THANKS, please keep it coming! - A call for help for our fellow kiter, Mila

ricki · #1 06-06-2009, 07:57 AM

SOME ASSISTANCE FOR OUR FRIEND MILA … our fellow kiteboarder, future
firewoman and paramedic.

Mila riding a couple of years ago

• Mila has been a powerhouse, full of life, warmth and ready to help a friend. Her grace
and ability kiting are memorable.
• She has a condition that causes her intense pain from just walking and considerably
more in her job as a personal trainer and career in development as a fire fighter and
EMT/PARAMEDIC.
• She must have an expensive but essential leg operation.
• Mila pays for BCBS medical insurance but as an independent contractor has high
deductibles, co-pays and must pay for 25% of the operation, rehab.
• She may have a short fall of $20,000.00, perhaps more.
• Her family and friends are helping as much as they can but it may not be enough.
• Times are tough but we ask your help in freeing Mila from pain and restoring her ability
to serve as a fire fighter and paramedic.

At the Fire Academy and with Adventure Sports Staff

More details below:

Due to a recent health issue, Mila finds herself in a financial bind. Many of us know Mila
as a dynamic athletic lady ready with a smile and a warm comment. She is a joy to
watch kiteboarding, capable and strong just as she has been as a physical trainer and
more recently in Fire Fighter School. Despite all these blessings, sometimes harsh
reality strikes out of nowhere. This proud, independent and sometimes stubborn friend,
Mila is reluctant to ask for assistance, but was convinced by some of her friends who
want to help.

Repelling down the tower at Fire Fighting School and taking a break after a long and HOT school day

Mila was recently diagnosed with a serious, worsening leg condition which requires
immediate surgery and most likely additional similar surgeries over her life time. Basic
physical movement such as walking (now limping everywhere) has become very painful.
This has severely restricted her work activity, has kept her away from the water which
she loves … and, her new career as a fire fighter that she has worked so hard for, has
been put on hold. Although the condition is serious, Mila’s doctors have assured her
that following surgery and rehab, she will be able to continue to pursue her fire
fighter/paramedic career.

Mila is a responsible individual,…she does have private BCBS medical insurance,
however, due to the high cost of insurance, especially as an independent contractor, her
coverage requires her to pay 25% of this very expensive but essential surgery and has
high deductibles.

The result is tens of thousands of dollars out of pocket expenses for Mila to be able to
walk again without intense pain and pursue her new career as a firewoman and
paramedic.

Helping fellow kiter, Claudio Silva after his accident and Mila with her father At Kite For Girls event in Miami

Mila is scheduled for surgery June 29th at Broward General Hospital. Post surgery,
she will immediately begin several months of rehab and should be the active Mila we all
know and love by September. She hopes to be able to return to personal training work
on crutches within a month or so after the procedure. She might not be able to drive for
2 months.

After much convincing, Mila has given a few friends permission to set up a special Mila
Medical Fund to assist her with her out of pocket expenses from the procedure. We
are asking that you and others do what you can to assist our friend…every little bit will
be a BIG HELP. We know times are tough and many are struggling, we request your
help if you can.

We want Mila back on/in the water, in the gym, on the beach and protecting and
assisting us as a fire fighter and paramedic, as strong and capable as ever. With our
help, she can do this!

With friend Chuck in her favorite place…the ocean and just back from a nice ocean session

How You Can Help …

You can contribute to the Mila Medical Fund through:

1) PayPal - http://tinyurl.com/MilaMedicalFund

2) Mail checks or deposit to - Mila Medical Fund Inc.
Citibank, N.A.
Delray Beach Financial Center
4071 West Atlantic Ave.
Delray Beach, FL 33445
- Account #9115147293
- Routing #266086554

3) Wire Transfer to - Account #9115147293
- Routing #266086554
(Intl. Wire Transfers: Swift Code CITI US 33)

RAFFLE AND PARTY HAVE BEEN CANCELLED DUE TO LIMITED PARTICIPATION

*** and through RAFFLE TICKETS!
You can buy raffle tickets for $5.00 each through the PayPal site, PLEASE be sure to write, how many raffle tickets you want to buy in the comment section of the PayPal message form.[/b]

*** ALSO, WE NEED RAFFLE PRIZES, if you can help please contact Rick Iossi at
flkitesurfer@hotmail.com to make arrangements. Thank you in advance!!!

