaining the highest levels of safety. Accordingly, we investigate when we receive reports of guest experiences that appear to fall well below those standards with the goal of addressing any problems and ensuring that any necessary corrective measures are taken.

I would like to re-assure you that we have taken this situation seriously and have conducted an investigation into your complaint.

We acknowledge that you had a negative experience with us and accordingly please accept our sincerest apology on behalf of the Inflight leadership team at WestJet.

Tyson Matheson
Vice President, Inflight

So, I emailed this Mr. Matheson along with Lauri Feser (investigator, customer satisfaction) back:

Thank you Tyson, Lauri

I appreciate the acknowledgement of the issue, now I want to know what the resolution is and if I will get the apology I have requested or whether I should file charges for bullying and abuse of authority with the RCMP in order to get some serious resolution.

This type of situation is about far more than a customer service experience.

The man was a blatant bully and basically if I didn't shut up I was going to spend who knows how long in a Mexican jail.

That is abuse of authority. The threats were real and I feared for my safety and that of my husband who has MS.

As I expressed to Lauri, WestJet's policy regarding apologies needs to change as this is about ACCOUNTABILITY.

So, where does this go from here?
Thanks

And I got this response back:

I’m sorry to hear that you don’t find our response satisfactory. We have investigated the situation and followed-up with the individuals involved. Therefore, WestJet does consider this matter closed.

Regards,
Tyson

I have emailed both Lauri and Tyson back asking for the employee ID number for the flight attendant, we'll see if I get it or if I have to have a lawyer get it for me.

At the end of the day, people in positions of authority need to be held accountable just like anyone else. I was advocating for myself and my husband to get the seats we paid for. My husband has MS, the extra room is important to his well being when he flies. 

I am advocating for change in WestJet's policy of not informing a person what corrective measures have been taken and not offering apologies from employees who conduct themselves in an inappropriate way that abuses their authority.

WestJet employees are owners and as such, they should be held accountable for their conduct and actions, perhaps more so than employees who are members of unions. OWNERS need to be responsible!

It is depressing to think that one is at the mercy of a flight attendant that is having a bad day, it is frightening to have your safety threatened by that same employee, after all you are held captive so to speak. Much in the same way, it is depressing and scary to think that a police officer having a bad day has you at his/mercy and can threaten you in a way that few others could. By that I mean the prospect of going to jail even if you are attempting to be reasonable, or having an officer treat you as less than because you are female. I have had both of those types of experiences with police officers (RCMP) and I have gotten letters of apology and information on corrective measures.

What makes WestJet or any airline think they shouldn't have to provide a more personal resolution than: "We are sorry as a company".... 

Being threatened with being removed from a flight in a foreign country like Mexico and potentially having to spend time in a Mexican jail is a terrifying thing to have to contemplate.

There are signs everywhere in this world of ours, including the jetways of most major airlines that state that employees do not have to put up with belligerent or rude people.

So where are the consumer signs that protect us from employees who are rude and bully people?

I am unsure of what I will do next, but I will be dealing with this situation in a broader way at some point in the future. I will need time to do investigations on what step next to take.


UPDATE - this just in from WestJet:

Dear Ms. Charbonneau,

I have been forwarded a copy of your email exchanges with Lauri Feser, Vice President, Marketing and Promotions, and Tyson Matheson, Vice President, Inflight and Learning and Development.

As Ms. Feser and Mr. Matheson have previously advised, WestJet takes its guests’ complaints seriously and conducted an investigation into the concerns you raised. WestJet ultimately determined that no further action was required. 

While we acknowledge that you have a different view of events and we apologize for the negative guest experience you perceived, we must respectfully disagree with your assertion that WestJet or its employees have in any way treated you in a manner that gives rise to criminal charges or civil liability.

Accordingly, while we appreciate this matter continues to be of concern to you, we will not be presenting any employees or information to you as you have demanded.  Additionally, should you seek to institute legal proceedings, whether criminal or civil,  against WestJet or its employees as you have threatened, we will vigorously defend any such proceedings.  

In any event, we once again confirm that we consider this matter closed.

Jeff Landmann

Legal Counsel

WestJet Airlines| 403-539-7449 | jlandmann@westjet.com

22 Aerial Place NE, Calgary, AB T2E 3J1

And my response to the lawyers letter:
To all concerned,

I am deeply offended by the email below.

Now I am being told, contrary to the earlier email from Tyson Matheson of today, that WestJet acknowledged a bad experience, now you don't.

Where in my email did I threaten to take WestJet to task?  This is an issue between myself, my husband and the flight attendant that bullied me and used his authority in an inappropriate manner. I took the situation to the company to resolve and it has not been resolved in a way that has any meaning to improving customer service and personal safety of its passengers.

My only recourse was to see if I can have the flight attendant charged. If I was in any other public situation it would be my right to have the RCMP talk to someone who had bullied me in any other threatening situation.

But, I guess that as a citizen, a taxpayer and a paying customer, I am now supposed to accept the abuse of authority and bullying that I experienced because you don't want to give me the employee's ID Number.  I guess I should have gone straight to the RCMP to lay my complaint right at the airport. 

I should never have trusted that there would be a true resolution. I feel lied to and betrayed.

All I ever wanted was a simple apology, an acknowledgement from my bully that his behaviour was out of line.

There is no way that a customer should have to take abuse from an employee.  An Employee doesn't have to take it - the signs everywhere say it - but no where does anyone advocate for the consumer.

Airlines in Canada have a monopoly and we northern consumers have very little options and no one to defend us when something unfair transpires.

Sign me 

Another customer whipped into shape by bullying tactics!

And so ends the fight for customer service or customer rights.

Now I want to update you all on the series of articles about Joan Krenning, the founder of the Steel Horse Sisterhood Summit.

I have been getting a number of emails from people who have had interactions with Joan in the last 2 years.

Some of these communications include some claims that are going to take some time to verify.
Once I have verified the claims and have had some time to get some writing done, I will be publishing another follow up.

In the meantime, the web site upgrade of www.beltdrivebetty.com is progressing nicely!

It's been a tough one, but I am so glad we are in the new hosting environment we are and that we have so many upgraded tools coming on stream!

If you are blessed to be riding today, please remember to ride like everyone around you is blind and cannot see you and consider dressing for the slide and not the ride!

Belt Drive Betty,

Editor & Rider



Disclaimer:
All data and information provided on this site is for informational purposes only. The Belt Drive Betty Blog makes no representations as to accuracy, completeness, currentness, suitability, or validity of any information on this site & will not be liable for any errors, omissions, or delays in this information or any losses, injuries, or damages arising from its display or use. All information is provided on an as-is basis.