From Dayton to Hog Heaven…

One of the coolest stores in Dayton, Ohio is F&S Harley Davidson.  Located on North Dixie Drive, the store is family owned; run by Jeff Stolzenburg, his sister Jenny, and his parents.  F&S is a massive complex, filled with beautiful Harley Davidson motorcycles, Harley merchandise, a conference center, storage facility, repair garage, parts warehouse, and more.  They even have free coffee for guests, and I love free coffee.  One step through the front door, and you immediately begin to picture yourself out on the open road riding one of these beautiful machines.

When I worked in Dayton as an Account Executive, F&S was one of my favorite clients.  They were always fun to work with. They were not afraid to push the boundaries, and they sell an unbelievable product to a very loyal customer base.  Truly a dream account.  I still keep in touch with Jeff and the F&S crew, and they even hosted a fundraiser for the Epilepsy Foundation of Western Ohio for free last March.  Great people, and a great place to visit if you have never done so.

With that said, this year is Harley Davidson’s 105th anniversary.  The company is pulling out all the stops to celebrate the anniversary, and Dayton will be included in the mix as several corporate executives from HD will be leading a cross country ride right through Dayton.  The group, which should be sizable, will be stopping at F&S in the afternoon on Monday, August 25th, and staying into the evening to answer questions, press the flesh, and greet the Harley faithful from the Miami Valley.  This should be a really cool event, and something that you Harley enthusiasts out there will not want to miss. When the ride leaves Dayton, the group will be headed to Wisconsin, where the company is based, to continue the celebration. Word on the street is that it is going to be legendary, with big name acts playing private shows over several days!

Part of the fun in Wisconsin will be the newly opened Harley- Davidson museum, featured in this month’s issue of Wired.  Harley fan or not, this is a great example of pulling people into the experience of the company and its devoted followers.  There are very few companies that could open a museum people would actually want to visit.  I stand in awe at the way in which Harley-Davidson has managed to cultivate such fierce loyalty amongst its customers.  If I ever find myself in that part of the county, I am going to make it a point to visit. Clearly there is a lot to learn about motorcycles and even more to learn about marketing.

New Harley-Davidson Museum Is Heaven for Hells Angels

No Matter How You Stack It… We Need You

Thanks to Jon Brooks at Hafenbrack for designing this amazing flyer to promote the upcoming Epilepsy Foundation of Western Ohio Pancake Breakfast. If you would like to help spread the word, feel free to download the flyer, print it out, and place it on your favorite bulletin board. You can also forward it along to others, or just send them to www.PancakesPancakes.com, where they can register, donate, volunteer, and get all the valuable information they need. Thanks for your help and support. Click Here to Download the Pancake Flyer

A quick recap of the vital event info:

What: Pancake Breakfast
Where: F&S Harley Davidson
When: March 22 8:00AM - 11:00 AM
How Much: $6.00 / adult and $4.00 / child under 12
Visit www.PancakesPancakes.com for more info

Help Me Change the Outcome!

This is a lengthy post, but an important one. I ask that you please read it in its entirety.

Recently, I joined the board of the Western Ohio Epilepsy Foundation. I attended by first board meeting two weeks ago. At that meeting, I learned that:

1. The Foundation is short on cash, and facing a potential budget crisis.
2. I am the new marketing chair.
3. I need to come up with a way to help raise several thousand dollars to keep the foundation afloat.

This foundation is an amazing organization. It helps to serve the needs of individuals and families trying to deal with Epilepsy. The EFWO helps people who people with epilepsy, many of whom live below the poverty line, to get information, medication, and medical care. The group defends the rights of those with epilepsy, and works toward the goal of “not another moment” lost to seizures.

Why did I choose to get involved with this organization? My infant son was diagnosed with epilepsy last year. Watching him fight through seizure after seizure has inspired me to take action. Let me tell you, when your kid is having as many as 50 seizures a day, you have to do something. So, know that I am not doing this to “pad my resume”, or to “further my network.” This is a personal crusade. Not only do I hope to make his life better, but I hope that by getting involved in the fight against epilepsy, that I can make life different for other families, other children, other parents, and for anyone afflicted with epilepsy. We spend a lot of time working with the amazing people in the Neurology Department at Cincinnati Children’s . I mention this because they have a mantra that I love. “Change the Outcome.” I now share that goal.

So, I turn to you and ask for help. How? I need you to talk, email, and eat pancakes. Let me elaborate…

First, I need help spreading the word about an event we are putting together on the morning of March 22nd. The event is a Pancake Breakfast. Here are the details:

WHAT: Pancake Breakfast and Easter Egg Hunt
WHERE: F&S Harley Davidson. 7220 North Dixie Drive, Dayton, Ohio 45414.
WHEN: Saturday, March 22nd, 2008 8:00AM - 11:00AM
HOW MUCH: $6.00 for Adults / $4.00 for kids under 12
WHAT ELSE: There will be Pancakes, Sausage, Milk, OJ, Coffee, Prizes Raffled, A 50/50 Drawing, an Easter Egg Hunt and more.

S0… Please come. Please forward a link to this page to others, and ask them to come. (Let me know you are coming if you like by filling out the contact form on this site). If you write a blog, please link to this post, or compose your own post telling others about the cause. Please help me change the outcome.

If you own a business and would like to donate to the event please let me know or contact the foundation directly at 937-233-2500. We are in need of food donations for the breakfast as well as items for the raffle and the Easter egg hunt. We are pulling this together quickly, so no formal marketing materials have been developed - quite frankly we could not afford them anyway. Although, what better medium could there be than a weblog? A real blog, by a real person, who is really involved in the cause.

Finally, if you are looking to make a difference in the world, I ask that you consider joining me. As the newly appointed chair of the Marketing Committee, a committee that does not go far beyond me, I am looking for energetic, creative, passionate people who believe they can change the world. I know I do. Help me make a difference. More importantly, help change the outcome of someone who has epilepsy. I don’t care if you are not a marketer, I need people who want to help - regardless of background. I need people to serve on the marketing committee. I need people to help solicit donations. I need people help run and plan events. Help me change the outcome… and the world.

Thank you,
David E. Bowman

UPDATE:

The event now has its own web site. Visit http://www.PancakesPancakes.com

You can RSVP, get all the event info, volunteer your help, donate items for raffle, and donate money directly to the Epilepsy Foundation of Western Ohio. Check it out, and thanks again for your continued support.