Boston, June 26-27, 2010
   
Hello, My name is Brad Hammersmith and I will get right to the point of my plea for your help. On the 4th of July, 2007, I had to bury my big brother, Chip. To the thousands,maybe millions of Porsche bloggers, he was known to you as 'Porsche Pete', to most people that knew him in his adult life, he was Chuck, but to me, my family, my parents in Michigan and my sisters in Nashville, we know him as Chip. When I heard about this walk, I knew right away it was something I had to do. Strangly enough, it is the first walk of this kind in my area since his death. It also is being held on the weekend before the July Fourth holiday, which is the same time frame my brother lost his life. I, as much as anyone, needs to come out of the darkness and face this head on. I talked to many of my Brother's death, but very few were told how. I thought maybe it was a reflection on me or my family and might be looked at differently, I now know that was silly. I had, we all had, and will forever have questions that will never be answered...Should I have known?, how would I have known?, why didn't we talk?, why didn't I ask?, yes, even was it really suicide, it must have been something else, right? All of this and more still spin through my head. The picture on this page is the last we took together. It was at my Daughter's wedding in Wisconsin, just two weeks earlier. How would I have known? I am going to do this walk for Chip, but in reality I am trying to help raise enough money and awareness so I will NOT see YOU walking with me next year. Please support me as I take an amazing journey. The Out of the Darkness Overnight Experience is a 20-mile walk over the course of one night. Net proceeds benefit the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, funding research, education, and awareness programs – both to prevent suicide and to assist those affected by suicide. |
Help raise money and awareness for suicide prevention. |
| Online Donations Total: $4,680.00 | |||
| Donor Name | Amount of Donation | Date | Comments |
| Brett Allison | $25.00 | 05/01/2009 | I owe Chuck for many good memories through PPBB. |
| Dennis Angelisanti | $25.00 | 04/29/2009 | Chuck is missed. He was one of the really good guys. Cars brought us together, but Chuck's friendship and legacy keeps us together. dennisafrompa |
| Gary Atkinson | $30.00 | 04/29/2009 | |
| John Babinski | $50.00 | 06/26/2009 | I never met Chuck. I only know of him through his legacy of PPBB and BRBS. Like so many others, these have been instrumental in my enjoyment of the Boxster and in making so many new friends. Your walk with Kim is a great way to honor a special man in a special way.. Best of luck ! |
| Eva Vicki Bagby | $25.00 | 04/29/2009 | What a great idea Brad. Best of Luck to you! |
| Sarah Barts | $20.00 | 04/28/2009 | |
| Danny Beard | $50.00 | 04/28/2009 | Never got to meet your brother, but PPBB has helped me immensely. I have a teenage nephew presently talking suicide. Fortunately he has self initiated counseling. My heart goes out to you and your family. A fellow Wisconsinite |
| Jon Behrens | $25.00 | 04/27/2009 | |
| Pedro Bonilla | $25.00 | 04/27/2009 | Thank you Brad for doing this on behalf of Chuck and so many others. God Bless, Pedro |
| Lynn Briggs | $100.00 | 04/28/2009 | I love you Brad.........wish I could walk with you. |
| Anonymous | $25.00 | 04/29/2009 | |
| Anonymous | $25.00 | 05/23/2009 | |
| Anonymous | $50.00 | 04/26/2009 | |
| Andrew Civitello | $25.00 | 04/29/2009 | Thank you for sharing your brother's story. I never had the pleasure of meeting him, but share his passion daily through PBBB I lost a good friend to suicide several years ago and the questions still linger. This is a noble undertaking and I wish you the best. |
| Anonymous | $25.00 | 04/28/2009 | |
| Gabriel Delapaz | $20.00 | 04/30/2009 | |
| Rev. Dennis | $50.00 | 04/27/2009 | I am glad this effort is taking place. |
| Doug Devetter | $50.00 | 04/26/2009 | Thank you Brad! |
| Meredith Everett | $25.00 | 04/26/2009 | Brad - so sorry for your loss. Chuck was a wonderful person. |
| Meredith Everett | $25.00 | 06/19/2009 | |
| Toni Flickinger | $25.00 | 05/06/2009 | GOOD LUCK TO YOU BRAD, YOUR BROTHER WOULD BE PROUD! |
