Memorial GAW 2021

abbydaddy

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Oct 14, 2014
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I am a little late getting this giveaway started this year. I had a new baby in November, and everything is just a little harder to get done, but in a very cute way.

For those of you who haven't seen this little annual tradition of mine, it is a GAW I do in memory of my baby brother. He would have been 27 this year if he was still with us.

Background About My Brother

On May 14th, 2014, my baby brother died in a car accident. He was 13 years younger than me, but we were very close. When he was a baby we shared a room, and so I woke with him and fed him and changed him as an infant (which led my dad to mistakenly claim that August slept through the night from the beginning at one point). For a good chunk of his early childhood it was just him, me, and my dad, so my brother had a hard time understanding that he did not have two dads. As he got older that changed, but the semi-parental character always stayed a part of our relationship. After I moved out he moved across the country to live with his mom, who he stayed with for the most part until his death. Nonetheless, he always made sure to call me at least a couple times a month until he died. He was very good about keeping in touch. Much better than I am.

He did not have an easy go of it in life, and as he got on into his teenage years he had a lot of trouble with drugs and alcohol. He had a series of stints in rehab and a school for troubled teens. After high school he continued the same trajectory, and though he enrolled in a community college he was not able to keep clean and quickly dropped out. After dropping out of college he finally seemed to get serious about his recovery. After another stint in rehab he started going to Narcotics Anonymous meetings regularly.

After years of expecting to hear that my brother had died of an overdose, he suddenly seemed to be back. His speech was clear, he was happy, he went back to school and was doing better this time. He held down a job and was active in the recovery community. He was optimistic and doing well, and I stopped expecting bad news. As it turned out he stayed clean for the rest of his life.

Four years ago my daughter was born, and my brother was thrilled to be an uncle. My wife and I made plans to fly him out with her brothers so all the uncles could meet Abby together.

A month after my daughter was born, late at night, he gave a friend a ride home, and then on his own way home, lost control of his car (driving way too fast) and wrapped his car around a telephone pole. His system was clean, he wasn't drunk or high, he was just driving recklessly (much as I had done at his age). He was 20 years old.

Though his car was just ten feet off the side of the road, near a housing development, it was more than four hours before anyone stopped to check on his car. In my brother's case it probably wouldn't have made a difference if he had crashed next to an emergency room, but we'll never know for sure. I include this detail just as a reminder that we are all in this together, and you can save lives just by stopping to check. I've saved a few folks over the years by checking on wrecks, and I've known other people who were saved by a passerby stopping. It doesn't take any special knowledge or skill to call 911 for a person in trouble, but you could save their life.


But on to the giveaway.

After my brother passed, his mother sent some of his things to me that had special sentimental value. When my brother was little he was very impressed by my sword collection, so when he turned 13 I bought him a replica saber. His mother sent his sword back to me, along with his babyhood favorite stuffed Barney for my daughter, and for my father she sent my brother's knife. My brother's knife was my dad's old Camillus Boy Scout Knife, and it was in turn my brother's adventure knife. Though my brother was not a Boy Scout, that old Boy Scout knife was special to him.

I wanted to be able to share that, or to help someone else share it. So my idea is to send a Boy Scout Knife out to someone to give to a youngster for their first knife. So I'm asking you to nominate someone else who you will give the knife to, but this year you can also enter for yourself (so that more people will participate).

Unfortunately, Camillus went bankrupt a while back, and even the new Camillus doesn't make an official Boy Scout Knife. In the past I have given away official BSA licensed scout knives, but ScoutShop doesn't sell the classic pattern anymore.

However, you are in luck! Thanks to the generosity of @willintheweeds I have a NIB classic scout pattern BSA knife, as well as a made in the USA Bear and Son Cub Scout Knife.

I have also purchased a couple deluxe pattern Boy Scout knives (they have an added Philips head screwdriver and no bail), and a current production Cub Scout knife. So there are good options available for the winners.

At first I was not sold on the Cub Scout pattern because it wasn't what I was used to, but I have to admit that the locking utility blades are really handy. My daughter has a selection of knives including an older Girl Scout Knife, but she likes the Cub Scout best. So if you are picking a knife for a younger kid, the Cub Scout is a very nice option.

This year's knife offerings:

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This GAW has a history of inspiring generosity from the community (obviously, that is not something that I can guarantee, but with this crowd it is pretty reliable. I even got gifts from Case a few years back that allowed me to give away some really nice Case BSA knives for a few years running.), so it is possible that new prizes might get added, but I think I am set up pretty well this year thanks to @willintheweeds

Rules for this year:
  • Open to everyone
  • You can enter one time for yourself
  • You can enter a second time on behalf of someone else, preferably a child that you will give the knife to (make sure it is someone that you can give the knife to without any problems), or someone working hard at their recovery.
  • I will send the knife to anywhere in the US and Canada
  • your entry will be your post in which you say "I'm in" AND tell me who you will give the knife to (whether to yourself or to someone you are nominating)
  • You don't have to tell me why you are nominating someone, but I would appreciate it if you did
  • Don't enter if there is some reason that it would be legally problematic for you to enter

I am going to let this run for a couple weeks. There usually aren't many entries, so the odds are good if you decide to enter :)

Note:

I was inspired by a @Charlie Mike giveaway a few years back, when he gave away a knife as a mitzvah following the passing of a friend and fellow recoverer. Since my brother was also in recovery when he passed I thought it was an extra fitting mitzvah. As I was nearing the anniversary of my brother's death, I thought this would be a fitting way to help make his memory be for a blessing. When I do this giveaway I like to mention the history of the tradition.

