Pay it Forward for local hero, Bob the Bus Driver!
Donation protected
Link to WCCO TV Segment on Bob:
https://minnesota.cbslocal.com/2019/02/27/chanhassen-community-rallying-to-send-bob-the-bus-driver-to-brothers-funeral/
UPDATE:
We did it, and it wouldn't have been possible without all of you! THANK YOU to all who've so generously donated and/or shared Bob's story! We've met our 1st goal to get Bob and his family to Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia for his brother's funeral and made some progress toward his family's $30,000 medical debt. Bob has been completely overwhelmed by all the selfless generosity that has rallied behind him, and YOU, our community came together and continue to do so to make this possible.
Now we're hoping to lend a hand with some of those medical bills with the 2nd goal of raising $10,000 toward his family's enormous medical bills, thus you will see an incremental update of the total goal to $20,000.
A special thanks also goes out to WCCO TV (link above) and the Chanhassen Villager (article below) for so graciously helping to get the word out!
After Bob returns from the March 8th military burial, watch for a personal 'thank you' note from him as well as photographs of his trip, all posted here! The depth of human kindness has enveloped this campaign. Thank you!
Article in the Chanhassen Villager:
For years, Bob Snyder aka “Bob the Bus Driver” has been a dedicated steward of getting many of our kids to school everyday, my three rugrats included. A humble man with a lifelong penchant for service to others, he just can’t bring himself to ask for help in his time of need. So when I learned of Bob’s struggles, I decided to take action by reaching out to our community, one that’s greatly benefited from his selfless years of service in Chanhassen. Through his humility, kindness and genuine care for our children, he’s provided parents with a peace of mind that no amount of money can buy. Add to that guiding our little guys through Boy Scouts as a longtime unit commissioner as well as active involvement in The Chanhassen American Legion.
It’s pretty simple actually. He just wants the chance to honor and say a final goodbye to his brother, a man who dedicated 46 years of service to the Air Force. Bob the Bus Driver wants to see his brother off on his final journey, a military burial at Arlington National Cemetery in Washington, D.C. on March 8th. He’s partially there with a plane ticket and hotel room purchased on his credit card, but there’s little money for other essentials and none for his wife and daughter to attend.
I doubt he’d ever take off that iconic cowboy hat and welcoming smile (you know, those things that religiously greet our children at the bus stop everyday) to let us in on his personal pain and challenges.
At a recent lunch outing with this man who’s left a deeply meaningful and lasting impression on my three kids, we all personally witnessed the depth of Bob’s impact. Two 10th-grade high school boys walked into the restaurant and immediately spied Bob. They came right over to greet him – by name - and began reminiscing about specific heart filled memories with the one and only “Bob the Bus Driver,” their cool and caring bus-driving buddy from years long gone, but clearly not forgotten.
After they left, Bob got a little choked up when I casually asked if he had any exciting future travel plans. A little bewildered and concerned, I eventually convinced him to share with me what was bothering him. It’s ironic how those who give so much of themselves are the ones who have the hardest time asking for help in their time of need, even though they are among the most deserving.
My heart broke when I learned he could not afford to bring his family along or some of the simple necessities like a rental car and meals for this most important ceremony honoring the brother he cherished and a man who gave so much to protecting our country, our liberties… and us. Never a service member himself but with a grandfather who served in WWI, Bob joined the Sons of The American Legion, a post which he takes quite seriously given all his service work on behalf of past and present members of our armed forces.
Unfortunately Mr. Bob, as my kids fondly refer to him, is currently plagued with enormous medical bills for which his remedial insurance will cover little or nothing… that same capsizing boat in which many of us find ourselves where one can’t qualify for assistance yet can’t afford the skyrocketing premiums and co-pays for decent medical coverage either. For Bob and his family, their medical debt is over $30,000 and growing due to collections actions.
We’re not talking about a facelift here. In the last few years, his wife Cathy, who’s been equally active in our community for years with the Women of Today (formerly Jaycee Women), has undergone gall bladder surgery and a knee replacement. This also meant a sizeable loss to their much needed dual income.
As a community, it’s time to pay it forward and help our local unsung hero, Bob the Bus Driver, on his journey to honor his brother and perhaps make a dent in some of those medical bills too.
In a season where our society has become increasingly divided, times like this bring us together and remind us, first and foremost, what it means to be uniquely yet equally American and human.