| Michael Focke | $25.00 | 04/27/2009 | His PPBB legacy lives on. He left two lovely daughters and a charming wife. Many are touched by depression, to one degree or another. May your effort help prevent suicide and may it also help you in knowing that your family is not alone. |
| Karl Folkens | $100.00 | 04/28/2009 | Brad, thank you for honoring your brother's memory for such a worthwhile cause. |
| Rey Fortney | $50.00 | 04/29/2009 | Good work Brad! Juliette and I have been affected directly by this as well. |
| Martin Fry | $50.00 | 04/29/2009 | PPBB is part of my daily routine, I like many others admired the work that Chuck did in creating the board. Thanks for the opportunity to help. |
| Brett & Buffy Getzen | $25.00 | 04/30/2009 | |
| John Goetzman | $25.00 | 04/30/2009 | Great way to honor your brother. |
| Amy Goodale | $50.00 | 05/12/2009 | I hope you reach your goal! You are an inspiration to me and every person out there that has lost a loved one. Good Luck! |
| Howard Graff | $100.00 | 05/30/2009 | Chuck was a good friend of mine and I miss him. |
| Duane Gross | $50.00 | 04/29/2009 | |
| Heather Hammersmith-zaitz | $20.00 | 04/27/2009 | Hard to believe it's coming up on two years. Thanks, Dad, for shedding some light on a great cause!! Love you! |
| Richard Hawkins | $25.00 | 04/27/2009 | A great initiative on your part. |
| Richard Hawkins | $25.00 | 04/27/2009 | A great initiative on your part. |
| Aron Idoine | $25.00 | 04/29/2009 | Chuck, may you find peace. From one of your PPBB family. |
| Anonymous | $25.00 | 04/26/2009 | |
| Michele Jones | $20.00 | 05/01/2009 | Hi Dad! As I read all of these wonderful comments from other donors I am greatly overwhelmed with sadness, happiness and most of all admiration. I am so proud of you for taking this on, I hope that I will never know the loss of one of my sisters to something so tragic and painful. Chip is smiling down on you and is so proud of his |
| Michele Keller | $25.00 | 04/29/2009 | Good luck with your walk. Chuck is sorely missed. |
| Dan Kern | $100.00 | 04/27/2009 | Brad - Chip's legacy, PPBB, has touched many Boxster Enthusiasts and really contributes to our enjoyment of our Porsches..... I am one many I am sure... I wish you a safe walk....full of the great memories you have of Chip. Thank you for giving us on the board an opportunity to participate. Dan |
| Christian Kramer | $300.00 | 04/27/2009 | Dear Brad, what can I say other then that he (Karl from Darmstadt) was my friend since late 1996 and I still know his cellphone number by heart. It is good to see you telling the world what happend and to try to help others. Thank you very much for doing this ! Chris from Germany (aka CFG) |
| Steven Kumasaka | $400.00 | 06/26/2009 | http://www.ppbb.com/boards/ppbbphp/showflat.php?Cat=&Board=ARCHIVES&Number=1219266&Forum http://www.ppbb.com/boards/ppbbphp/showflat.php?Cat=&Board=ARCHIVES&Number=1217769&page=0&view=collapsed&sb=5&o=7&fpart=all&vc=1 to the hammersmith ohana with aloha macsak |
| Mark Leese | $100.00 | 04/26/2009 | Sorry for your loss. Best wishes on your efforts. |
| Fred Linthicum | $25.00 | 04/28/2009 | Brad: Like many I had no idea of the true story behind all of our loss--only that Chuck had touched many lives including mine. Thanks for your courage in sharing the story and in trying to create something positive out of something so impenetrable. Very best of luck in surpassing your goal--thanks once again to Chuck, his true family, and his very extended web family for sharing so much! |
| Joe Malave | $50.00 | 06/22/2009 | Brad hope to see you this weekend good luck. |
| John Morgan | $30.00 | 04/27/2009 | Good luck and Godspeed. It is important to know that people we know are affected. Hopefully the event helps. |
| Michael Kevin Murphy | $250.00 | 04/28/2009 | No one knows what's in the deepest reaches of each soul; I only know that in this life, Chuck cared about what he created with his Porsche Pete's Boxster Board and appreciated those who cared about him and what he created there. All the rest is sorrow for a life cut far too short and those left behind. |
| Anthony Pagonis | $30.00 | 04/28/2009 | I only met Chuck once. But thru PPBB and BRBS I learned a lot about him. He brought a great many good people together. This is a great opportunity for us to now return the favor! Good luck in your campaign, and Best Wishes to Chuck's entire family. |
