A round trip of 8500 miles (13 680km) over 30 days covering New York, Atlanta, Dallas, Los Angeles, Chicago and many stops inbetween is what car enthusiast and Automotive Photographer Dylan Laubscher will be doing for charity from 1 May 2012.
Story Tamlyn Head
Two years ago, a US roadtrip beckoned. Unable to justify a holiday as indulgent as this, Dylan decided to dedicate the roadtrip to charity. With the safety and welfare of children close to his heart, Operation Bobbi Bear, “fighting for the rights of sexually abused children”, became the primary beneficiary, while Team Joseph, whose mission is to “aggressively fund cutting edge research to find a treatment or cure for Duchenne muscular dystrophy”, was later included.
Due to budget constraints and work commitments, the timeframe of the original 60-day trip was cut, however, the route remains the same. Three yellow USA school buses converted into motorhome-type vehicles and decorated with sponsorship logos will serve as means of travel, as well as the team’s ‘home’ for the month.
Following the trip, these buses will be auctioned through USA based Barrett-Jackson Auctioneers in order to maximise funds raised for the charities.
Dylan and his fellow roadtrippers plan to document and recreate the trip in the form of a DVD for sale to the public, as well as publish a coffee table book – a visual depiction of the trip – containing pictures of cars photographed along the way.
The Volo Auto Museum near Chicago, boasting over 300 classic, antique, muscle and Hollywood cars on display and for sale, is one of the many appointments set up along the way.
Impressive private auto collections in Atlanta, Orlando, Dallas, Los Angeles and Detroit will also provide much of the photography subject matter.
Photography aside, much fun will be had along the way, including racing the three roadtrip buses around an oval track in Chicago. All this to raise maximum awareness of, and funds for, Operation Bobbi Bear and Team Joseph.
A typical sign of these economic times, sponsorship has proved difficult to organise. Although Roadtrip for a Reason has some high profile sponsors, the team could do with a few more in order to put together the ‘roadtrip to trump all roadtrips’.
For more information on Roadtrip for a Reason visit www.roadtrip12.com.
The charities:
www.bobbibear.org.za
www.teamjoseph.info