Thank you for your consideration and your help. Please forward this email on to five
more friends. The true test of friends and members of a community/society, is what we
do to assist others when they are truly in need.

Thank you,
Mila’s Friends

RAFFLE AND PARTY HAVE BEEN CANCELLED DUE TO LIMITED PARTICIPATION

AND, THERE’S A PARTY ...

A fundraising party with refreshments and raffle will be held in Delray Beach, FL on Saturday June 27th,
2009 starting at 7pm at her friend Chuck Lawson’s house. Requested donation for party, $10.

Location: 303 Gleason Street, Apt 1,
Delray Beach, FL 33483
Directions: http://tinyurl.com/qxa3sp

Please RSVP by June 18th to Mila. If you would like to contact her directly please send
her an email to milamedicalfund@yahoo.com , she will be happy to hear from you.

.

noel · #2 06-06-2009, 09:09 AM

Mila is a sweetheart and deserves help. She has been involved with the sport for a long time and always helps people out. I for one will be donateing for a cause i think is very worthy. I hope all goes well in the future and can't wait to see you again.

Mila · #3 06-08-2009, 09:44 AM

Thank you so much Noel

After I fully recover, I will come down to the Keys to have a flat water session, it has been a while...so hopefully I will see you soon.
Good to hear from you.
Mila

ricki · #4 06-08-2009, 01:27 PM

RAFFLE AND PARTY HAVE BEEN CANCELLED DUE TO LIMITED PARTICIPATION

Raffle Donations!

Special thanks to Marino of DDK Watches for donating a great looking watch for the raffle.

http://www.donkeydickkiteboarding.com/

Thanks to Christophe and the folks at Miami Kiteboarding for donation a kiteboarding lesson at their facility at Crandon Park in Miami, FL

http://www.miamikiteboarding.com/

Thanks to Tommy Notarianni for this excellent donation and for promoting this cause on his website and on Facebook!

http://www.peacefulmindscenter.com/P...nter/Home.html

Big thanks to Claudio Silva, for donating ten of his shirts in support of the Campaign for Tibet!

Please click image for FULL SIZED photo of this great cause and styling shirt!
www.bhakti.be and http://www.kitefury.com/

A three hour weight training/lifestyles coaching instructional (normally a $300 package) Pick a goal and obtain it! Get a personalized healthy eating plan or the perfect workout designed specifically for you and your needs! A three-hour lifestyles coaching instructional session (normally a $300 package) with Debbie Hill will assist you. As a professional weight trainer and former competitive bodybuilder, she now operates her own company providing services as a Lifestyles Coach. Debbie works with athletes-professional to amateur- as well as “every day people.” She also provides Corporate Wellness Programs and presentations to a multitude of private and public entities. Her advanced degrees are in Sports Science, with a specialty in Performance Enhancement and Injury Prevention. As a matter of interest Debbie is presently working with several kiteboarders from Delray Beach and PEI assisting them with a variety of needs. debshill@comcast.net ... THANK YOU DEBBIE!

Kurt Hoffman of KurtDesigns@yahoo.com has graciously donated three of each of these great kiteboarding inspired shirts.

Thanks Kurt!

AND FROM THE FOLKS AT ADVENTURE SPORTS MIAMI (ASM)!!!

A 2009 Custom 133 board complete with the Sync bindings. Retail price is $699.
Thank you very much, excellent support!
http://www.adventuresportsmiami.com/
http://cabrinha.com/

From Chrys with Bikinis-from-Brazil ...