It is a sad and fitting note to this year's GAW that Charlie Mike has left us far too early after he too managed to stay sober for the rest of his life. He had just passed his five year sober mark. May his memory be for a blessing.
 
Congratulations again on the youngster my friend :thumbsup: A sad tale, but a generous annual giveaway, of which I've been a former winner. No entry from me please, but my thoughts are with you, and good luck to everyone who enters :thumbsup:

JchuznG.jpg
 
Great GAW in memory of your brother, hopefully your passerby message to stop will be heard and congrats on your new child.
I'm in, we have 6 Grandkids and another grandson due any day will make it 7.
If I win I will probably gift to my daughter for her to give to grandson #7 when he gets older.
 
You've shown great love, commitment, and loyalty to your brother through the years, as well as this yearly GAW tradition in his memory. Not an entry, as I have a lot of knives and no young-uns anymore, but just wanted to commend you for bringing the struggle to light and also paying it forward.
 
You've shown great love, commitment, and loyalty to your brother through the years, as well as this yearly GAW tradition in his memory. Not an entry, as I have a lot of knives and no young-uns anymore, but just wanted to commend you for bringing the struggle to light and also paying it forward.

Perfectly stated.
No entry here, good luck to all !
 
This one of the best giveaways...not only incredibly generous but thoughtful and well considered...I would love to be a part of it but alas the tyranny of distance forbids it....However I do feel that if the rules were ....shall we say? ....a little bendy...I might be able to do 2 "on behalfs"....Many of you know my background was 30 yrs fire and rescue NSW....we did a high school progamme for young adults who have new drivers licences ,learners and p platers..What happened to Abbydaddys brother is all too common.....I would present a short talk to the students followed by the crew cutting and breaking up a car with a live "victim"....with the hydraulic tools....
Hopefully it made them think about speed and safety.....
Anyhow...if its ok I nominate
CelloDan CelloDan and A abcdef .
Cheers.
 
You've shown great love, commitment, and loyalty to your brother through the years, as well as this yearly GAW tradition in his memory. Not an entry, as I have a lot of knives and no young-uns anymore, but just wanted to commend you for bringing the struggle to light and also paying it forward.

Eloquently spoken Glenn! :thumbsup:

Drugs and Alcohol have touched every family on this planet. It has galloped thru mine! Cocaine killed my brother, Alcohol my Father and came close to gettin me. But by the Grace of God and the program of A. A. I'm still here. Like you, I miss Charlie Mike. He finally turned the corner and a bunch of us here were sure pullin for him!
These are two things that never leave my pocket....
IMG_2958.jpg

IF I get lucky :rolleyes: I will find a wide eyed youngster @ the OKCA show (if we ever have one again):( The same place I had the pleasure of meeting you and Abby, and gift it! So, I'm in!!! And I guess I can't now say I don't enter giveaways!!! ;)


Dave
 
I have watched knowtracks knowtracks delight in giving a knife to a starry-eyed kid at the Great Oregon Knife show, and I declare I am in, with Dave as the recipient!! Hopefully his generosity and yours, Barrett, will fuel some pass-it-forward energy!!:thumbsup:
I also lost a brother, too early in time, and have a family member in substance danger, and appreciate your memorial event!!:cool:
 
I have watched knowtracks knowtracks delight in giving a knife to a starry-eyed kid at the Great Oregon Knife show, and I declare I am in, with Dave as the recipient!! Hopefully his generosity and yours, Barrett, will fuel some pass-it-forward energy!!:thumbsup:
I also lost a brother, too early in time, and have a family member in substance danger, and appreciate your memorial event!!:cool:

Spoken from the Man who has given away HUNDREDS of pocketknives to eager youngsters!! :cool::thumbsup:
Once again my all time favorite photo of Charlie!!!
Charlie.jpg
Thank You My Friend for showing us the way!!!


Dave

P.S. Now I ask you, who has the brightest sparkle in their eyes? The giver or the receiver??? ;):D
 
Glad to see this GAW again this year. I'm not entering, and I don't have any children in particular this year who I can give a knife to for nomination. I'll give it some more thought and maybe come up with something. In the meantime, I wanted to say thanks for continuing this great tradition and tribute to your brother!
 
Abbydaddy, thanks once again to you - I know the work you do will make a difference in the world and that is what life is truly about - making a difference somewhere for someone. A good friend of mine just lost his 22 year old nephew, a really nice young man, to a heroin overdose - it’s tearing that family up right now. I have no child (mine are all in their 30’s) and no grandchild. I will enter but the knife must go to someone here who has children or who teaches children. They will have to step forward at the end and identify their self . Thanks again, OH
 
AbbyDaddy,
Bless you for being the person you are..... You definitely walk the talk when it comes to caring for your fellow man..... Thank you for your support of people who need help from substance abuse..... I got off the sauce 8 years ago and I know what it is to be unburdened.........
If I should win I'd like a BF member to accept the knife and pass on to a deserving child......
Thank you,
Brent
 
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