Kevin's Bike Birthday Surprise!
Dear Friends and Family of Kevin!
Let's Give Kevin His Dream:
A Brand New Speed Bike!
This Sept 27th 2017 Kevin Kent Nielsen turns 56 years old! It has been almost 10 years of a deep and nurturing marriage with Kevin, and my life is so blessed by his love. I am sure all of you have your own stories of how Kevin has gently and profoundly touched your lives. Kevin is not the big voice in the room but his presence and thoughtfulness glows and sparks. Everyone I know falls deeply in love with him. He is my treasure.
Kevin is the kind of person who never asks for anything. He is overly generous and has a heart of gold. It is precisely these reasons that I would like to acknowledge our love of Kevin this year with a special gift: a bike!
Kevin use to bike a great deal when he lived in Baltimore in 1984. As a part of the Lutheran Volunteer Corps, Kevin lived in a Christian Community and worked with the homeless finding them housing. He often mentions his bike rides in Baltimore, stopping at the inner harbor for fried crab, the muggy summer heat, a prelude for Austin, and his occasional bike trips all the way to Washington DC!
When Kevin came to Austin, Kevin began to dream of biking again (in the cooler months!) Austin is a great place to bike with biking trails and beautiful rides in the Texas Hill Country. Kevin looks for bikes online and occassionally stops by local bike shops to price bikes. He has often felt discouraged by the prices!! And... Kevin has a hard time spending that kind of money on himself.
Self-care is essential for the kind of work Kevin and I do as mental health workers. Kevin's counsels uninsured Texans with complicated histories. In the current poltical climate, Kevin hears devestating stories of terror, from illegal immigrants worried for their families to horrific cases of physical and mental abuse stemming from poverty and other injustices. Kevin's new training in trauma, a somatic practice derived from EMDR, called "Natural Processing" has helped him feel more effective with people experiencing trauma symtoms. He often sees 8 to 10 people a day at the agency he works. His plan is to leave the job in in the spring of 2018 after 6 years of serving at Lone Star Circle Of Care.
I have colleague who is a biker and I have conferred with him about where and how to get a speed/ trail bike. He has informed me that a good riding bike for an adult is not cheap. To get anything of good quality will be over 1000.00$. I want to give Kevin the bike he wants and so my hope is to raise 10000.00$. As a friend or family member please give what you feel comfortable, whether 20.00$ or 200.00$! The gift of choice could be 56$, (his Birthday age)!! I will not reveal who gave how much because that is not the point! Instead, on his Birthday,
9-27-17, I hope to give him a gift certificate from a local bike store with all of us as gifters! He will be so surprised!
I have never set up a Go Fund Me but it felt like a great way to reach everyone who knows and loves Kevin. Let's help Kevin buy the bike of his dreams! Love you all and thank you for being in our life! We love you! Peace, Juliana
Let's Give Kevin His Dream:
A Brand New Speed Bike!
This Sept 27th 2017 Kevin Kent Nielsen turns 56 years old! It has been almost 10 years of a deep and nurturing marriage with Kevin, and my life is so blessed by his love. I am sure all of you have your own stories of how Kevin has gently and profoundly touched your lives. Kevin is not the big voice in the room but his presence and thoughtfulness glows and sparks. Everyone I know falls deeply in love with him. He is my treasure.
Kevin is the kind of person who never asks for anything. He is overly generous and has a heart of gold. It is precisely these reasons that I would like to acknowledge our love of Kevin this year with a special gift: a bike!
Kevin use to bike a great deal when he lived in Baltimore in 1984. As a part of the Lutheran Volunteer Corps, Kevin lived in a Christian Community and worked with the homeless finding them housing. He often mentions his bike rides in Baltimore, stopping at the inner harbor for fried crab, the muggy summer heat, a prelude for Austin, and his occasional bike trips all the way to Washington DC!
When Kevin came to Austin, Kevin began to dream of biking again (in the cooler months!) Austin is a great place to bike with biking trails and beautiful rides in the Texas Hill Country. Kevin looks for bikes online and occassionally stops by local bike shops to price bikes. He has often felt discouraged by the prices!! And... Kevin has a hard time spending that kind of money on himself.
Self-care is essential for the kind of work Kevin and I do as mental health workers. Kevin's counsels uninsured Texans with complicated histories. In the current poltical climate, Kevin hears devestating stories of terror, from illegal immigrants worried for their families to horrific cases of physical and mental abuse stemming from poverty and other injustices. Kevin's new training in trauma, a somatic practice derived from EMDR, called "Natural Processing" has helped him feel more effective with people experiencing trauma symtoms. He often sees 8 to 10 people a day at the agency he works. His plan is to leave the job in in the spring of 2018 after 6 years of serving at Lone Star Circle Of Care.
I have colleague who is a biker and I have conferred with him about where and how to get a speed/ trail bike. He has informed me that a good riding bike for an adult is not cheap. To get anything of good quality will be over 1000.00$. I want to give Kevin the bike he wants and so my hope is to raise 10000.00$. As a friend or family member please give what you feel comfortable, whether 20.00$ or 200.00$! The gift of choice could be 56$, (his Birthday age)!! I will not reveal who gave how much because that is not the point! Instead, on his Birthday,
9-27-17, I hope to give him a gift certificate from a local bike store with all of us as gifters! He will be so surprised!
I have never set up a Go Fund Me but it felt like a great way to reach everyone who knows and loves Kevin. Let's help Kevin buy the bike of his dreams! Love you all and thank you for being in our life! We love you! Peace, Juliana
