To help individuals with high level disabilities obtain wheelchair accessible vehicles needed to get to work and achieve their dreams for independence.
On Thursday April 7th 5pm-9pm we will have our 2nd Dine For Drive For Independence at Isaac’s in East York. Everyone has to eat so this is a super simple way to support Drive For Independence. Print out the flyer using the PDF link below (or stop by to see us on Saturday April 2nd to pick one up), fill it out and give it to your waiter/waitress. It can even be used on take out orders! Once we have $100 in sales that evening Isaac’s will donate 25% of the total sales for that evening to us Can’t join us that evening? Get a gift card for later and 15% of the value of the gift card will go towards the fundraising event.
The 3rd Annual Upshift Summer Bash is moving to a new location! We’re excited to announce we will be at the Antique Automobile Club of America Museum in Hershey, Pennsylvania. Join us on Saturday July 30th 10am-4pm for the 3rd Annual Upshift Summer Bash at the AACA Museum 161 Museum Dr, Hershey, Pennsylvania 17033. There will be plenty of cars, trucks, and motorcycles to pique your interest an much more! Enjoy music, a variety of food trucks, and a great group of vendors ranging from car care to crafters and artisans. Bring the entire family! Your car registration donation includes 1 admission to the museum. Pre-register at the discounted rate of $20.00 (use the Square Up link below or send in your registration using one of our pre-registration forms in the link below). The day of the show is $25.00. Additional visitor tickets to the museum are regular museum admission price (See this link to purchase tickets to the museum only: http://www.aacamuseum.org/visit/hours-rates/ ). Unless you want to visit the museum, spectators are free.
We will be raising funds for Drive For Independence. Our goal is to help adults with physical disabilities get the transportation they need to get to work. Please join us to help others reach their goals in life!
We are looking for vendors and sponsors. Vendor spaces are $25 with a silent auction/ticket auction donation and$35 without. Sponsorship levels are Bronze $50,
silver $100.00 (1 trophy/class plus what is listed in the letter), Gold $250 (3 trophies/class plus what is listed in letter), Platinum (only 2 spaces available large trophy best of show or People’s Choice).
Classes are listed below in the sponsorship letter. Please see links below to register. We are currently looking for sponsors, vendors, and food trucks. We currently have a DJ- T1 DJ Services by Travis Workinger. Interested sponsors please see the sponsorship letter below. If you would like to register as a sponsor, vendor, or food truck please contact us for an application: Driveforindependence@gmail.com.
Heather Sloat
Drive For Independence
Upshift Summer Bash 2016
PO Box 20752
York PA 17402
/ /2016
Dear ,
Drive for Independence is an organization dedicated to helping individuals with high level disabilities obtain wheelchair accessible vehicles needed to drive themselves to work and achieve their dreams of independence. We have already helped one individual achieve his dream. Christopher Sauerbaum along with his wife and many other dedicated individuals raised the funds needed for a down payment on his Truck that was recently converted for his specific needs. He is now able to drive himself to work and run everyday errands without relying on a bus or someone else to drive. After meeting his goal they decided to immediately work on paying it forward and help others meet the same goal of being able to drive themselves to work and lead an overall more independent life.
Our annual Upshift Summer Bash car show is one of our largest fundraisers. Upshift Summer Bash 2016 will be held on Saturday, July 30th, 2016 at the AACA Museum in Hershey PA and will showcase a variety of vehicles including cars, trucks and motorcycles with everything from classics to tuners. We are seeking the support of business and private sponsors. There are several possible ways to support this event including Sponsorship, donation to the silent auction and raffle, and door prizes.
We are also accepting donations to the silent auction (donations worth over $50.00) / ticket auction ( items valued under $50.00) to be held during the event. The items will be on display throughout the event for the public to bid on. Each item will include a card with information about the item including the value and who it was donated by. Corporate sponsorship is not necessary to make a donation to the silent auction. All donations are greatly appreciated.
Platinum, Gold and Silver Sponsorship Levels are limited and will go on a first come basis. We encourage all interested sponsors to return the sponsorship form as soon as possible to ensure inclusion of your logo on promotional materials. Logo must be in .JPEG, .PSD, or .EPS format and at least 150dpi (300dpi preferred).
Please e-mail your artwork to: driveforindependence@gmail.com.
