FIRST PERSON/OPINION: Via e-mail: I was just notified of the passing of ex road racer Tom Wegman of Iowa City, IA. In 1986 Tom was injured in a motorcycle racing accident at Blackhawk Farms Raceway resulting in paralysis. At that time, I decided to do a fund raiser for him to help with his medical bills. That was the first of many auctions to be held for injured road racers over the next 20 years under the name of the Wegman Benefit Fund, named in honor of Tom. Over $250,000 was paid out to help seriously injured racers across the country. Tom was proud to know his name was attached to a successful fund aiding injured racers. In 2006, the Wegman Benefit Fund was closed and the Red Flag Fund took over the duties of raising funds for injured racers. Family and friends will gather Saturday July 28th at The Kirkwood Room from 4-7 p.m. to celebrate and remember Tom. In Lieu of flowers, memorials may be made in Tom’s name to Iowa City Hospice or the National Spinal Cord Injury Association, Box 167 Iowa City, IA 52244. More information is available at www.lensingfuneral.com . R.I.P. Tom Gordon Lunde Reeseville, WI Read more about Wegman here: ~http://thegazette.com/obituaries/wegman-thomas-henry/~ And here: ~http://thegazette.com/2012/06/10/popular-iowa-city-artist-dies-at-age-81/~ For more information on the Red Flag Fund, go to ~http://www.redflagfund.org/~