The Man Behind The Camera

Hello all! Davis Emmert here. As you may know, I have been given the privilege and honor to be named Wendie’s Wish official videographer/photographer. It’s hard to believe how much time has passed since I first talked to Laine about joining him and Evan on this trip, and how close we are to seeing all of our planning and hard work come to life!

Shooting a promo video with Laine Melikian

A little about me: I’m a 21-year-old Advertising student at Texas Tech University. I grew up with Laine and have been on board with this trip ever since fall as the videographer/photographer. The vision for my purpose on this trip is to film every aspect of us on this journey, whether it is setting up camp, driving 24 hours to Virginia Beach, the guys biking, how we entertain ourselves when not doing any of those things listed, etc. You will get to see all of our point of views during this trip through weekly, possibly even bi-weekly video blogs, (depending on internet available), that will feature exactly what we are going through to keep you folks at home with electricity updated. We are SO excited that we will have a GoPro camera for the riders to do a little filming of their own without my supervision (you’ve been warned).

Davis Emmert and his tool of the trade

 I remember the first time I talked to Laine about this trip and how I was interested in tagging along side him and Evan with a camera to help spread the word of what Wendie’s Wish wants to do. He was so excited, and his enthusiasm made me excited. With this excitement, as the countdown approaches the end, there has come nervousness. A couple weeks ago I was driving from Georgetown back to Lubbock, and on that 5 ½ hour drive I started to think. I then realized “Uh oh, we leave for the trip in 2 months. I’m in no way prepared to camp out for 30 days. I can’t even force myself to drink water from the sink, how will I last camping out for that long?” and other related concerns. I immediately text Laine and told him a time to meet me on Skype so we could talk about the trip and he could fill me in on what’s happening. Shortly after talking to him I was relieved and the excitement kicked back in.

Aggies support Wendie's Wish--shot by Davis Emmert

As we approach June 10, 2013 I cannot help but get more excited about this trip. This is truly a once in a lifetime opportunity for the rest of the guys and I. Being in college and having little responsibility during the summers, what better way to spend a summer than traveling the country to gain attention for Wendie’s Wish with 4 great guys! We’ve been in contact nearly every day on our Facebook page and I’m sure I can speak for the rest of them when I say, this is going to be the trip of a lifetime and we’re all excited for what the future has for us, and most importantly Wendie’s Wish!

Shameless advertising: Here’s our promo for Ride For The Wish! Let’s break 1,000 views!

https://vimeo.com/46507835

We aren't looking for a cure

This morning I went on my run. Just a nice 7 miler to get my legs under me because I've been feeling a little flat. I went by myself and no music either. Quite honestly this was a new and terrifying experience for me. I didn't want to be stuck alone with my own thoughts for a whole 45 minutes and I was afraid it would seem like forever. It was miserably cold for April which I hated. At this point I should finish runs drenched in sweat, not barely able to move my fingers because there isn't much to me so I get cold as soon as it drops under 70. So during this 45 minutes of just me and my thoughts (and the occasional awkward glance at my pale white thighs) I thought a lot about what Wendie's Wish was doing and I thought a lot about a little boy named Charlie. First, I would like to say that as of right now Wendie's Wish aims to work in Georgetown and the Bryan/College Station area solely because that is where we have Directors who can tend to families needs. Charlie is from the Dallas area and honestly we almost passed on this opportunity because of that reason. Thankfully, Amy Washington had already made plans to raise funds for this little boy so we decided to partner with her in an agreement that we would match every donation given to Team Charlie up to $1000. This will take place at the Red Poppy Fest in Georgetown on Saturday from 10-5 and I strongly encourage you to come out. Learn about us, learn about Charlie, or simply just love someone you may never meet (Shameless advertising over). In leading up to this weekend I have gotten to learn a lot about this four year old and his fight. I could sit here and give you the huge story and type through tears but I'm not going to. You can go to our site and read the stories tab for that. What I will say is he is exactly what I envisioned two years ago when we wanted to go on a bike trip.
We tossed around just exactly what it was going to be that we did. Obviously we could have gone the "For the Cure" route. But we didn't. What I'm not saying is that route is wrong, I am saying it was wrong for us. As much as I would love to see a cure and I hope that it's found one day and doctors and scientists continue to do their thing and that money is continually donated to those causes. I want to meet people. It's who I am and who I always will be. I want to be a part of a direct hope brought to those people. That's where our heart's at Wendie's Wish have lied from the very beginning. That is where they will continue to be for as long as you guys allow us to operate.
That being said Thank you for the support that you have given. Not just to us but to people like Charlie who need a community. Who need a hope. I'm thinking there's a good chance we can be both of those to quite a few people.

What are we getting ourselves into...

