Mike’s Story – Microding Is a Gift; Parents Give to Their Children

It was a cold day in March, and the Finger Lakes Microd Club was showing some of our microd’s at the Binghamton NY Race Show. I was at our club’s booth talking to people, answering their questions, when I noticed a lady staring up at our club’s banner.  May I answer a question for you, I asked?  She told me she was interested for her son Mike.  I proceeded to tell her how she could rent a Microd ($100.00) & Club motor ($85.00) for the season. And that Girls & Boys ages 5 to 17 could race. Then I told her how everything together, the season would cost them less then ($480.00). Mike’s mother signed him up for a try-out appointment, that day before she left our booth.  The day for Mike’s try-out arrived, and I got my first look at Mike, He was 8 or 9 at the time. One thing you’d notice about Mike was he limped, he had hurt his ankle and wore a brace on it, to help him walk. It was Mike’s turn to try-out; he did well, followed the instructions and handled the microd without any problems. They decided to sign-up for the season, they paid, and then picked out microd #37, this would be the microd Mike would drive for the season. 

(Special note:  One of our club’s goals is to always be willing to accommodate the Physically & Mentally Challenged, or people with other special needs.) (The changes that Mike needed to drive the microd were very minor)

When the season started Mike came with his Grandpa (His Mother’s Father) who would be his Pit Person, (The person) that put his motor on & off, checked air pressure and generally helped get the microd ready to race each week. Mike started a little slow, but showed steady improvement, he won 4 or 5 races during the first 10 race days of the season.  At the end of that 10th week Mike’s Grandpa came up to me and said: “The agreement we signed said we needed to come to 11 races right” (Something the club required back then) I replied “Yes”.  He stated that after the next race (Race 11) “they would not be coming”.  When I asked why, he said, “ My grandson does not appreciate what I am doing for him”.  It would be years before I saw Mike again, after that 11th race in 1998. When we did meet Mike again, he was a tall young man in his 20’s.  He stopped by our booth at ironically the Binghamton NY Race Show.  As we started talking with Mike he shared with me how grateful he was to have gotten the chance to race a microd, and that he felt the summer of 1998 had been the best year of his life to that point!  Some food for thought: How many 8 or 9 year olds know how or have been taught how to show appreciation? Many times it’s not until we get older in our 20’s that we start to look back to reflect how we got here, only then do we start to appreciate those who helped us along the way. I only wished his Grandpa could have been there to hear how much it meant to him years later, when I inquired about his Grandpa, Mike replied he had passed quite a few years before. The Best Year of Mike’s life could not have happened without Mike’s Grandpa, it was the “Gift” of his time that made that summer possible for Mike.  The Finger Lakes Microd Club can provide the opportunity, a microd to use, friends to race with, and the place to race. Without the support of the Families, memories’ like Mike’s don’t happen.  Will you consider taking the time to make memories with your children that they will remember the rest of their lives?   For More information on the Finger Lakes Microd Club: our web page is – www.littlewheels.org. or on Facebook at “Finger Lakes Microd Club”. or call (A.J. Burgess) at 607-898-3313. We”ll be glad to answer your questions & explain how you can become part of our “Finger Lakes Club Family.”