Friends of Barbur, a grassroots group working to make SW Barbur Blvd a safer place to drive, bike, and live, is doing what it can to support Henry Schmidt, the 20-year-old Lewis and Clark College student was hit and left for dead while walking his bike on Barbur early Friday morning.
Friends of Barbur is asking people to “Donate a beer for Henry for his 21st Birthday” via their website. Here’s more from an email they just sent out:
As many of you know on Friday night Henry Schmidt was involved in a hit and run on Barbur Blvd. He is currently recovering in the hospital with a broken leg spleen lacerations, three minor spine fractures, and a concussion. He was only found when a bus driver saw his bike on Barbur and stopped. You can read about it and watch an emotional video of Henry meeting the people who saved his life here.
Henry is a student at Lewis and Clark College and a member of their brewing club. He has told us how much all the community support he has received so far has helped him. Saturday is his 21st birthday and we are trying to get people in the community to buy him a beer. On the friends of barbur webpage you can donate $5 to get Henry a beer. In the donation form you can enter in your favorite beer and a personalized message we will include when we deliver the beers. Please record your favorite beer and we will make all efforts possible to get it for him. All additional proceeds will go directly to Henry. Please share this with anyone you know who might be interested in supporting him.
Friends of Barbur has also announced a bike ride to visit Henry at the hospital. The ride will meet tomorrow (Wednesday, 8/21) in front of the Oregon Department of Transportation Region 1 headquarters (123 NW Flanders) at 6:00 pm, and will ride on Barbur to OHSU. Friends of Barbur volunteer Kiel Johnson is leading the ride. You can follow him via Twitter @go_by_bike for the location of the ride and/or to join the group en route to the hospital.
Thanks for reading.
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How ironic, since the driver that hit him was probably drunk.
Who said anything about being drunk? It’s entirely possible to enjoy a beer without getting so impaired that you operate your vehicle in a careless manner and disregard human life.
Seriously. There are plenty of people that can have a single scotch, beer, wine, drink, four loko, whiskey.
Also there are plenty of people that budget a cab ride into their night of getting hammered.
If you can’t slow down your drinking, plan ahead. There is no need to tow around a designated driver when any smartphone on the planet can summon a cab to your location with about two presses of the screen.
Thing is though, he’s 20. Can’t drink legally.
Who said anything about him drinking at 20 years of age? The fundraiser is meant as a 21st birthday thing.
Read the article please.
Thanks for the feedback, it is not my intention to promote reckless bicycling or driving. Henry told me he is a “beer enthusiast” and he is a member of the Lewis and Clark brewing club. I thought it would be a nice way for people to connect with him on something he likes. If you do not want your money going towards alcohol you can say so in your donation comment.
Too soon man. Too soon.
What exactly is too soon, and why is it soon?
The NHTSA says that in 2009 66% of fatal motor vehicle accidents between the hours of 12:00 midnight and 3:00am involved an alcolohol impaired driver. Alcohol and driving is never a good idea.
Has anyone asked Henry if he drinks beer, and can he drink it at the hospital?
Is the ride 6pm today?
Nope. Tomorrow. Wednesday, 8/21. Sorry for leaving that out initially.
Jonathan and Kiel,
Thank you for trying to think of someone needs other than your own. It is a thoughtful gesture that is honestly related to Henry and his interests.
Sunny, Jon, and sbrock,
Thank you for really being super powered buzz kills and proving that Portlanders can ruin anything.
If you build it they will complain…
This is lovely. Thanks, Jonathan, for sharing this.
How can a 20-year old be a member of a brewing club run or supported by L and C? Don’t they have a law school that could tell the administration that this is not above board?
Why are Friends of Barbur collecting donations to purchase alcohol for a minor? Whatever your views are on college drinking blah blah, this is still completely illegal.
From the OLCC: “Furnishing alcohol to a minor is illegal, whether the furnisher is a sibling or a stranger. Penalties for furnishing alcohol to a minor are: first conviction: $350 fine. Second conviction, $1000 fine. Third or subsequent conviction: a fine of $1000 and not less than 30 days of imprisonment (ORS 471.410). “
Hey SW resident, it is my understanding that you do not need to be over 21 to homebrew. Henry will not be receiving any alcohol from us until after his 21st birthday (Saturday)
News flash: basically everyone in college drinks.
But but but… I want my petty and injustified attacks to matter!!! They don’t matter if I approach this in a rational and realistic manner… I want my thoughts to matter. I matter.
you can brew more than just alcohol…
All I want to know is if you still believe in burning witches?
READ THE ARTICLE!
It is a 21st birthday present for a guy WHO IS GOING TO SPEND HIS 21ST BIRTHDAY IN THE HOSPITAL.
On a positive note you did not say anything about the fact that he isn’t wearing a helmet in the picture.
tacky idea for an underage victim
This is basically why I’ve given up on BikePDX and stick to bikesnobnyc. You guys make the OLive commenters seem well reasoned and insightful sometimes.
This is a sticky wicket for
The Mayor/ The Police Commissioner/ Charlie “I am a Bike Guy” Hales.
No collection of Felony Crime Scene Evidence reflects POORLY UPON THE PORTLAND POLICE DEPARTMENT.
When will we all collectively say to our Portland Police Bureau
“Improve, or else!”
This sucks rotten eggs.
You are wildly misinformed. Please re-read the article.
I think the comments for this post have given me a headache unlike any other before comment stream on BP.org, ever.
I made a little donation. I hope it helps. I’m not sure how the comments here got from “probably-drunk driver hit-and-run” to “Innocent cyclist victim of possibly-drunk driver shouldn’t have a beer,” especially since the innocent cyclist is apparently turning 21 in the hospital. Hey, if his pain meds don’t conflict, I say “Cheers and get well soon, Henry!”
Is medical insurance coverages, or the lack of it, an issue in Henry’s case? I would think that info will influence the number and size of donations received.
From one ODOT highway user to another, I buy you a beer and raise my cup to you, friend! Hope you rehabilitate completely, and faster than thought.
Tuesday 10pm Update. The police had “limited resources” and failed to spend time at the accident to collect parts from the car that mowed down the cyclist. A TV reporter had to force cops to go back days later to get the car parts.
If you are mowed down by a car, and still alive you must do your own 14 steps of an investigation.
http://bikeportland.org/2006/01/12/what-to-do-if-youve-been-hit-830
Highlights:
4) Talk to the driver with a witness present. ! Pray the driver does not hit and run.
Get his/her information: Phone, address, insurance information (including policy number), also get his/her license plate and drivers license number. If they are at fault, ask them to admit it.
6) Get the officer’s information.
7) Get the carbon copy of the officer’s exchange of information form.
9) Call 503-823-2103 and report the accident.
don’t expect the cops to work. They have “limited resources”.
http://www.oregonlive.com/portland/index.ssf/2013/08/portland_police_examining_vehi.html