As we get closer to our trip there is quite a lot to be excited about. One thing is that we will be releasing a new video in anticipation of the ride. Davis Emmert is really a stud behind the camera and has been so awesome in doing promo videos for Wendie's Wish and we honestly could not be more thankful. Another thing is that shirts have been for sale online so people can support us in their community and really show their love for this organization and all that is to come. For a look at those you can go to the link at the end of this blog (shameless plug). But these are only secondary things to be excited about for me. I have been waiting a full two years to make this trip and I plan on making it one to remember and here are some behind the scenes things that you can look forward to reading about through the summer.
What you might not know is that we will spend almost every night of this trip camping out. Bring on awesome tans during the day and sweaty nights in sleeping bags. I honestly have not looked at these sites quite yet because Evan is in charge of all trip oriented details (lodging, mapping, etc.) That means for thirty days the five of us will essentially be homeless with nothing but what's in our truck and trailer and underneath us on our bikes. A lot of needed gear comes with this so if you are someone who maybe you don't have the financial means to help us out, we would also love for people that have an abundance of camping gear or bike gear to get involved because we can never have enough equipment. For specific needs feel free to email me at lwmelikian@gmail.com
Another thing that we are going to try to make happen depending on interest is a departure rally. If you don't know this already, our trip does not start in Texas.  This means we'll be loading up the truck and trailer and driving to our starting place. What we would like to make happen is a rally in the parking lot of City Lights (already approved) where you will get the chance to hear from some of the riders as well as donate in person, wear your shirts, get excited about something that is happening in the area that is long over due. But again these are all secondary things and what I really want to write about is what this trip means to me specifically.
If you know me or the organization you know that Wendie was my mother and she is the namesake for our organization so maybe your first assumption is that this ride is something to do in memory of her and that it's all about her and being her son. While I do constantly remember my mom and she is a big inspiration for Wendie's Wish (duh) that is not at all what this trip is about. Honestly, that may offend some people, but Wendie's Wish is not about my mom. Wendie's Wish is about everyone else. This trip is a chance to capture the public's attention so they know who we are and what we can do for others. Not so people can know who my mom was. That wasn't the wish. If we're here on earth to make our own name known then we have failed as people. One thing I've learned in the past two years is that your name is temporary the products of the things you did can last much much longer. That's what Wendie's Wish is about. It isn't about satisfying the hole that you may think is left in a family from not having a mom. Why? Because there is no hole. What my mom did for this family left us with a situation where there was no hole, but a realization of people that have a need. So we want to fulfill this need. This trip is about doing something big that makes people ask, "Who and what is Wendie's Wish and why are they doing this?" Because we want to serve people in the midst of hardship and show them people who don't even know them already love them.
So that is a small part of what this trip is for. We as people are given abilities to make a difference. The guys on this trip are using those abilities for other people rather than themselves. That we can do something that other people can not so that the community might notice a group of people that want to make a difference.
Next week I promise will take a look more into our training and maybe you can get some insight from another rider, but for now you just get to hear from me. School is winding down and getting pretty hectic but keep knowing that things are coming along beautifully.

Copy and Paste the link below into your url bar to order shirts. Closes Thursday at midnight.

 https://www.cccreationsusa.com/orders/Orders/PurchaseOrder.aspx?id=1150&code=96CCC16754&spin=1

https://www.cccreationsusa.com/orders/Orders/PurchaseOrder.aspx?id=1150&code=96CCC16754&spin=1

https://www.cccreationsusa.com/orders/Orders/PurchaseOrder.aspx?id=1150&code=96CCC16754&spin=1

It's been a long time comin

Wendie's Wish is a non-profit organization that exists to serve cancer patients in the community financially. Specifically our mission is "Connecting families struggling with the collateral damage of cancer to a community that brings hope with finacial and service oriented assistance." Our namesake is Wendie Melikian and her wish was that people would love and serve each other, that's the idea that we were born out of. But that wasn't necessarily the beginning and it's definitely not the end.

Two years ago (Summer of 2011) an old teammate of mine, Evan Hibbs, was suffering from an injury due to his running career and needed a way to train. We dragged the old road bikes out of his garage that might of originally been built by the Wright brothers. We started pedaling along every day and in one conversation we joked about riding across the country one day. Boom. The spark to start the fire. We were just stupid enough to have an idea that only college kids with no responsibility could think of. The idea had followed my mothers passing so it only fit that we ride for a non-profit and save money. We sat down with other college kids around my kitchen table putting together ideas, budgets, possibilities, routes, things I never thought would actually take form. Thinking anyone would take us I set up meetings with potential organizations in the fall of my freshman year at Texas A&M University (Whoop!) After multiple "almost" meetings and liability issues I gave my dad a phone call and told him it wasn't possible...unless we did our own thing so we didn't have to sell our souls to another organization.

During that Christmas break multiple other types of meetings happened. Meetings with the people that would eventually become my Board of Directors. Meetings with older men who sat across from a 19 year old kid with a bike and a dream and said "We can do this". I trusted those men with everything and in March of 2012 Wendie's Wish was born but was far from being any sort of real shape. To fast forward you through the year and spare you from boring stories it is now April of 2013 and we have come a long way. We were featured in the Georgetown View and most recently The Battalion at Texas A&M. People have been inspired by the selfless hearts of a few college kids who want to give up their summers to make a difference. We have a fully functional board (For the most part, let's be fair those guys were crazy enough to name a 20 year old as their director) and people are helping us build a solid base so we can FINALLY begin to help and make a difference.

Let it be known to anyone and everyone that none of this is possibly without the college kids who want to make a difference, the community that selflessly gives, the board that works their butts off and my God who is infinitely good. It has been two years and here we are, two months away, from an 1800 mile ride starting on the East Coast.

It has been multiple maps, phone calls, bike rides, video shoots, runs, and experimentation and after two years things are finally about to feel real. So...what's the point of this blog? Just to vent about how excited I am that I get the chance of a lifetime? no. Believe it or not this blog is for you. I often have people ask me about the ride and all the details and who is going blah blah blah. Well...over the next two months I (Laine) or another rider will be posting on here about their training that week, what they are looking forward to about the ride, how they have been prepping the trip, what their heart for Wendie's Wish is, and many other subjects that may bore you out of your mind or may make you think, "Who is stupid enough to ride a bike through West Virginia?" Our answer? We're crazy enough. So crazy it's all we talk about and think about. What started with a woman in a wheelchair trying to help with Christmas dinner because she was a servant, has become a movement of people who have seen a hurt in the community through this thing we call Cancer. And those people are here to help. And those people are Wendie's Wish. And Wendie's Wish is you. So...to start off...meet your riders.

Cameron Foreman

Dorian McCradic

Evan Hibbs

Laine Melikian

One man Media Crew-Davis Emmert