Computers for Quads is a not for profit corporation headed by Tom "Slider" Nelson. Tom was a member of the Central Illinois band the Flying Drito Brothers. He was a retired Illinois Central College psychology professor turned professional dobro player and mandolinist.
Tom, along with guitarists Darren Peacock, Darryl Klusendorf and Danny Newby on bass played regularly at the Sky Harbor Steakhouse, The Red Barn and at many area events and venues . Later after Danny passed away, Bill Soloman played with Tom and Darrin as a Flying Drito Brothers trio all over the area.
In 2000 Tom was stricken with ALS also known as Lou Gherig's disease. ALS is a neuro muscular disease that causes victims to progressively lose the use of their muscles. As the disease progressed Tom continued to play with the trio and with another area band, Doc Rodgers and the Rock Dodgers. Tom picked up the handle of "Slider" plating dobro for Doc Rodgers.
Tom later moved to California to be near his daughters and son, leaving the area music scene and playing music publicly. Tom gradually began to lose the use of his feet, legs, arms and hands. He continued to work on a method book for dobro based on his long running dobro website from the late 90's called "Lick of the Week", where each week Tom would notate a passage or "lick" from his signature dobro playing style and publish it to the website. Slider finally got the publication written in 2002. He began to consider finding someone to record the notated music for a CD to accompany his book
Then in 2003 as he was losing the battle with ALS, Tom returned for an amazing final hurrah to play a few shows with Doc Rodgers and finish his parts of the band's CD "Don't Touch Me There"
When he returned home to California in 2003 I had the pleasure of being his engineer to finish the recording of the dobro CD to accompany the book. The book was published and this great lick based dobro method is available HERE. All Tom's proceeds from the book are donated to help ALS victims.
Since 2005 Tom has totally lost the use of his limbs and extremities. His is healthy but is on a respirator which breaths for him. Tom still enjoys some passions in life in spite of his complete immobility and total loss of speaking ability. Tom mind is not damaged at all from the disease and he can still communicate. He can move his eyes and has a device that has camera on a pair eyeglasses that alows him to choose letters with his eyes on a laptop computer screen. He blinks out letters to form words, then a computer voice will speak the words for him.
Tom continues to have a positive attitude. He wants to remain active so he has set up the new Computers for Quads (C4Q) http://www.c4q.org website himself using his eyes to program html code. C4Q is an effort by Tom to continue helping others. This website help other quadriplegics to get a laptop and the special device Tom uses so they too can enjoy the ability to communicate with others.
Tom has clients apply for laptops but due to no support on the fundraising side he has actually bought laptops for them with his own funds. We want to get the word out about this wonderful man and his noble efforts to help others so we are holding a fundraiser to get C4Q an inventory of laptops to place with clients.
July 8, 2007 Noon to 9:00pm
Paddy O'Flaherty's
Best Western Ashland House
201 Ashland Ave, Morton, IL
309 266-6919
3rd Degree Blues Noon
Dave McDonald & Friends 1:00pm
South Side Cindy 2:00
The Bill Porter Project 2:45pm
Flying Drito Brothers 4:00
Robin Crowe Band 5:15pm
Doc Rodgers and the Rock Dodgers 6:30pm
Rooster Alley 7:45
Pair of Tickets to Austin City Limits Music Festival September 14, 15 & 16
http://www.aclfestival.com/
Souvenir picture of Lou Gherig
Complete Set of South Side Cindy CD's
2 tickets to Nothin But The Blues Fest
Eric Clapton Collector Robert Johnson Book & CD
Guitar Donated By Steve Youngren
Gift Certificate for Metro Pole Barber Shop
Donation of $5 to benefit Computers For Quads