We thank you for your consideration in supporting our Upshift Summer Bash 2016 and ultimately our mission with Drive for Independence in helping individuals with high level disabilities reach their goal of being able to drive themselves to work and achieve a new level of independence.
We look forward to seeing you join us at the Upshift Summer Bash 2016 being held at the AACA Museum in Hershey, located at 131 Museum Dr, Hershey, PA 17033 .
Thank you for your continuing support,
Heather Sloat
As an Upshift Summer Bash 2016 sponsor you will receive recognition in a variety of ways:
Platinum Level $300
⦁ A vendor spot at the event
⦁ Logo or business information in the program
⦁ Option to include fliers, promotional material, or samples in the Give away bag
⦁ Logo on Dash Plaques
⦁ Logo on banners and fliers
⦁ Sponsorship of the Best of Show trophy OR People’s Choice trophy (these trophies will be larger and more elaborate than the other classes)
Silver Level $100 (sponsorship of single trophy for the chosen class) OR Gold Level $250 (Sponsorship of 3 trophies for 1st,2nd, 3rd for the chosen class)
⦁ A vendor spot at the event
⦁ Logo or business information in the program
⦁ Option to include fliers, promotional material, or samples in the Give away bag
⦁ Logo on banners and fliers
⦁ Option to Judge sponsored class
Class Choices:
Pre-1955
1955-1980’s Mopar
1955-1980’s Ford
1955-1980’s GM
1980’s to present Mopar
1980’s to present GM
1980’s to present Ford
Classic Euro
Modern Euro
Classic Imports (non euro)
Modern Imports (non euro)
Classic Street Truck
Modern street Truck
Mini Trucks
Off road trucks/ Jeeps/ SUV’s
Open/Specialty Class
Motorcycle
Bronze Level $50.00
⦁ Vendor space at the event
⦁ Logo or business information in the program
⦁ Option to include fliers, promotional material, or samples in the Give away bag
Any questions please contact me via email at driveforindependence@gmail.com
or by phone 717-991-5921.
The Abilities Expo was a humbling and eye opening experience. Being there as a consumer is one thing but being there and interacting and talking with public as an organization is a completely different experience. We found out some great information and found other organizations to work with.
After talking with many people, we are definitely on the right track and Drive For Independence is a much needed organization. We are looking forward to more opportunities and want to grow and expand all over the country and we will definitely be pursuing our 501(c)3 status in the new year.
We hope to attend the Abilities Expo in May and would definitely like to attend the DC Expo again. A big thank you to our sponsors Meeting Well and Mobility Works for making our trip possible and being able to share Drive For Independence in a new community!
We look forward to what the new year will bring and the anticipation of future Abilities Expos!
Come visit Drive For Independence in Booth 116. We are extremely excited to be there! We were invited to be a part of the Expo and cannot thank our sponsors, Meeting Well and MobilityWorks, enough for making this trip a reality! Meeting Well MobilityWorks
You’ve seen Chris test out the Mobility SVM truck at the New York/New Jersey Expo, here’s your chance to come see all the great products to make life easier! Best of all, Admission is FREE!!!!! Check out all the exhibitors here: Abilities Expo Exhibitors
With the press of a button on the key fob, the driver’s side and rear doors of Chris Sauerbaum’s pearly white GMC extended-cab pickup truck popped open and began to move outward.
About a minute later, the door was in position — about four feet from the truck body — and the wheelchair lift was on the ground. Sauerbaum, 33, of York City, maneuvered himself into position for the ride into the driver’s compartment.
Another minute or so later, Sauerbaum, who has a physical disability resulting from chronic inflammatory polyneuropathy, was in position behind the steering wheel, joysticks in hand and ready to roll.
Chris Sauerbaum of York City demonstrates the door lift on his custom GMC pickup truck at Cousler Park Thursday, Sept. 17, 2015. Sauerbaum, who suffers from a rare form of muscular dystrophy, has no legs and had the truck outfitted so he could operate it. Bill Kalina – bkalina@yorkdispatch.com
The truck, especially when the doors open, is a head-turner.
“You might as well be driving a Lamborghini,” Sauerbaum said.
But driving anything is what makes him happy. It’s something he’s wanted to do for more than a decade.
Driver: The journey to getting Sauerbaum behind the wheel of his own car started 11 years ago. The process has cost thousands of dollars and borne numerous setbacks.
He originally bought a Chrysler PT Cruiser with hopes of converting it to work with his disabilities. But it couldn’t be outfitted with the needed joystick controls.
