Projects
The inspiration and creation of the Rainbow Project.
THE RAINBOW PROJECT JOURNEY
If you are in Cape Coral’s Jaycee Park on almost any morning, you are likely to see someone riding around on a four wheel bicycle carrying a huge picture of a rainbow.
If you do, you might want to stop and talk with him.
His name is William Ulrich. He’s a retired businessman who grew up with severe dyslexia, was bullied mercilessly as a child, ended up being a great success, and is now on a mission to do good in the world…beginning in Jaycee Park.
It’s a great story.
A retired businessman moves to Florida, buys a condo, gets bored, sits around thinking about what he missed in life by concentrating so hard on business, and wonders what he should do next.
Until July 3, 2017, that is, the day his life changed.
On that day, he was sitting on his lanai thinking there must be something better to do when a huge full rainbow appeared miles away across the river. It was so spectacular, he made an eleven minute video to send to his children. But that wasn’t the best part. The best part is that the rainbow then moved toward him, stopped in the river less than 150 feet away, and stayed there for minutes. A 25 story rainbow just a stone’s throw away. He saw it as a gateway to a new life, and it was at that moment he decided to devote his energy, talents, and money to doing what he could to make the world better.
THE PLAN
One of the lessons William Ulrich learned in business, and has never forgotten, is that people you know and people you do not know can have great ideas.
And that is what he is looking for.
He is creating a new non-profit corporation, a 501C3 that can accept tax-deductible contributions, and, like Bill Gates when he first decided to devote his life to charity work, is now looking for the best thing or things he can do.
One idea that is in the works is to partner with local nonprofit groups to help individuals with desperate needs.
The non-profit partners will screen individuals, some of whom may already be part of their services, and because they are on the front lines with these people, will have a personal knowledge of their individual needs.
The Rainbow Project Group would then make the final decisions.
The Rainbow Project Group has already held one event in Jaycee Park, and it was so successful that the person who organized the event, Christy Dunn, founder & CEO of the Local Ladies Social Network, Inc. of South Florida, has been brought on board to work with the group of 15 he has already put together.
Mr. Ulrich, who is currently spending $50,000 to $60,000 of his own money on the project every month said, “It seemed like an impossible task when the rainbow first came to me, but now it’s finally taking shape. Some neighborhood forces have been trying to slow us down. But we are not going to let that happen.”
What he does want to happen is to have as many people as possible contribute ideas.
“It’s very simple,” he says. “Not everyone has been as lucky as I was. And some people have had no luck at all. So I want to take what the rainbow gave me and see how far we can go changing the world for the better.”
PRESS RELEASE
For March 24, 2018 event
Miracle rainbow event in Cape Coral’s Jaycee Park
Cape Coral, FL - Have you seen an old guy riding around on a four wheel bicycle in Cape Coral’s Jaycee Park, carrying a huge picture of a rainbow?
If you have, you must get up pretty early, because he is there about 7:30 in the morning almost every day.
If you have seen him, you might think he’s some homeless guy spending days in the park.
He’s not.
His name is William Ulrich. He grew up with severe dyslexia, was bullied mercilessly as a child, ended up being a successful businessman, and is now on a mission to do good in the world.
It’s a great story.
A divorced and lonely old rich guy living alone in a condo in Florida thinking about what he missed in life by concentrating so hard on business and wondering what to do next.
Until July 3, 2017 that is, the day that changed his life.
On that day, he was sitting on his lanai thinking about his life when a huge full rainbow appeared miles away across the river. It was so spectacular, he made an eleven minute video to send to his children. But that wasn’t the best part. The best part is that the rainbow then moved toward him, stopping in the river less than 150 feet away and staying there for minutes.
That’s the moment when he decided to devote his energy, talents, and money to doing what he could to make the world better.
And on Saturday, March 24, 2018, he and the Rainbow Project group he started will have a celebration of rainbows booth at the Cape Coral Craft Fair in Jaycee Park, two hundred feet from where the miracle rainbow appeared.
You can talk with William Ulrich who, as have countless others around the world and throughout time, had his own private rainbow miracle. And you can celebrate the beauty of rainbows with the group that will be collecting stories and making videos of life-changing rainbow messages and experiences people bring to the park.
The purpose of the exhibit is for people to share their rainbow experiences and to contribute ideas on the greatest needs that can be fulfilled by the new charity, as well as the best ways to use the rainbow.
The Rainbow Project booth will be part of the Cape Coral Craft Fair in Jaycee Park, 4125 SE. 20th Place, from 10 AM to 3 PM on Saturday, March 24, 2018.
Admission is free and no donations will be accepted.