by PAUL RAYNER

A traditional event of the Turtle Island Festival has been taken by a new group as a family fund-raiser. It would be difficult to find one more appropriate.

At this year’s festival, the extended Smith family will be heading up the demolition derby, held on July 29. All proceeds will be going to Robbie and Darlene Smith of Ninga, to help them cope with the changes to their lives due to the couple’s unfortunate situations, ones they themselves strive to downplay.

Using a demolition derby as a fund-raiser for the Smiths’ makes a lot of sense. Robbie himself is a veteran of such events, as well as stock car racing. Like his brothers Frank and Ray, he became involved in car activities pretty much as soon as he could get behind the wheel.

“As far as racing goes, “ Robbie stated, “I raced all over. Souris, Gladstone, Treherne, into North Dakota. A lot of those tracks don’t even exist any more. When I used to race in Minot, me and Darlene and the kids would pile into the truck, go to Minot, and then come back home at 2:30 in the morning. I was in a lot of demolition derbies – the Turtle Derby, Killarney, Ninette. It is more than a hobby, it’s a way of life.”

Pretty much the entire extended family was involved.

“It was always a family thing,” Darlene stated. “It was something we would do.”

However, the changes in their lives had their beginning in 1990. That year Darlene was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, a chronic condition that affects the central nervous system. Its symptoms include weakness, tremors and lack of muscular control. It is a progressive condition, which means symptoms increase in number and severity over time.

“It has been progressing slowly,” Darlene said. “In the last six years it has been getting worse and worse.”

She said she had her first real attack 11 years ago. Originally, she would have an attack and get better, but now she does not improve all the way. She took some experimental drugs for a while but they did nothing to improve the situation. Darlene said the major effect now is mobility problems, which she has a walker to help alleviate.

“What the brain says for the legs to do, it doesn’t get through. Lots of people have it, and probably worse. I try not to acknowledge it. You keep going. What else can you do?”

“We knew this was coming,” Robbie added. “If she does something strenuous, it shows up in a few days.”

However, this is only part of the story. On August 15, 1997, one of many races in Robbie’s career would change the family’s life forever.

It was a week after their granddaughter Cassidy was born, and their son Pat’s first official race. That day in Bottineau, Robbie would have an accident, with severe consequences.

“I was just starting the race,” Robbie recalled, “and my back wheel was loose. It broke off. Ten out of eleven times, it would just reel off. This one went under, launched me and I went end over end. I learned over the years to just close my eyes and wait for it to stop.”

He said he felt it was not that bad of a roll. By the time he got to Bottineau hospital, he said he could rattle off his social insurance number. However, the damage was serious, with a broken neck and vertebrae was pushed out of position, and his stay in the hospital in Winnipeg went from August until the following March.

“The first two months were pretty scary,” Darlene stated. “October and November were getting better because he was into rehab. I worked full time, on Friday would go into Winnipeg, and then go back to work on Monday. At Christmas, we had it in a hotel and he could come. It was scary, but he could come.”

The result of the accident put him in a wheelchair. As time went on, improvements in his condition did come. His neck was fused, and he was able to move it more and more over time. An impressive level of arm movement returned as well.

“The doctors said I would be lucky if I could move my eyes,” Robbie explained, “but I got more movement as time went on. I was supposed to have no feeling, but they poked my toes and I found I could feel them. They didn’t believe me at all.”

Robbie said the extra stress of the situation did nothing positive for Darlene’s MS either.

Despite a combination of circumstances that would have brought many to their knees, the Smiths continue to move ahead. They try to attend as much as they can, although it can be difficult due to mobility problems, taking a fair bit of planning to go anywhere. Family events like school concerts are a must, and hockey and baseball games are attended as much as possible.

“We try to go to as many functions as possible,” Darlene said. “It can be difficult to go, but you try to go to everything you can. You have to make the best of it.”

In fact, there is still some involvement in the family’s near-occupation. Assistance can still be rendered to the younger generation when it comes to getting the cars ready for participating in a race or derby.

“I’m relegated to supervising now,” Robbie stated. “Sometimes I feel useful, I can tell them how to do things like wire up the ignition, that sort of thing.”

According to Robbie’s sister, Sherry Epp, the demo derby planning is going well at this point. There is a fair bit of work involved, including arranging the fire truck and ambulance, setting up the fencing, gates and officials. They are hoping to have at least 30 cars in the event, and have already had half a dozen, including brother Frank and nephew Jason. Epp said it is definitely a family event.

“The whole family is involved,” she said, “even our mother. It goes right down to Robbie and Darlene’s grandchildren, who will be out selling 50/50 tickets.”

She said she had no idea how much money will be raised by the event, saying elements beyond their control, such as weather might affect the numbers attending. She adds, however, that it is an important fund-raiser.

“It is important because it shows family unity.”

Robbie said he was informed one day that his family were taking over coordinating the demolition derby and the funds raised would be given to them. What money raised will be going toward Robbie and Darlene to help with purchases to make their life more comfortable.

Of course, Robbie and Darlene plan to be there, to cheer on the family. To someone unfamiliar with the Smith’s spirit, their reaction to the undertaking might be hard to understand. But because of their positive outlook, they are almost a little embarrassed by the attention.

“It’s very nice, but hard to accept,” Darlene commented. “There must be people worse off than us. We’ve been the kind of people who help. I guess we look at it like ‘we’ll be all right, you guys don’t have to do this’. But it is very nice.”

“It’s very heartwarming and we really appreciate it,” Robbie continued. “If they want to do it, we appreciate it.”