Finally in 2013, Sauerbaum and wife Heather Sloat started an appeal for donations to raise money for a down payment on the pickup truck.
They raised the needed $10,000, including a $2,500 donation from Oletowne Jewelers, 2157 White St. in West Manchester Township, and made the down payment on the GMC Sierra pickup a few months ago.
The truck was then sent off to undergo a $91,000 conversion, which was covered by the state Office of Vocational Rehabilitation, and the family of four finally took delivery of it about three weeks ago.
Chris Sauerbaum of York City demonstrates the capabilities of his custom GMC pickup truck at Cousler Park Thursday, Sept. 17, 2015. Sauerbaum, who suffers from a rare form of muscular dystrophy, has no legs and had the truck outfitted so he could operate it. Bill Kalina – bkalina@yorkdispatch.com
“Think of it as a big (remote controlled) car. An 8,000 pound R/C car,” Sauerbaum said of the added electronics that allow him to operate the truck.
The pickup features two joysticks in the driver’s compartment. One allows him to feed the engine gas and to brake, and the other controls steering.
It took Sauerbaum a week and a half of training to get ready for the road.
Easier life: Driving not only gives Sauerbaum the freedom of the road but also frees up Sloat’s day.
In the past, she’d have to drive him to work, racking up 80 miles on the odometer each day, she said.
Now that Sauerbaum has his truck, he and Sloat want to help others in similar situations get behind the wheel.
They are working to gain 501(c)(3) status for Drive for Independence, a nonprofit organization they are starting to help people with disabilities navigate the process of getting a converted car that meets their needs.
“It’s just one piece of the puzzle to get people to work,” Sloat said.
The truck also met with approval during a recent car show in Mountville, Lancaster County. It took home first place in the street truck/SUV class at the Turn Up the Pink Car Show, Sloat said.
Sauerbaum and Sloat’s two 6-year-old boys, Tucker and Harley Sauerbaum, were anxiously awaiting their ride in the truck. But first, they needed new car seats.
Harley wasn’t always so keen on the truck.
Sloat and Sauerbaum showed the boys a video of Sauerbaum testing out a similar truck. As the doors slid open and Sauerbaum prepared to get in, Harley got a horrified look on his face and started crying.
“Harley said, ‘Why is that Transformer eating Daddy?'” Sloat said.
We made a lofty goal of $2000 for this year’s event
and have fallen just a little short.
We need your help! To help raise the remaining $200,
we have added a few incentives!!!
Donations are being accepted in person, by mail and via PayPal. For your convenience, use the Paypal link below to donate or use the contact form to contact us for our mailing address or to set up an in person meet. When making your donation, please be sure to include your mailing address. This will help us to send your gift out to you! If you are local and would like to pick up your gift, please let us know!
The donation incentives are as follows:
For each $5 donation, we will send you one of the commemorative Upshift Summer Bash drawstring backpack!
For each $10 donation, we will send you a Lower ’48 Tucker Reproduction by Rob Ida poster and the commemorative Upshift Summer Bash drawstring backpack!
For each $15 donation, we will send you one of our Drive for Independence Key Chains, in addition to the commemorative Upshift Summer Bash drawstring backpack, and Lower ’48 Tucker Reproduction by Rob Ida poster!
Thank you for your ongoing support of Drive For Independence!
Radio Host, Author, Motivational Speaker, Father and Tireless Advocate for the Disabled, Greg Smith’s Life and Work is Showcased in this Inside Look at the Joys and Frustrations of Life as a 65-pound Disabled Dynamo
This film will be screened online throughout the month of July at http://www.onarollmovie.com as part of the national celebration of the 25 year anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act. We need your sponsorship support to make this happen.
Two million Americans use wheelchairs. 54 million Americans have a disability. From his state-of-the art radio studio in his parents’ Mississippi house, Greg Smith—“the wheelchair dude with attitude”—uses his popular nationally syndicated radio program to offer advice, encouragement and inspiration to not only the huge number of disabled Americans but all Americans. His upbeat, tough, and often humor-filled message closes the gap between the abled and disabled by stressing that we all need help from each other, everyday. Directed by Joanne Caputo, ON A ROLL will air nationally on the acclaimed PBS series Independent Lens on Tuesday, February 15, 2005 at 10 P.M. (check local listings) in conjunction with Black History Month.
