SANTEE, California USA — Following Tim Lehr's firey sendoff on his trip to LDRS in southern Nevada, rocketeers far and wide have offered their condolences at the circumstances which totally destroyed his business.  In an effort to help him rebuild, his competitors are stepping up to the plate as well.

Lehr left town on July 5th, hauling a trailer loaded with the contents of his rocket store. The "Wildman," expecting record attendance at this year's LDRS, had stocked the trailer with hundreds of pounds of rocket motors, along with hundreds of kits and an array of other items, all to sell onsite at the launch.

Remains of Wildman's trailer after fire. Photo: Rocketry Online. 

Driving down I-80 approximately 30 minutes into the trip, Lehr looked in the mirror and witnessed a fireball following him down the road: the trailer holding his inventory was on fire. In the end, the trailer was a complete loss and the RV suffered enough damage to be a total loss as well.

Andy Woerner of Polecat Aerospace and What's Up Hobbies, in a display of comraderie that the hobby rocketry community is so well known for, has decided to sponsor a raffle to help Lehr out, with all proceeds going directly to him at LDRS.  Combining donations from other vendors together with several of his own kits, one of which is a 10" diameter rocket, Woerner is collecting $5 per ticket for those who want to help Lehr out while still having a shot at getting something in return.

Woerner has decided to open the raffle to everyone, even those who couldn't make it to this year's LDRS event, giving everyone in the hobby rocketry community an opportunity to give Lehr a hand.  If you would like to participate, you do not have to be present to win and Woerner will pay all shipping charges for those who win and are not present. 

To participate, all you need to do is call Andy on his cell phone at 858-837-2427 to reserve your tickets today.  The minimum for call-in, credit card-purchased raffle tickets is four tickets, for a minimum charge of $20. The drawing will be held Sunday. Your help for The Wildman at his time of total loss and need would be greatly appreciated.