It was like waiting for springtime in Minnesota… the bloom of Trade #16 was thrilling! Thanks to an extremely generous trade from Lee McNurlin and her husband Scott, we landed an impressive machine; 571 lbs of pure muscle… A 2002 Yamaha V-Star 1100 Custom motorcycle! Lee is an elementary school teacher in Cannon Falls who loves her bike but when she learned of the Big Trade Up was inspired to help.

This black beauty is the real deal. It is in excellent condition with only 17,000 miles and is ready to roll. It is equipped with saddle bags, windshield, a new battery, an oil change adapter kit and lots of chrome. The tires are in great shape and it runs perfectly. This comfortable low-rider is just right bike for trips to the North Shore, cruising around the Minnesota lakes or even taking you out to a Twins game at Target Field. Now is your chance to get the bike you’ve dreamed of and help a great cause! If your wheels are turning, just let us know. A huge thank you goes out to Scott and Lee McNurlin!

The McNurlin’s generosity is moving and if the trade was not enough, Lee gave a wonderful testimony…. “When I was contacted by Tony about the Big Trade Up, I did some research on www.mindthefuture.org. I was touched by what I read and saw. The video clip on the military officers receiving black lab puppies almost made me cry. I realized if I joined this effort and became a part of the Big Trade Up, it would bless more than just inner city kids who have the desire to go to college. (though that reason is enough) I realized I wanted to be a part of something that would spread blessings far and wide. I already feel very blessed by my decision to trade my motorcycle, and I hope and pray each person involved in any way with this organization will have a sense of peace and blessing for the part they have played in keeping the Big Trade Up going!”

In addition to announcing this wonderful trade, we would like to unfold a new way for you to get involved with the Big Trade Up. We’ve heard from many people that would love to help but considering the significant increase in value, are now less likely to trade an item worth thousands of dollars. So here’s the new way you can help. With each trade, we are now welcoming the donation of ancillary items that will help “sweeten the pot” and increase the value of the item up for trade. For example with the motorcycle, please consider offering contributions like a helmet, jacket or boots, etc… maybe we find an artist to custom paint the motorcycle as a donation to the cause. It could be anything of added-value. The contributions will increase our jumps in value and improve our overall chance of success. So if you have something of value that is collecting dust, let us know…

Only a couple hours after the President of the Minnesota Twins, David St. Peter agreed to the personal lunch and stadium tour for our last trade, my good friend Tony Winkler and I were having lunch and talking about The Last Ride Band. Their band is quickly gaining a following and without knowing about the new item up for trade, Tony started telling me about a new “Twins” song he had just finished writing with well-known singer/songwriter Reynold Philipsek. Tony has generously supported Mind The Future since 2004 and had already been interested in making a trade at some point so when I told him about the David St. Peter lunch, we were both surprised by the perfect opportunity for him to pitch the song. Knowing Tony, I knew this was going to be a big trade…

So Trade #15 is a big leap for the Big Trade Up. Tony agreed to trade a 4-night round-trip package to the CMA Country Music Festival (June 10-13th, 2010) in Nashville, TN. This $2,000+ package includes an airfare allowance for two, four nights lodging at the famous Opryland Hotel and two “floor seat” tickets to see Tim McGraw, Carrie Underwood, Keith Urban, Jason Aldean, Reba McEntire, Alan Jackson, Brad Paisley, Martina McBride, Rascal Flatts and many more artists over the four big nights at LP Field. This “BIG TICKET” package is a country music fan’s dream as it also includes VIP access to daily concerts at Riverfront Park, a ticket to the Grand Ole Opry matinee, a ticket to the Country Music Hall of Fame, a tour of the historic Ryman Auditorium, a flatboat ride inside the Delta Atrium at the hotel, autograph opportunities, block parties, the list goes on and on… This four-day festival is possibly Nashville’s biggest event with over 400 country artists and celebrities attending.

In addition to this trade, Tony Winkler and The Last Ride Band put on a great show to a packed bar of Big Trade Up supporters at Dixie’s on Grand over the weekend. Thank you to everyone for coming out and thanks again to Tony Winkler for this exciting CMA Country Music Festival trade. Like all of our trades, we have absolutely no idea who will step up next. If you are interested in this amazing trip, please email us at mytrade@bigtradeup.com.