CONNECT Story #31
James Bono, Director of Brain Injury Resource Group (BIRG) joined our OneCommunity family in May 2016. Below he shares his CONNECT story as well as his very personal journey of how and why BIRG came to be.
At the grand opening of Minnetonka OffiCenter, I bumped into a great visionary, Jeffry Brown (Ideawhiz & Company, Simon Says Give, Voice Hive). Jeff helped me shape the message we were trying to convey. Jill Countryman introduced me to Dan Stirratt (Open Spaces Consulting & non-profit ROCKSTAR) and we were able to talk strategy. A casual hello led to me connecting with Phyllis Burdette (Burdette & Associates Accounting/CPA Firm) who is a “Godsend” for any young non-profit. These connections happened in just a couple months from utilizing the coworking spaces and free OffiCenters events available. All of these people were strangers to me, but were ready to step in to see us succeed. This happens day in and day out at OffiCenters. People truly care about their colleagues and take an interest in what it is each other does to help each of them grow.
Picture this:
You. Right now, about to head into that meeting. Whoops! You trip and hit your head. In the hours and days to come, you slowly watch your world get turned upside down and there is nothing you can do about it. Welcome to the unpleasant world of Brain Injuries. Andy Truskolaski and I had both sustained brain injuries a number of years back and knew firsthand how life altering traumatic brain injuries (TBI’s) could be. We would talk about the many shortcomings of current organizations, support, hospital practices, etc. Conversations that soon turned into investigating facts of national non-profits around brain injury to see how could we could change the walk for those that are to follow.
Andy and I were making things happen. For the first time in many years, we each independently had something to look forward to in the Brain Injury world. Then the unexpected happened. Andy tragically passed away from a TBI related seizure this July. Andy and I would talk about how life is not supposed to be like “this” and finally started making progress to change it for the 1.9 million in the US alone in the next 12 months that don’t ask for “this” either. I was devastated, as he helped get my brain working cognitively and I equally challenged his. With two fellow TBI’ers and the support from Andy’s family we are continuing forward. With a simple message of our identity, “We are an organization of brain injury survivors. Each of us lives through a confusing barrage of emotional, physical, and cognitive daily struggles. We understand from firsthand experience how life altering this is. What we are doing is compassionately working together to help people regain their sense of humanity and significance in the world after a brain injury… knowing its possible!”
Since Andy’s funeral (mid-July) we turned what was once a vision, into what is now an active 501c3 organization that has on hand: an incredibly caring and well respected attorney, an awesome accounting firm, not one but, two branding experts, a rock star non-profit strategist, a functional and yes, still in process website that you can visit now. (www.thebirg.org). The fact of the matter is, I am still re-capturing past business skills that they simply can’t teach you in a brain injury units of hospital. Where I lack, people like Megan at Park, Caprina at International and Holly and Fay at France can help. The OffiCenters community has backed up their kind offers and their staff and amazing members are helping make BIRG look professional. This comes from one place; top down. I’m impressed with this amazing staff and to see Lori Spiess after 35 years still actively, personally involved at all locations. To me, it’s more than one community or a coworking space, even an office. It’s what has renewed my faith in people as it’s people being kind to another, to me… it’s almost like family.
A sincere thank you to OffiCenters as well as the many people that make OffiCenters so unique for providing us so much kindness, support and growth in such amount of short time.