HOT bikini styles fresh from Brazil, without Helga, sorry guys.
www.Bikinis-from-Brazil.com
www.ShamelessCharlotte.com

More great things to come and thanks to the Community for your support!

RAFFLE AND PARTY HAVE BEEN CANCELLED DUE TO LIMITED PARTICIPATION

Tommy · #5 06-08-2009, 08:51 PM

Good Luck Mila! I'm sure this will be behind you before you know it. Brace yourself... You are about to find out a lot about yourself. There's no such thing as a "problem" without a gift in it's hands. Many wonderful things will come from this that you haven't yet imagined.

Love,
Tommy

ricki · #6 06-11-2009, 05:59 AM

More donations are up with more on the way. Thanks for your support!

ricki · #7 06-12-2009, 03:02 PM

There have been some changes to the post above including:

- MORE GREAT RAFFLE PRIZES !!!

- The party has been moved a week to June 27, 2009

- Raffle tickets are now available for $5.00 each

and we've received more donations, thank you!!!

More on the way too, thanks for all the support out there.

ricki · #8 06-18-2009, 10:40 AM

RAFFLE AND PARTY HAVE BEEN CANCELLED DUE TO LIMITED PARTICIPATION

Although we've had some GREAT raffle prize and service donations, there has been only ONE raffle ticket sale. It was to a generous and concerned man, halfway around the world in the United Arab Emirates!? Thank you for that.

This despite extensive emails, word of mouth and repeated Internet promotions. In the past these efforts have been met with a generous outpouring of support. People are concerned and heavily impacted by the poor economy. This may explain the limited response to our plea for help.

We can't undertake a raffle or even a party with prospects of losing money instead of being able to help build the Mila Medical Fund. For this reason, we've been forced to cancel both the raffle and party.

We want to very sincerely thank the six parties that have donated money and ten that donated raffle services and prizes. Your concern is very much appreciated along with providing assistance. I will send emails to you privately discussing the situation. If it is possible, we would like to try to sell these donations on ebay to raise funds for the Mila Medical Fund. Alternatively, if you wish we will send your donation back to you with our thanks.

Mila still has a critical need, she wants to be a good citizen and not declare bankruptcy as some have advised, nor does she want to stick the hospital with unpaid fees. And, yes she really is liable for $10,000 of the $45,000. USD operation, plus a physical therapy deductible of $6500., if it goes that high, plus one to two months of lost income during rehab to try to keep herself going. Also, they didn't recommend the operation in Brazil. Why, they may specialize in far older patients but for whatever reason they don't view an operation for Mila as an option. This would mean dealing with mounting pain and ever diminishing mobility for decades? Not good. This is all very real and has been looked into extensively.

It was heartbreaking to hear her tears of disappointment over the response to the plea for help and cancellation of the raffle. She is just one woman trying to do the right thing while acting to remove the pain and restore mobility. She is a strong and principled person but we all have limits. We still need your help.

If you can see your way to send in a donation via PayPal in any amount small or large you will have our sincere gratitude for your kindness in these stressful times.

PayPal - http://tinyurl.com/MilaMedicalFund

Thank you

ricki · #9 06-24-2009, 08:52 AM

Even though the raffle and party have been called off, cash donations are still coming in and thank you very much for that! I know times are tough but if you could spare a donation for Mila, it will be very much appreciated.

Thank you!

.

conchxpress · #10 06-24-2009, 02:05 PM

$100.00 on the way. I'm a sucker for a pretty face!

What is the exact nature of her problem and what is the proposed surgery? I think a lot of people saw that things were being donated and didn't realize it was a raffle. Me included, doh! BTW, how much for Helga? Maybe a kite babe auction. I know, I'm a chauvinistic pig. Would raise a lot of money tho!

Hang in there Mila.

Frank.