My name is Dan Reed and I am a Paraplegic Wheelchair Athlete for RHI Sports. I am a single 53 year old Male, live on the Westside of Indianapolis, IN and was employed 12+ years with the Senior Resource Network; an Estate Planning Company, until February of this year.

I was injured in 1978 at the age of 22 years. On Monday, June 19th of that year, I was removing a 3500 Lb steel dock plate when it collapsed. My body took the brunt of the weight, causing not only internal injuries but also immediate paralysis of my lower limbs.

I spent 2 weeks in the IC unit at a Hospital in Indianapolis, staying an additional 2 months for physical therapy. I was an outpatient for the next eight months, trying to learn to walk again. My motivation at the time was my desire to water-ski again. Exactly 1 year to the month of my accident, I fulfilled my goal by getting on 2 skis, then dropping one for Slalom!! I was elated! For 21 years, I was able to walk and even run on my own (with a noticeable limp) and lived a fairly normal life.

In late 1999 while playing volleyball, I broke the fibula bone in my right leg. It didn't seem to be a big deal, but after the cast came off I couldn't build my leg muscles back up. I started to lose more feeling and staggered while trying to walk. An MRI proved that I had spinal fluid build-up that put pressure on previously damaged nerves. Being told that I would need immediate surgery that could possibly give me a 50/50 chance to walk again; I said "Let’s do it!" After being down for 6 weeks, then through physical therapy for another 2 1/2 months at Rehabilitation Hospital of Indiana, I ended up confined to the wheelchair, unable to walk, this time for good.

In June of 2001, I was invited to a Water Ski Clinic hosted by RHI Sports at Morse Reservoir in Cicero, IN. Just to be able to get out of my chair and on an Adaptive Water Ski, the idea of ripping across the water again really got me excited!! Though I needed help to do that, with people balancing me until the boat took off, I had a blast! I attended that Clinic for the next 2 years and always looked forward to that day on the water.

In 2004, I was invited to an Advanced Water Ski clinic, learning basic competitive water skiing and actually qualified for the National Championships in Minnesota. I didn't do very well, but learned a lot and had the opportunity to meet some of the top disabled water skiers in the world! Talk about wide-eyed enthusiasm, I could only watch and admire these people and hope I could someday be as good as they were. After that fateful week of competition, I proceeded to train diligently, becoming a three-event skier; adept in slalom, trick and jump.

I currently hold an IN State Record with a 54 foot jump in Men's Sit-Ski. I have crashed many times trying to better my skills, broke equipment and busted ribs in a jump in Florida, was selected as Indiana Water Ski Association "NSL Skier of the Year" as well as RHI Sports "Athlete of the Year" in 2005. Through RHI, I have also attended several other RHISP Adaptive Clinics including white water rafting, rock wall climb, snow skiing, self defense, hand-cycling and wheelchair racing, among a host of others.

I have just completed my fifth Water Ski National Championships for RHISP Waterski Team over Labor Day weekend 2008. Earning Bronze in Men's Slalom and Silver in Men's Overall, to go along with my first medal (Silver) from 2007 in Men's Jump when I also earned the "Royce Andes Award", given to a promising new national skier. My dreams finally became a reality when I was selected for the USA Disabled Team, to compete at the World Championships in Vichy, France in August, 2009. Representing the United States on the same elite team as my heroes and icons of the sport from when I was first introduced to Adaptive Skiing is a humbling experience, at the very least.

Please see: http://www.usawaterski.org/default.asp?Display=415

By the nature of the sport, the cost of skiing is expensive. I normally ski for 15 minutes at a time, at a cost of $20 to $25.00 each set for the gas and time of a boat driver. Since I train extensively, that can add up skiing 3-4 times a week or more during a season. Plus, I intend on training with the US Team in Mississippi and Georgia early this year, so hotel and transportation costs will have to be considered for those trips. Equipment costs are astronomical, as a specialized Adaptive Slalom Water Ski cost between $1500 and $2500 new, depending on material used. A carbon fiber jump ski will be around $2000.00, a pneumatic jump cage around $800-$1000.00. RHI Sports provides a ski cage and jump ski and I do not own my own real jump cage. I was able to purchase a used slalom ski and trick ski last year.

WSDA (Water Skiers with Disabilities Association) has asked each team member to procure donations for the US Team. At this time, approximately $1975.00 per person is cost of one week’s accommodations including ground transport, entry fees, food, etc., for the duration of the event. That does not include round-trip air fare, which is estimated at over $1500 from Indianapolis to Paris, France. The Team also suggests that we arrive up to a week earlier, for the simple reason that we are going through 6 to 7 time zones and that we may need a few extra days to recuperate and prepare to compete, both physically and mentally for the start of the competition.

With so much time and costs asked from us, my hope is that you may now understand my need for sponsorship help in the way of financial donations and assistance. With the current economic situation, I am finding previous sources are also experiencing difficulty in their own fund-raising efforts.

I am hopeful that you or your company may consider sponsoring me as a Wheelchair Athlete. I would be happy to wear your company Logo, mention your company name and make appearances when asked or whatever you feel I must do to uphold your good name. A donation of any amount would be appreciated!

Lastly, I currently serve as the Disabled Representative for the Indiana Water Ski Association (IWSA) Board. http://www.IndianaWaterSki.org and I also currently hold the position of IWSA Representative on the Board of Indy Skiers Ski Club. www.IndySkiers.com and am a Member of the RHI Sports Program and RHI Sports Water Ski Team.

Thank you in advance for your valuable time and consideration of this matter.

Sincerely,
Daniel Reed, RHI Sports Water Ski Team
2009 USA Disabled Water Ski Team Member

Date	Time	Location	Details
Wed and Thurs, June 3 & 4, 2009		Morse Reservoir	RHI Sports Annual Water Ski Clinic, Red Bridge Park, Cicero, IN
Fri, June 5, 2009		Danville IN	RHI Sports Advanced Water Ski Clinic, Hawthorne Lake
Wed, June 24, 2009		Mooresville, IN	Bradford Woods Water Ski Clinic, Bradford Woods
Thursdays, June 4 through Sept 18, 2009		Municipal Gardens Dock, Lake Indy, White River, 18th and Lafayette Road, Indianapolis, IN	Thursday Night Ski Ability Series- every Thursday from 5 until sundown, Indy Parks/Indy Skiers Inc.
June 13, July 11 and August 15, 2009	10-4PM	Lake Indy on the White River, Indianapolis,IN	Indy Skiers Inc. "Learn to Ski Program", Municipal Gardens
June 8, 22, 29, July 13, 20, August 3 and 10th, 2009		Fairland Lake, Fairland, IN	MD Boats NSL (Grassroots) Monday Night Ski League
June 14 and July 12, 2009		Wisdom Lake, Greensburg, IN	Wisdom Lake Grassroots Ski Tournament
June 24 and 26, 2009		Hawthorne Lake, Danville, IN	Big Rig Jump/Trick Clinic
July 25 and 26, 2009		Syracuse, IN	Indiana State Water Ski Championships, Cindonway Shores, Syracuse, IN, Disabled division on Saturday, 7-25
August 31 -September 6, 2009		Vichy, France	IWSF Disabled Water Ski World Championships