Greg Smith sounds like a normal dad as he talks to his daughter on his cell phone and calls her “sweetie pie,” but interviews with his three kids prove opposite: “He needs help using the bathroom and getting in bed. He can’t play baseball that good.” Yet daughter Berkeley also knows what he can do: “He can move and drive… and talk.” It’s an accurate description as we hear Smith telling listeners about his new power wheelchair that can zoom around at 8 miles an hour.
Smith looks tiny and emaciated, but with a deep announcer’s voice he interviews Christopher Reeve, then blows the whistle on Clint Eastwood, Nike and Rush Limbaugh, all guilty of insensitivity to people with disabilities. We soon realize that he is no ordinary 65-pound man. He’s the host of On A Roll Radio who began broadcasting after a disability job discrimination experience in 1992.
By 2000, more than 40 cities air Smith’s program, but without major syndicator support. It’s part of the “institutionalized bigotry” that people with disabilities face regularly, according to Smith’s producer, Mike Ervin. Becky Ogle (former White House Disability Task Force director) and Judy Huemann (The World Bank Disability advisor) tell us about more concerns fueling current disability activism—nursing homes, independence vs. interdependence and the power of the growing disability voting bloc, now at 40 million.
Bring you cars! Bring your family! And don’t forget to come hungry! We are thrilled to announce our 2nd annual Drive For Independence Upshift Summer Bash. This year’s event will be held at Leg Up Farm, 4880 N Sherman Street Ext, Mt Wolf, PA 17347, on Saturday, August 1 from 3pm-9pm. It is a car show, food truck and vendor event. There will be plenty of beautiful cars, food vendors to tempt your taste buds, plenty of vendors to pique your interest, and the Rock ‘N’ Roll Express DJs to keep the party going. The Upshift Summer Bash is a fundraiser for Drive For Independence, a new organization in York PA to help adults with high level disabilities get wheelchair accessible vehicles to get to work. We are working towards the costs of becoming a 501(c)3 organization.
Our sponsors and vendors help us to make the Upshift Summer Bash possible. Our platinum Sponsor is Apple Nissan. With their help we are bringing an awesome activity to Upshift Summer Bash. New this year we will have RC2U bringing their mobile RC race set up to the show. There will be tickets available at $3.00 per race, 2 races for $5.00 or wristbands for $10.00 to race all night. All proceeds from the ticket sales come to Drive for Independence. It will be great fun for the young and young at heart!
We also have several Gold (trophy) and Silver Sponsors helping to make this year’s event a success. Ida Automotive and Preston Tucker LLC are 2 of our gold sponsors this year. They are currently in the process of building what was the Tucker Torpedo concept car. Sean and Mike Tucker (Preston Tucker’s great grandsons) and Rob Ida who specializes in custom car builds will be on hand. Our other gold sponsors are Ride- Away, Mobility SVM, who will hold the first owners group meeting in conjunction with our event, and Aadvantage Insurance. One trophy is being dedicated in Memory of Tyler Shumate, who lost his life earlier this year in a car accident. Silver sponsors include Amsoil by Mike Marx , Saba for Life by Kala Sechrist, and Royal Manchester Golf Links.
Hungry? We will have Spectrum Farm to Truck to fill your bellies and Snow Stables Shaved Ice to cool you down. We are continuing to add food choices so check out the Facebook event or WordPress for updates. There will also be a bake sale that will benefit Drive for Independence. We also have vendors for all your shopping needs! Favorite direct sales companies, such as Perfectly Posh, and home crafters will be on hand to satisfy your shopping fun.
We would love to fill our show field with 150+ Cars, trucks and motorcycles. Pre-register your vehicle by visiting: https://squareup.com/market/christopher-sauerbaum/upshift-summer-bash-registration. Use code USB2015 at check out for $5.00 discount. You can also pre-register by going to the link below and printing out the mail-in registration. Pre-registration is only $10.00 while the day of the show registration is $15.00. We will have 1st-3rd, best motorcycle, and best truck custom trophies designed by Chris Sauerbaum for the show field that will be judged by your fellow car show participants. There will also be a People’s Choice trophy voted on by the general public. The first 50 registered cars will receive a dash plaque and we will have 150 reusable goody bags to be given away. Chris is definitely showcasing his graphic design abilities with this show. We will also have a silent auction with items up for bid such as a round of golf for 4 (a $200 value) from Royal Manchester Golf Links, an Amsoil oil gift certificate, a family fun pack including a bowling gift card and movie passes and many more! We will also have activities for the kids including the large barrier-free playground, color your own car and face painting!
