Hello, friends--

As many of you know, I've been fortunate enough to vacation in Jamaica many times. I was introduced to Jamaica by my good friend Judy Meerkins; she introduced me to her good friend Johnny Brown. Over the years, we've enjoyed many happy hours together. Our extended network of family and friends have come to know and love Johnny, too.

Johnny is a lifelong Jamaican who supports himself and his family as a taxi driver. Last week, he was in a serious car accident. He is very grateful that he had no passengers and that he was not injured. But his van was totaled.

Contributions to the fund will allow Johnny to replace his van. He might receive some insurance money through his employer, but that will be a very slow process. In the meantime, he has no income, and he has to rely on friends and taxis to get him anywhere.

Johnny's the real deal--a good man who lives a good life, consistently looking out for others. He is not someone who will ask for help, even in a situation like this. I am hoping that we can help him get back to work very soon. I can assure you, any contributions he receives will be welcomed and put to very good use.