It was a cold rainy Thursday in February, and a Craigslist ad pops up for a free yellow in SW Massachusetts.
Craigslist pic:
(https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/UxUA8mdFh9eXuosGzFSwi1WM40oZGSUPwkMmJmm6Vnh7m8sxe7XBemeomfkRKDPm0Ovx6vEVvEtyAf2QhN71QovhI2EWniBX2zGiTmNl1rQVbia9Bj7EcleYvwil_OQqpjxrlFYsyQ=w800)
I'm stuck at work in NJ, but I contact the owner anyway. He's moving across country, and getting on a flight early the next morning. As a last ditch effort, I ask him to leave it at the dumpster at the condo complex when he leaves. I put out a feeler to the local-est WKCer I know--someone I've only PM'd with on a couple of occasions. Logic be damned, he agrees to take the 90-minute drive in nasty weather in the hopes that this decidedly non-mint yellow will still be at the dumpster.
Sure enough, it was:
(https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/OYJc7MCHRJww4pHZcsq5zoFBD-iX2wmYuSzrHmsVCgLpthGzhWElP4dkBhsF-vtuIEeNixHwkL1nDN-5eaclcyVys8_m8sKrpRtznw7Bgx5-OJvhwiQ0cvbDjZEXLxcM-J9LxhhVJQ=w800)
After the grill was secured, I tried to convince him to keep it for himself, as he's been looking for a yellow for a long time. He won't hear it. Eventually we'll make arrangements so that I can pick it up . . .
Although ideally I would have loved to find another yellow to hand off as a token of my gratitude, that was not in the cards. However, a couple weeks ago, a CL listing popped up in Ohio for an SJ with a model number I hadn't seen before. I researching the model number here, I find a thread where my New England super agent congratulates someone else on finding this same logo SJ, and puts out a B.O.L.O. for it. I find a local WKC agent in Ohio who agrees to snag and ship this:
(https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/xw0Avfe6-Vs-wVrVlA3bWJ0V1akhlCWEFd1lZvtSEh1zngsm-n2S7Ef_va2eYzmA93EBelDoJr9iM76NAj-60OZbFjlQvPfj2MXGFNKPKfuJcU8hpB7XACNEfe4-I7c5GBF1cn_VMQ=w800)
Fast forward to yesterday . . .
I meet up with this WKCer at a rest stop in Connecticut. We have a real nice chat about grills, life, etc. The yellow moves from his trunk to mine. I pass off my token of gratitude and a little something that I had been cellaring.
I have a separate thread for the cleanup (posted
here (http://weberkettleclub.com/forums/weber-kettles-accessories/yellow-rehab-pics/)), but this one's about the backstory. The selflessness of WKCers never ceases to amaze me. A huge thank you to
@charred and
@randy. Without you guys, this would not be in my backyard:
(https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/ljcTuExHxkGv8xVp2UiAGv7pgcP8vzyAOwXVGCW1Rx3yjrwvEJ_f0x6MKPaTLhl35LqT_PHKOStZ7VF4gY34thAm742DEzgB6fNnGIwS4o5AObQ0bAsZzL4ewIWxu8t666iNheXPlg=w800)
First blush:
(https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/skvWvDvB1ZXleftEYBiQ1iu5Nl938qUHFmYNtUtlLn8WKCn-j8xXAuC2n8YTBVKDBaK_1osP729K3t4xfPLMh_3G3h6yDBgR8CUqvuw3juHXTrYXZT6HTfuzDHpXtIlnLb24naAQFQ=w800)
Congrats Drew. Glad it finally made it home. I have a bowl damper for you still.
Grate teamwork Fellas
Awesome teamwork guys!

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Glad to help brother
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Quote from: CatskillSmoker on April 29, 2018, 01:16:59 PM
Congrats Drew. Glad it finally made it home. I have a bowl damper for you still.
Grate teamwork Fellas
Thanks! The missing damper was inside the grill. :)
Wow. Just simply wow. The WKC never ceases to amaze me!
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Love this story, love that kettle!
That's very cool! Nice work guys!
Possible only because my 95-yr old mother was up for the ride that day! That's the honest truth. Lol.
Happy to help complete the circle. The clean up looks great!
Thanks again for the neat New Bel. SJ (and the SA. The seal remains intact for now). Both above and beyond, because the 26 flat top thumb wheel you alerted me to has left me in your debt
for a very long time. :)
... and mom with the assist!
Great story
Great collaboration everyone!
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This story brought a tear to my eye. Kudos to you all!
Great story and it seems the selflessness is a great WKC trait because it's the same here in Australia
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Good stuff all around!
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This is how we roll!