The Start of a Foundation

On the afternoon of June 5, 2006, Joel Smith died. The rural mail carrier in the small farming community of Johnson, Nebraska, had delivered his last bundle of mail on Friday afternoon when his vehicle was broadsided on a country road. The news raced through the community.


Joel touched many lives in the community. You can talk to almost anyone who knew Joel and you will find a similar thread, he had an infectious smile. “I thought a lot of Joel,” said Jim Downing. “No matter how bad of a day I was having, it always got better after talking to him.” Jim worked in a parts store and regularly helped Joel when he came in while making repairs for the farm.


As avid motorcycle riders, Al Witte, Jim Downing, and Steven Kennedy regularly schedule poker runs and fun rides in the community. In 2006 the three had organized a poker run prior to the accident when an afterthought came to them. Knowing the loss of Joel would take a financial toll on the family, they contacted the Smith’s and requested to donate the ride’s proceeds back to the family in Joel’s honor. Registered riders came from Nebraska, Kansas, Missouri, and Iowa that day to honor the family and help raise money.


Sylvia Smith, Joel’s wife was very appreciative of their gesture and the family met the riders in St. Joseph, Missouri, the morning of the ride. The ride was a success. When the time rolled around the following year, the organizers were approached about repeating the ride as a fundraiser. Together with Sylvia the three gentlemen formed the board of directors for the Joel Smith Foundation. “It meant a lot to us to have all of the support and we wanted to see it go back into the community,” said Sylvia about Al, Jim, and Steven’s efforts.




The group has four successful years of fundraisers on their resume. The second year proved very memorable for the group too; as the group drove through Rockport and Fairfax, Missouri, patrons came out of their homes and stores to line the streets as more than 100 bikes cruised through town. Over $2,300 was raised for the 755th Chemical Unit members from the tri-county area. Funds from the third year’s ride were awarded to a youth drug and alcohol education group.


In 2008 the group filed paperwork and became a foundation; finding groups to whom they can donate the money was difficult. Applications are reviewed by the board of directors. Because Joel was an advocate for education, two eligibility requirements are imperative: the money must go to a group from Nemaha County and it must be used for education.


To open doors to greater opportunities, the foundation took on corporate sponsors. It is important to the directors that costs associated with hosting the fundraiser and maintaining the foundation are not paid by charitable funds from the rides; therefore the corporate sponsorships help finance the poker runs. The board works tirelessly to ensure the funds raised remain available for those in need of assistance from the foundation.