MK_032620

8 | March 26, 2020 | the mokena messenger News
mokenamessengerdaily.com
NL native making motorcycle trip around the world
Sean Hastings
Contributing Editor
David Smith, a New
Lenox native and 2010
graduate of Lincoln-Way
Central, has known he
wanted to do a big trip and
adventure since he was in
the academy. And when he
was active duty, he would
lay in his bunk and dream
of what that trip would be.
The trip was going to be
on a motorcycle. Some of
the inspiration came from
a book from the ’70s called
“Jupiter’s Travels.”
Just a few years later,
that trip has begun. Smith
embarked on his motorcycle
March 4 from “his
backyard” in Washington
D.C., where he currently
lives.
The plan has been in the
works for three years.
“There’s so many different
facets,” Smith said.
“What type of motorcycle
do I want? And what do
I want to bring? I didn’t
Pictured is the map of David Smith’s route.
want to bring too much
because I have to carry it
on the bike. I wanted to
launch from New Lenox. I
thought it would be poetic.
But when I was getting
discharged and the time of
year, I didn’t want to push
it off.”
The trip is to help raise
awareness for veteran suicide.
He said that every
duty station he was at,
there was some form of
self harm or suicide.
He is teaming up with
Vets4Warriors.com.
“I didn't hear about them
when I was active duty,”
Smith said. “I think there
are a lot of people who
could [benefit] from hearing
about them. There are
a lot of people in my network
who are active duty.”
Smith, himself, got out
of the military Nov. 1. He
served as a Navy Officer
and graduated from the
United States Naval Academy
at Annapolis with a
degree in mechanical engineering
in 2014
Smith is giving himself
12-18 months to finish the
entire trip.
In planning his trip,
Smith said he spent more
time planning in the other
counties since he is not
as familiar. In the United
States, he said he has
it planned out, but also
dropped pins on places he
wanted to see and “connected
the dots.”
The support he has received
is far more than
what he expected.
“I’ve been completely
blown away by the response
people have given
me,” he said. “It’s been
1,000 times more than
what I expected. People I
haven't talked to in years
have reached out. The guy
I stayed with in Charleston,
South Carolina, just posted
an Instagram story saying
it's cool to see someone
pony up and go do their
dream. People have been
sharing stuff, too.”
At first, Smith did not
think the coronavirus was
going to hinder his trip too
much, but the last couple
weeks ended up doing
that. He said he has had to
reroute around cities, but
is still pushing forward
Pictured is New Lenox
native David Smith.
Photos Submitted
with the adventure.
Once he makes his way
across the U.S., he is shipping
the bike to Australia
where he will then ride
across.
He added that he has
learned about the best way
to take the trip across Australia
and has had friends,
and friends of friends,
reach out to him and offer
a place to stay while he is
out there.
Smith’s father, Dave
Smith Sr., plans to join his
son on the Mumbai leg of
the trip.
“This is huge,” Smith Sr.
said. “I’m extremely proud
of the boy. He is an amazing
individual. He has not
failed on anything he’s
wanted to do.”
Smith Sr. has never had
a chance to ride with his
son. He gave it up when
Smith was 1 or 2 years old.
For those interested in
following along with his
trip, follow him on Instagram
@westwardmoto
or at westwardmoto.com.
At press time, he was in
Texas.
“It happened fast. It’s
really crazy to see something
go from when I was
in deployment daydreaming.
I felt like the guy from
Forrest Gump starting the
shrimp company,” he said
with a laugh. “It’s starting
to materialize and now I’m
on the road, it’s been awesome.”
lwsra
From Page 6
That LWSRA participant
then attended a Shamrock
Shuffle event March 6
at the Orland Park Civic
Center, spending 20 minutes
around 6 p.m. at the
LWSRA facility.
HIRING
Then, on March 8 the
participants attended a
Chicago Wolves game, as
part of an LWSRA program,
during which the
group sat in Section 116;
Rows P, Q and R; Seats
1-7. And on March 9, the
individual was part of an
LWSRA program at Thunderbowl
in Mokena.
LWSRA said the bowling
alley also was notified.
According to the participant’s
family, the individual
did not show symptoms
of COVID-19 until March
12, and LWSRA said it
was not aware at that time.
Need help staffing your
business or finding
volunteers during this
time of need?
WE’RE HERE TO HELP!
Reach out to our Recruitment Team today
to get help FAST.
(708) 326-9170 ext. 46 • n.pavlina@22ndcenturymedia.com
The person tested positive
for the coronavirus at
Northwestern Hospital in
Chicago, as previously reported.
On March 13, the association
said it canceled
programs, and cleaned
buses and vehicles, unaware
that an individual
was infected but to address
growing coronavirus concerns.
LWSRA received notice
of the positive coronavirus
test on March 16. It closed
the Lincolnway Special
Recreation Center that
day, according to the letter,
and staff started to notify
people.
LWSRA confirmed in
the letter that the participant
was on buses, which
were sanitized after the
March 6 and March 8
events. Daily sanitizing
started March 13 in an effort
to be “proactive,” according
to LWSRA.
The organization said
no one on its staff has
been experiencing symptoms.
The letter also
notes the participant did
not take part in a March
9 lunch, but was on the
bus the day prior to that
program going out. It also
notes LWSRA moved a
polling place and canceled
a board meeting “in
the best interest of the
community.”
The Q&A adds that
LWSRA will not provide
participant information,
but anyone who thinks
their children have directly
contacted the individual
should self-isolate for
14 days and monitor for
symptoms. The letter also
suggests notifying one’s
primary care physician if
symptoms develop.
LWSRA’s building and
buses are to be cleaned
and sanitized the week of
March 27.
The LWSRA is a nonprofit
organization that
serves those with mental
and physical disabilities
through athletic, social
and educational programming.
LWSRA programming
is suspended
through April 5, and
its offices until March
30, in accordance with
Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention
guidelines.
Publisher Joe Coughlin
contributed to the reporting
of this article.