On the morning of October 7 our family woke to find that the Mini Z (child’s snowmobile, yellow Ski-Doo) was stolen from our driveway. It had been cabled and locked to a trailer and truck. The thieves left no signs or evidence. What was left behind was a child’s broken heart. Our six year-old grandson had his snowmobile up for sale, the money he would have gotten from the sale was going toward the quad he had seen a few weeks earlier. He already had saved $1,500.00, he was so close.
In my anger, I posted on Facebook and on to Kootenay Motocross. Within a half hour I received a message from a woman by the name of Trish Drinkle, aka Momma of Main Jet Motor Sports. She asked for pictures. I sent them. Other friends were posting like crazy people, it was amazing to see that people were getting word out. By 9 a.m. Trish had phoned our house with the news that people wanted to help Zackery get his quad.
Main Jet put up the quad at cost and donations were pouring in. We were mind-boggled and numb. To think that total strangers would help a little boy they had never met. By Tuesday morning Trish and her network of friends and fans had reached their goal. With Zackery’s $1,500.00 and the donations raised, he would get his quad.
Trish and I arranged to meet Saturday morning the 13th, at Main Jet Motor Sports in Nelson. I was so excited to meet this amazing woman. With her connections and love of children (she has four of her own) she showed Zackery that not all people are bad. She showed him and myself that there are people out there who do genuinely care even though we are strangers. We may never meet the wonderful people from across Canada and United States who helped Zackery so lovingly, without hesitation, but we will think of them every day.
“Pay It Forward” is our family motto and I have seen that many feel as we do. There was money left over from the donations, it has been “Paid Forward” to another young child.
Thank you isn’t enough, but to Trish, the guys at Main Jet and all the people who helped Zackery, you have changed one little boy's outlook completely. He knows there are more good people, than bad.
P.S. To the person or persons who stole from a child, if you wanted the sled but couldn”t afford it, all you had to do was talk to us. We might have been able to work out a deal. Hope you sleep well at night. You will get what is coming to you. Shame on you.
Rick, Patti and Zackery McCreight,
Castlegar