The Bull Pen, November 2010

Welcome back to the Bull Pen. Are you ready for another fun filled installment? Great, sit back, relax and let's get started. It's hard to believe that it's been 30 years since the debut of the cinematic masterpiece Caddyshack. Just the mention of Caddyshack brings back many wonderful memories for me but did you know there are actually some important life lessons that can be learned from this timeless classic? Don't believe me? Read the following excerpts from Caddyshack and decide for yourself.

Judge Smails (Ted Knight): "There's a lot of...well, badness in the world today". "I see it in court every day". "I've sentenced boys younger than you to the gas chamber. I didn't want to do it- I felt I owed it to them". "The most important decision you can make right now is what you stand for- goodness...or badness".

Danny Noonan: "I've made some mistakes in the past. I'm willing to make up for that. I want to be good".

Good choice Danny. Shouldn't we all stand for "goodness" as Judge Smails mentioned. I have the pleasure of knowing such a person who took Judge Smails advice literally that I want to introduce you to. Her name is Vicki Sanfelipo and she is the Founder & Director of Accident Scene Management (ASMI) and Co Founder of the Road Guardian program. I recently had the pleasure of attending the grand opening of the new Road Guardian/ASMI headquarters in Big Bend WI and all I can say is "wow". Guests of the grand opening were treated to some great food, music, displays from local police & fire departments as well as the Wisconsin Department of Transportation traveling motorcycle safety training trailer and much more. Many participants brought their children to take advantage of the free child identification program sponsored by our friend's at the most excellent law firm of Hupy & Abraham.

It's equally hard to fathom that since its inception, ASMI has trained close to 20,000 fellow bikers how to provide emergency medical aid which has ultimately saved countless lives. Just ask any of the fathers, mothers, sons or daughters who were saved by folks trained by ASMI if they are thankful for Vicki & crew. Switching back to Caddyshack, who can forget when Bill Murray who plays Carl shares his tale of caddying in Tibet for the Dalai Lama.

Carl: So I jump ship in Hong Kong and make my way over to Tibet, and I get on as a looper at a course over in the Himalayas.

Angie: A looper?

Carl: A looper, you know, a caddy, a looper, a jock. So, I tell them I'm a pro jock, and who do you think they give me? The Dalai Lama, himself. Twelfth son of the Lama. The flowing robes, the grace, bald...striking. So we finish the eighteenth and he's gonna stiff me. And I say, "Hey, Lama, hey, how about a little something, you know, for the effort, you know?" And he says, "Oh, uh, there won't be any money, but when you die, on your deathbed, you will receive total consciousness."

I am not exactly sure what "total consciousness" is but do believe that the Lama was referring to some sort of reward at the end of days for practicing "goodness" as Judge Smails points out. In my book, it's a good thing to meet your maker with saving the lives of others on your resume. For that reason, I am thankful for Vicki and all of the dedicated volunteers who have invested their time in us. The world is a better place as a result of your efforts. It takes a great amount of hard work to deliver this program to the masses so I invite you all to help us help each other by both joining the Road Guardian program and attending an ASMI course. You can learn more about the Road Guardians at roadguardians.org or accidentscene.org.

I am happy to share with you that our Friends at Allstate Insurance are also practicing "goodness" by donating $5 to the Road Guardian program for motorcycle quotes for the balance of 2010. If you want to help the Road Guardians please call me at 877-232-9899 or drop me a note at deanakey@allstate.com and help us help each other. That's it for this month. My name is Dean Akey and I sell insurance. I enjoy working with fellow bikers helping you protect what matters most. Until next month, enjoy the ride.