SHOP RAT FOUNDATION DONATES CUSTOMIZED MOTORCYCLE

Jackson, Michigan ~ January 24th, 2007

SHOP RAT FOUNDATION DONATES CUSTOMIZED MOTORCYCLE TO SLD LEARNING CENTER

Customized Motorcycle to be Presented at the International Auto Show in Grand Rapids!

Jackson, Michigan – The Shop Rat Foundation is proud to announce a phenomenal donation to the Specialized Language Development (SLD) Learning Center of a customized motorcycle valued at $75,000.00 built by young Shop Rats in grades 7th – 12th. SLD will be selling $50 Raffle tickets through June of 2007. Proceeds will go to the SLD Learning Center.

The Shop Rat Foundation, Inc., founded by Chris Salow, is committed to promote and protect the future of skilled craftsman by providing assistance, encouragement and opportunities for the next generation of Shop Rats. Salow stated, “The goal is to build a community of young Shop Rats who will excel in challenging careers dedicated to creative and innovative advancements in engineering, manufacturing and construction, through education, training and scholarships”. Salow went on to say, “Our program doesn’t stop there. The importance of giving back to the community is also part of the Shop Rat experience. This includes donating this customized motorcycle to SLD’s Kids Helping Kids”.

The SLD Learning Center, a community resource of West Michigan, is committed to bringing the power of reading, writing and spelling to all individuals with dyslexia or other unique learning styles, enabling them to achieve their full potential. “We have helped thousands of individuals by providing one to one tutoring based on the Orton –Gillingham Approach. This approach incorporates multi-sensory reinforcement, phonological awareness, structured phonics, rules of language structure and reading comprehension”, said Louise Haas, Educational Services Director of the SLD Learning Center.

Last year alone, SLD Learning Center tutored more than 275 children and adults providing more than 9,500 hours of specialized, proactive training and instruction. Since establishing the Center in Kalamazoo in 1974 and opening our Grand Rapids office in 1987, SLD Learning Center has provided services to more than 7,775 people.

The Shop Rat/SLD chopper will be displayed at various trade shows in Michigan. They include:

Michigan Camper, Trailer & RV Show at the Ford Field House in Detroit ~ January 25 – 28 International Auto Show at DeVos Place in Grand Rapids ~ February 1 – 4 ** West Michigan Home & Garden Show at DeVos Place in Grand Rapids ~ March 1 – 4 Sport & RV Show at DeVos Place in Grand Rapids ~ March 15 – 18 Tiger’s Opening Day at Comerica Park in Detroit ~ April 2 West Michigan Cottage & Lakefront Living Show at DeVos Place in Grand Rapids ~ April 20 – 22 Jackson Wheels of Thunder in downtown Jackson ~ June 8 – 9 NASCAR 3M Performance 400 at MIS in Brooklyn ~ June 17

** Indy Car Champion Tom Sneva and Jet Dragster Champion Jessie Harris will help unveil the chopper at the International Auto Show at DeVos Place in Grand Rapids on January 31, 2007 during the official presentation of the customized motorcycle chopper to the Specialized Language Development (SLD) Center will occur at 1:30 p.m. at the SLD/Shop Rat Booth #37.

Contact Shop Rat for further information or to schedule interviews.