Must-Watch Musings on Bus Driving in only 30 Seconds!
https://minnesota.cbslocal.com/2019/02/27/chanhassen-community-rallying-to-send-bob-the-bus-driver-to-brothers-funeral/
UPDATE:
We did it, and it wouldn't have been possible without all of you! THANK YOU to all who've so generously donated and/or shared Bob's story! We've met our 1st goal to get Bob and his family to Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia for his brother's funeral and made some progress toward his family's $30,000 medical debt. Bob has been completely overwhelmed by all the selfless generosity that has rallied behind him, and YOU, our community came together and continue to do so to make this possible.
Now we're hoping to lend a hand with some of those medical bills with the 2nd goal of raising $10,000 toward his family's enormous medical bills, thus you will see an incremental update of the total goal to $20,000.
A special thanks also goes out to WCCO TV (link above) and the Chanhassen Villager (article below) for so graciously helping to get the word out!
After Bob returns from the March 8th military burial, watch for a personal 'thank you' note from him as well as photographs of his trip, all posted here! The depth of human kindness has enveloped this campaign. Thank you!
Article in the Chanhassen Villager:
For years, Bob Snyder aka “Bob the Bus Driver” has been a dedicated steward of getting many of our kids to school everyday, my three rugrats included. A humble man with a lifelong penchant for service to others, he just can’t bring himself to ask for help in his time of need. So when I learned of Bob’s struggles, I decided to take action by reaching out to our community, one that’s greatly benefited from his selfless years of service in Chanhassen. Through his humility, kindness and genuine care for our children, he’s provided parents with a peace of mind that no amount of money can buy. Add to that guiding our little guys through Boy Scouts as a longtime unit commissioner as well as active involvement in The Chanhassen American Legion.
It’s pretty simple actually. He just wants the chance to honor and say a final goodbye to his brother, a man who dedicated 46 years of service to the Air Force. Bob the Bus Driver wants to see his brother off on his final journey, a military burial at Arlington National Cemetery in Washington, D.C. on March 8th. He’s partially there with a plane ticket and hotel room purchased on his credit card, but there’s little money for other essentials and none for his wife and daughter to attend.
I doubt he’d ever take off that iconic cowboy hat and welcoming smile (you know, those things that religiously greet our children at the bus stop everyday) to let us in on his personal pain and challenges.
At a recent lunch outing with this man who’s left a deeply meaningful and lasting impression on my three kids, we all personally witnessed the depth of Bob’s impact. Two 10th-grade high school boys walked into the restaurant and immediately spied Bob. They came right over to greet him – by name - and began reminiscing about specific heart filled memories with the one and only “Bob the Bus Driver,” their cool and caring bus-driving buddy from years long gone, but clearly not forgotten.
After they left, Bob got a little choked up when I casually asked if he had any exciting future travel plans. A little bewildered and concerned, I eventually convinced him to share with me what was bothering him. It’s ironic how those who give so much of themselves are the ones who have the hardest time asking for help in their time of need, even though they are among the most deserving.
My heart broke when I learned he could not afford to bring his family along or some of the simple necessities like a rental car and meals for this most important ceremony honoring the brother he cherished and a man who gave so much to protecting our country, our liberties… and us. Never a service member himself but with a grandfather who served in WWI, Bob joined the Sons of The American Legion, a post which he takes quite seriously given all his service work on behalf of past and present members of our armed forces.
Unfortunately Mr. Bob, as my kids fondly refer to him, is currently plagued with enormous medical bills for which his remedial insurance will cover little or nothing… that same capsizing boat in which many of us find ourselves where one can’t qualify for assistance yet can’t afford the skyrocketing premiums and co-pays for decent medical coverage either. For Bob and his family, their medical debt is over $30,000 and growing due to collections actions.
We’re not talking about a facelift here. In the last few years, his wife Cathy, who’s been equally active in our community for years with the Women of Today (formerly Jaycee Women), has undergone gall bladder surgery and a knee replacement. This also meant a sizeable loss to their much needed dual income.
As a community, it’s time to pay it forward and help our local unsung hero, Bob the Bus Driver, on his journey to honor his brother and perhaps make a dent in some of those medical bills too.
In a season where our society has become increasingly divided, times like this bring us together and remind us, first and foremost, what it means to be uniquely yet equally American and human.
Must-Watch Musings on Bus Driving in only 30 Seconds!
Organizer
Leisl AuVante
Organizer
Chanhassen, MN
