Dear Friends & Family,
According to Crash Outcome Data Evaluation System data, 2003-2005, “104,472
motorcyclists were involved in crashes ; 57% of motorcyclists were helmeted at the time
of the crashes and 43% were non-helmeted. For both groups, about 40% of motorcyclists
were treated at hospitals or died following the crashes.” Of the 40%, I was a lucky one
who lived.

Despite wearing a helmet, I still suffered a severe traumatic brain injury (TBI). My
recovery was slow and steady, but I believe that my recovery would’ve been so much
greater if I had the chance to work with, and participate in a Clubhouse. I’ve recently
become involved in Synapse House, a new nonprofit organization for persons with brain
injury and stroke. One of the programs we will be offering is a Clubhouse program.
Utilized worldwide, it is a community of people working together to achieve a common
goal; recovery from brain injury and stroke.

The recovery from an injury like I had is like a long bike ride up a steep hill. Some days
are better than others, but every day you adjust to not feeling 100%, not walking right,
or talking like you used to. Clubhouses are very instrumental in helping persons with
brain injury interact with others on a social level. In a Clubhouse environment, activities
of daily living are shared and performed together like therapy, but its members are held
accountable and praised for completing their assigned tasks. This is huge, because while
you are recovering, you look forward to some type of normalcy. I learned that being able
to do ‘regular things’ on my own, like washing dishes, cooking, walking outside to go get
the mail, or even writing out checks to pay my personal bills gave me confidence, and
reminded me about being responsible again.

Synapse House is currently in the process of putting together Clubhouses in Tampa,
after a successful
Florida and Elk Grove Village, Illinois. This will allow its members, all persons with some
recovery
type of acquired brain injury, to feel comfortable in a social environment, while allowing
I ask that to work on to this great organization, because at Synapse House, members
members you donate their God given abilities that were notataken away by their injury. will be treated fairly, while their
spirits are uplifted. All donations whether of gift or time, will assist Synapse House to produce a shared environment for
its members that will be conducive to creating confidence, adding personal responsibility, while making its members feel
like they are a part of something that does not see them for their deficits, but as a contributing member of society.

I am proof that a devastating injury is not the end . Success and happiness are within reach with your help. Would
you please donate to help people like me; become the confident, responsible persons we all wish to be again?

Thank you in advance for your support.
Most sincerely,

Rodrick Frazier,
Board of Directors, Synapse House