Offshoreonly.com - Something positive...Powerboat Magazine!!!!

This is the article from page 4 of the December 2005 Powerboat Magazine.

HELPING HANDS
The performance-boating community lends its support to hurricane victims.

"Steve Shuble was like millions of Americans watching television and seeing the horrible wrath from Hurricane Katrina. Shuble had friends—members of the Web site Offshoreonly.com—in the path of the storm and wanted to do something to help those victims.

He was ready to turn to the 30,000 members of the
message board he owns but they had already moved
forward with a relief fund. Shuble gave $5,000 of the
company's money and members added another
$10,000 to the cause. Money from the fund is going
to Offshoreonly.com members who were affected by
the hurricane and need financial assistance.

Shuble, who is administering the fund, has written only one check. But as the months unfold, he expects other members from the region will need assistance.

"The strangest thing in the whole process is everybody is too proud to step forward," Shuble said. "I know they are out there."

Shuble says some board members are relaying information on who might need help.

The fund was one of many causes within the performance-boating community since the hurricane hit in late August. Although there are too many to write about, here is some of the other great work.

For the past two years, the Offshore Super Series has opened its season in the Gulf town of Biloxi, Miss. Like most of the cities in the region, Biloxi's buildings were badly damaged.

But a small town just outside the city limits was leveled by the Category 4 hurricane. Pass Christian was a town that many of the offshore teams drive
through on their way to the race.

Steve Page and his Page Motorsports team have adopted the city and are helping with the on-going relief efforts. Initially the team helped with transports from the Indiana Pacers basketball team. Since then, it continues to bring supplies into the small town.

Page and at least five other OSS teams have been seeking and delivering donations for the community. Items needed range from clothes, shoes and toothbrushes to a fire truck.

The tour also has raised money for the workers at the Imperial Palace Casino, the host hotel for the offshore race. More than 1,000 employees were laid off at the severely damaged hotel.

Hotel management is hoping to have the casino reopened by April, and if it is open in time, the OSS tour plans to run a race there.

Mercury Marine was also at the forefront of providing support for rescue workers in New Orleans. The company shipped more than $200,000 in boats and engines used in search efforts. Employees stepped up to help the victims, and Brunswick, the parent company of Mercury Marine, matched $100,000 in donations.

POWERBOAT'S new parent company, Affinity Group, sent more than $250,000 in cash donations to national relief agencies. Employees also conducted blood drives at the corporate offices in Ventura, Calif, and Denver.

Lastly, the hurricane also destroyed thousands of businesses including that of engine builder Ron Sporl. Located in a suburb of New Orleans, Sporl's shop was in one of the hardest hit spots.

Sporl has set up a temporary facility in Alabama and continues to build engines. I have talked to him by phone and he has a remarkable spirit.

"There are people who have it a lot worse than I do," said Sporl, whose business and home were damaged by the storm.

Anyone who is looking to buy a new motor in the coming year might give him a call at 205-451-7166. Folks like Sporl need all the support they can get. - Gregg Mansfield