| Larry Para | $50.00 | 04/27/2009 | For "Just Chuck" |
| John Perez | $30.00 | 05/01/2009 | Brad, I sincerely hope that your efforts to honor your brother serve as a reminder of the difference he made in his family's lives, highlight the esteem in which the countless friends he made through PPBB hold him, and help keep others and their loved ones from the pain you and your family now know. With regards and best wishes, John Perez (aka John in SoFL) |
| Anonymous | $30.00 | 04/27/2009 | |
| Anonymous | $25.00 | 05/16/2009 | |
| Anonymous | $25.00 | 06/20/2009 | |
| Anonymous | $50.00 | 04/27/2009 | |
| Mark And Amanda Rathje | $100.00 | 04/29/2009 | You know I would walk with you if I could, please count on me next year! I am so proud to call you my dad, I love you! GOOD LUCK! |
| Rhonda Raymond | $50.00 | 04/26/2009 | Brad, I am so sorry for your loss. Good luck with your goal! My prayers are with you! Rhonda |
| Edoug Rennlister | $25.00 | 04/27/2009 | Good luck raising your funds - great cause, and although I didn't know Chuck, sympathies for your loss. |
| Anonymous | $100.00 | 04/26/2009 | |
| Neil Ryan | $300.00 | 06/01/2009 | Hi Brad, We are so happy to able to support you in this. We love you and your wonderful family and are so sorry to see you in any pain. Love Neil,Di & Michael |
| Eric & Katie Schulze | $25.00 | 04/30/2009 | Thanks for making all of us more aware of how suicide affects us all. God bless. |
| Eric Sklut | $100.00 | 04/27/2009 | Glad you are doing this. Wonderful memories of Chip/Chuck/Pete among us and many other Porsche fans. |
| Anonymous | $50.00 | 06/16/2009 | |
| Anonymous | $25.00 | 04/27/2009 | |
| Anonymous | $25.00 | 04/26/2009 | |
| Anonymous | $250.00 | 04/26/2009 | |
| Jennifer Sundell | $50.00 | 05/30/2009 | Brad, I wish I could donate more. I had no idea about your brother. I'm so sorry for your loss. I'm proud of you for doing this walk in honor of him. |
| Per Sweetman | $50.00 | 04/26/2009 | Your brother's board was a work of passion and selflessness. I've met great people and had amazing experiences because of him. I didn't meet him but certainly had my life enriched because of him. I admire you courage in publicly honoring his life by supporting this cause. Thank you. |
| James Thorpe | $100.00 | 06/15/2009 | Good work Cecil |
| James Thorpe | $100.00 | 04/26/2009 | I am sorry for your pain. Cecil Thorpe |
| Anonymous | $25.00 | 04/26/2009 | |
| Bruce Vanderzyde | $25.00 | 04/26/2009 | Thank you for raising awareness and funds for this very important cause. |
| Anonymous | $50.00 | 04/27/2009 | |
| Sandra Weiner | $100.00 | 04/27/2009 | For 'Porsche Pete' and others ... from Sandee @ FunCars ... |
| Larry Whatley | $100.00 | 04/27/2009 | Chuck (Chip) was a great guy. I had th good fortune of meeting him on a couple of occasions with Boxster Board events. I was a real tragedy for all of us and I am sure very difficult for your family to lose him. I hope that your walk goes well as does your fundraiser. |
| Bryan Wright | $25.00 | 04/29/2009 | Hi there, It's Bryan, a.k.a. The Voxster on PPBB, and I just wanted to thank you for all you're doing. I would be remiss if I didn't support this very worthy cause, especially in light of how much good your brother has done in my life. I've made some incredible new friendships because of him, and learned more about a topic I never imagined I'd know so much about, all through participation in something he considered worthwhile. And I can assure you, it certainly remains so. Thanks! |
| Chapin Wright Ii | $25.00 | 04/28/2009 | CWINMA from PPBB God Bless You and your family. |
| Anonymous | $25.00 | 04/27/2009 | |
| Leor Zolman | $100.00 | 04/27/2009 | My dad had some serious depression towards the end of his life, and a few years ago I went through it myself. Learned a lot about myself and came out of it stronger, so I'm feeling like one of the lucky ones. Good luck. |
| Offline Donations: Total: $325.00 | |||
| Donor Name | Amount of Donation | Date | Comments |
| STERICYCLE INC | $200.00 | 05/04/2009 | offline contribution |
| C.R. Hammersmith | $100.00 | 05/08/2009 | |
| BOB POKRAS | $25.00 | 05/04/2009 | offline contribution |