These guys are true car builders! We can’t wait for you to meet them at the UPSHIFT Summer Bash. IDA Automotive and Preston Tucker LLC are 2 of our Gold sponsors.
We are excited to announce our sponsorship opportunities! If you are interested in being a sponsor please contact us with your email address and we will send you the letter below.
We now have fiscal sponsorship so your sponsor donation is tax deductible.
Heather Sloat
Drive For Independence
Upshift Summer Bash 2015
372 W King St
York PA 17401
3/ /2015
Dear ,
Drive for Independence is an organization dedicated to helping individuals with high level disabilities obtain wheelchair accessible vehicles needed to drive themselves to work and achieve their dreams of independence. We have already helped one individual achieve his dream. Christopher Sauerbaum along with his wife and many other dedicated individuals have raised the funds for a down payment on his vehicle which will soon be converted for his specific needs. After meeting his goal they decided to immediately work on paying it forward and helping others meet this same goal of being able to drive themselves to work and lead an overall more independent life.
Our annual car show is one of our largest fundraisers. Upshift Summer Bash 2015 will be held on Saturday, August 1, 2015 at Leg Up Farm and will showcase a variety of vehicles including cars, trucks and motorcycles with everything from classics to tuners. To make this year’s event an even larger success than last year we are seeking the support of business and private sponsors. There are several possible ways to support this event including Sponsorship, donation to the raffle, and door prizes.
We are also accepting donations to the raffle to be held during the event. The items will be on display throughout the event for the public to bid on. Each item will include a card with information about the item including the value and who it was donated by. Corporate sponsorship is not necessary to make a donation to the raffle. All donations are greatly appreciated.
Gold and Silver Sponsorship Levels and in Memoriam Trophy Sponsorships are limited and will go on a first come basis. We encourage all interested sponsors to return the sponsorship form as soon as possible, but no later than June 1, 2015 to ensure inclusion of your logo on promotional materials.
As an Upshift Summer Bash 2015 sponsor you will receive recognition in a variety of ways:
Gold Level $100
⦁ A vendor spot at the event
⦁ Logo or business information in the program
⦁ Option to include fliers, promotional material, or samples in the Give away bag
⦁ Logo on Reusable shopping bag handed out to first 150 entrants
⦁ Logo on banners and fliers
⦁ Sponsorship of a trophy
Silver Level $75
⦁ A vendor spot at the event
⦁ Logo or business information in the program
⦁ Option to include fliers, promotional material, or samples in the Give away bag
⦁ Logo on Reusable bag handed out to first 150 entrants
⦁ Logo on banners and fliers
Bronze Level $50.00
⦁ Vendor space at the event
⦁ Logo or business information in the program
⦁ Option to include fliers, promotional material, or samples in the Give away bag
We thank you for your consideration in supporting our Upshift Summer Bash 2015 and ultimately our mission with Drive for Independence in helping individuals with high level disabilities reach their goal of being able to drive themselves to work and achieve a new level of independence.
We look forward to seeing you join us at the Upshift Summer Bash 2015 being held at Leg Up Farm, located at 4880 N Sherman St Ext, Mt Wolf PA 17347.
Thank you for your continuing support,
Heather Sloat
Drive for Independence
Business Sponsorship Information
Business Name________________________________________________________________
Address_________________________________________________________________
Phone________________________ Website________________________________________________
Email____________________________________________
Sponsorship Level
□Gold $100
□Silver $75
□Bronze $50
□ Yes, I’d like to donate an item to be used for the Silent Auction/Door Prizes.
Item_________________________________________________________________________________
Value___________________________
In Memoriam Trophy Sponsorships $75
In Loving Memory of____________________________________________________________________
By________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Contact person________________________________________________________________________
Address______________________________________________________________________________
Phone________________________________________________________________________________
Logo must be in .JPEG, .PSD, or .EPS format and at least 150dpi (300dpi preferred).
Please e-mail your artwork to: driveforindependence@gmail.com. Sponsorship form and checks made payable to “Philanthropic Endeavors” with a memo line of “Drive for Independence” may be mailed to address below. Any questions please contact me via email at driveforindependence@gmail.com.
Heather Sloat, Drive for Independence, 372 W King Street, York PA 17401
Drive for Independence 
